Fundamentally, inclusion, diversity and equality is about considering who is included, who is excluded and what mechanisms we can take to better include those who are excluded. In our modern society diversity is a core value. Ensuring young people respect differences of others, whether it be race, gender, disabilities, sexual orientation, or political viewpoints and understand the discrimination certain groups face based on their differences is key to ensure they go on to be upstanding citizens in the future. It’s also paramount that young people are given equal opportunities to flourish and achieve their full potential as every child and young person has the right to be free from discrimination.
Discrimination could be evident in various ways, from direct to indirect discrimination or harassment or victimisation (1). These four types of discrimination have real-life implications which is why our education spaces must adapt to include all students. Studies have shown that pupils which have special education needs (SEN) are more likely to have their education disrupted and life chances further affected by fixed-period exclusion from school (2). The Attainment Gap (2017) states that disadvantaged students are twice as likely to leave formal education without GCSEs in English and Maths than their classmates. Furthermore, children eligible for free school meals or children with SEN both have the highest educational attainment gap (3). Fighting discrimination, ensuring equality of opportunity starting in the education system are crucial to produce sustained successes and to empower these underrepresented groups.
Ormiston Trust has a moral and legal obligation to promote inclusion, diversity and equality; this is increasingly relevant in an increasingly diverse Britain. As a result, if we view schools and the educational system as a microcosm of society then we should establish and promote inclusion, diversity and equality to better prepare and protect students, especially in their developmental years. Investing in inclusion, diversity and equality programmes and protocols ensures that all forms of diversity are considered in the educational system which has positive impacts such as better integration both in the short, medium and longer-term in the lives of the students. Research shows that these initiatives promote better productivity, better morale, higher engagement and collaboration, and these benefits translate into the workplace which is important for the success of the students (4). Furthermore, one of OT’s core values is empowering others and we view inclusion, diversity and equality initiatives as a key step in order to achieve this.
Grant programmes examples: Inclusion, diversity and equality social action, diverse boards and staff, inclusion campaigns, anti-bias training, embedding inclusion, diversity and equality into policy and procedure.
Registered company no: 09648958 | Registered charity no: 1164358
James is the Chief Executive officer of Ormiston Trust. He has worked as an organisation advisor in the private, public and voluntary sectors, helping organisations to grow sustainably over the medium to long term. He has helped charities for over 20 years in the fields of strategic development, partnership setup, programme and project delivery.
Poppy is the Youth Engagement and Partnership Officer at Ormiston Trust, responsible for coordinating our team of Young Advisors and developing effective working relationships with external organisations. She is currently studying ‘Politics, International Studies and Global Sustainable Development’ at Warwick University and previously worked as Board Advisor for a non-profit youth-focused organisation in Croydon. She has experience in activism work – attending COP26 with environmental education company Force of Nature and had been a member of the UK Youth Parliament for many years, speaking on environmental issues in the House of Commons for its ‘Make Your Mark’ campaign.
Genéa is the Communications and Events Coordinator at Ormiston Trust. She plays an integral role in overseeing the communications and media strategy – along with leading the content development for internal and external comms and PR across the Trust and the #WeWill programme. As well as supporting all event planning across campaigns, including the delivery of comms workshops with the Youth Advisory Council.
She has worked predominantly in broadcasting PR, comms and editorial and now works as a narrative designer alongside her work since completing her MA in Narrative Environments at Central Saint Martins.
Fiona is the Grants Assistant at Ormiston Trust and in her role she supports the Grants team. Previously, she worked in the City for 10 years, firstly as a dealer on the floor of the London Stock Exchange and then as an equity salestrader.
Samia is a business and ICT Teacher with over 20 years of leadership experience in Education, working with leaders from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 5. Her experience has ranged from working as an Acting Head Teacher to a Deputy for an Education Trust. Some of the key highlights from her education career have included building schools and setting up education provisions, including a teaching school, and winning several National awards. Samia is passionate about ensuring the young people in her care have the best possible experience and has always led by example by sending her own children to the schools she has been a part of.
Ray leads the youth engagement, partnerships and fundraising work streams at Ormiston Trust, in particular having strategic oversight of how we as an organisation can embed the voices of our young people in everything we do, and how we can work with partner organisations to maximise shared outcomes and opportunities.
His background is in community project development and funding, having worked with charities, schools, and local authorities in East Anglia to develop a plethora of projects including primary-secondary school transition, award-winning youth amateur theatre, social prescribing in rural GP practices, and youth commissioning boards, for which he was recognised as a Prime Minister’s Point of Light.
Ray is a global health and medicine graduate, alongside his work at Ormiston, he is a hospital doctor and public health academic. He is also an #iWill Ambassador and national #iWill Partnership Board member.
Anne is Finance Manager at Ormiston Trust and has worked for Ormiston Trust for over 30 years, overseeing the property portfolio and asset management. She combines her work at the Trust with voluntary community work and has raised thousands of pounds to enhance leisure and education opportunities for young people in disadvantaged communities.
Karlene is Finance Manager at Ormiston Trust and has been handling the Financial Management of Ormiston Trust since 2014. Her background is in Financial Services with 20 years working in the industry and she has a passion for systems, processes and spreadsheets to enable good finance management.
Aneela is the Head of Education at Ormiston Trust. Prior to joining Ormiston Trust, she was Head of Professional Development and School Improvement at Beaconhouse Group, overseeing the professional development of over 8000 teachers and implementing systems for school improvement across 200 international schools, in the Southeast region. Prior to this, she worked at Universities in the UAE, where she taught on the Bachelor of Education and Diploma programmes, and previous to this she was a Lead Advisor for Nord Anglia Education services, working with head teachers and principals to raise educational standards across schools in Abu Dhabi.
Melissa is a Programme Management Officer at Ormiston Trust. In her role she supports the #WeWill programme management, and works closely with the monitoring & evaluation, social action toolkit & skills, and youth engagement teams. She completed her undergraduate degree in International Development at the University of Sussex, and her postgraduate degree in Global Health and Development at UCL. Over the last eight years, she has dedicated much of her time to working with non-profit organisations in the UK, Nigeria, China, and Tanzania.
