Student Commission on Racial Justice

Established in 2020, the Student Commission on Racial Justice is a national, student-led project giving young people across the country a platform to influence change in the education sector. Young people view racial justice as one of the most important issues of their generation and the Student Commission gives them the ability to tackle the injustices that they and their peers experience. The project explores students experiences of further education giving young people a voice and empowering them to take action. The five key areas explored are:

Teaching & Learning
Support, Safety and Wellbeing
The World of Work and Aspiration
Events, Activities and College Culture
Complaints Process and Procedures

Leaders Unlocked have built this project from the ground up, based on our extensive networks within the Further Education sector. Since the launch in 2020 the Student Commission on Racial justice has worked with 20 leading colleges, developed over 200 Student Commissioners and reached over 15,000 students to understand their experiences of racial justice.

We are currently partnered with eleven colleges across England: Barnsley College, Birmingham Metropolitan College, Bilborough Sixth Form College, Bolton College, Hopwood Hall College, Kirklees College, Leicester College, Long Road Sixth Form College, MK College Group, the Sheffield College and Solihull College and University Centre.

How it works

Working with the participating colleges, we recruit over 40 passionate students to lead the Commission. Throughout the project, the Commissioners are supported by Leaders Unlocked to build skills in research, public speaking and engaging other young people. They also produce a short animation or film and workshop that reaches tens of thousands of students across England. The Commission work with their own colleges and national stakeholders to develop recommendations for action to tackle racial injustice.

Since the start of the project participating colleges have implemented recommendations made by the Student Commission on Racial Justice in response to the challenges faced by young people from racialised groups, Some examples include actions taken in the following areas:

Staff training: 8 institutions have delivered new racial justice training to their staff reaching over 10,000 practitioners with knowledge on bias, micro-aggressions and how to be an ally.

Curriculum: 6 institutions have changed the content of teaching and learning to reflect and embed racial justice priorities coming from students.

Student development: 8 institutions have delivered new development opportunities for students including involving them in recruitment panels for Student Services staff, EDI committees and training to support peers who have experienced racism.

Organisational policy: 6 institutions have made changes to their institutional policies, e.g. equity and inclusion, complaints and recruitment.

For more information about the changes implemented and the impact these have had please follow the link:

Why

On 25th May 2020, George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis. This tragic event highlighted the ongoing prevalence of systemic racism in society and sparked Black Lives Matter protests around the world, including in the UK. Young people have told Leaders Unlocked that Black Lives Matter is one of the most important issues for their generation. Our Student Commission on Racial Justice provides a platform for students across the country to work collectively to tackle racial injustice.

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