this day was about challenging existing assumptions, recognising the source of unconscious bias, and developing communities of practice. A great day was had by all at Action For Blind People.

1. UNDERSTANDING
EQUALITY
Shared perspectives
Mole (Laura) Chapman

2. Welcome
• Powerful language.
• Professional purpose.
• Validating experience.
• Not a add-on.
Without certain groups represented in the room, we miss out
on the voices we need to hear in order to change.

3. Ground Rules
Agreed understandings or social
contract?
What do you need to participate?

4. Shared Outcomes:
• Hopes and fears:

5. From mindscapes to
landscapes
We would be foolish to assume that it’s easy to
achieve a fairer society.
If it was easy we would have cracked it, and we
would all live in an equitable world.
• It is not.
• We have not.
• We do not.

6. COMMUNITIES OF BELONGING
Pockets of deprivation
Outsiders
Schools Locality
Polish
Disabled children
Toddler groups
Insiders
Hard to reach

7. Perceived Inequality
“The first thing to recognise is that we are dealing with the effects of
relative rather than absolute deprivation or poverty” Fullan
High Inequality
Low social mobility
Low Inequality
High social mobility
Deprivation and poverty Deprivation and poverty
The wider the perceived inequality - the unhealthier the community

8. Equality:
• Equal treatment for all: The availability of the same
rights, position, and status to all people, regardless of
gender, sexual preference, age, race, ethnicity, ability or
religion.
• Agreement of equal value
• State of being equal: rights, treatment, quantity, or value
equal to all others in a specific group
• All individuals need to have equal choices and opportunities
regardless of their ability.

9. Diversity:
• Understanding that each individual is unique, and
recognizing our differences.
• Acceptance and respect.
• It is the exploration of these differences in a safe,
positive, and nurturing environment.
• It is about understanding each other and moving
beyond tolerance to embracing and celebrating the
dimensions of diversity contained within each
individual.

10. Growth and Capacity
building

11. Protected characteristics:

12. Equity
The principle of equality has to be reinforced and extended by the
practice of equity. On the basis of the discussion so far three broad
principles about the nature of social justice:
• Equality: every human being has an absolute and
equal right to common dignity and parity of esteem
and entitlement to access the benefits of society on
equal terms.
• Equity: every human being has a right to benefit from
the outcomes of society on the basis of fairness and
according to need.
• Social justice: justice requires deliberate and specific
intervention to secure equality and equity.
(West-Burnham & Chapman 2009)

13. Culture Change
• Tackling inequality is best understood as a
practitioner’s ethical commitment to realise
every child’s rights in full.
• Cultural change takes both time and
innovation: it is neither immediately
available nor instantly achievable.

14. Culture Change
Welcome Invitation
Tolerance Acceptance
Single /other Diverse
Deficit Assets
Barriers Boundaries
Rigid rules Flexible Values
Compliance Commitment
Improvement Transformation
A Different Perspective on Equality, pg. 26

15. Principles
• Equality
• Equity
• Diversity
• Balance
• Fluidity
• Ethical practice
A Different Perspective on Equality pg 20

16. Culture Change
• Tackling inequality is best understood as a
practitioner’s ethical commitment to realise every
learner’s rights in full.
• Cultural change takes both time and innovation:
it is neither immediately available nor instantly
achievable.
(Adapted from Chapman, L. 2010)

17. Equalities Act
• Eliminate unlawful discrimination,
harassment and victimisation and other
conduct prohibited by the Act.
• Advance equality of opportunity between
people who share a protected characteristic
and those who do not.
• Foster good relations between people who
share a protected characteristic and those
who do not.

18. Co-Production
On a societal level, Co-Production entails
a simple but profound shift in
relationships... Co-Production may mean
the active process of remedying or
preventing whatever would violate our
sense of social justice. A social justice
perspective elevates the principle to an
Imperative’
(Cahn, 2000, p 34-35).

19. Inclusive practice:
EYFS: Enabling environments:
Bradford Play Partnership Inclusion Statement:
"Inclusion is a process of identifying and breaking down
barriers which can be environmental, attitudinal and
institutional. This process eliminates discrimination thus
providing all children and young people with equal access
to play.”
(Play Partnership 2007)
“Is an ongoing process of reviewing and developing practice
in order to adjust and celebrate diversity. It is the journey
not the destination!”
(EQuality Training 2006)

20. Reflective Practice
Plan
What can What do you know?
we learn?
Review Do
What has changed?

21. Reflective Practice
Plan
New ideas New practice
Review Do
New outcomes

22. Context of Professional Services
• Pressure from society and education.
• Worth of human contribution.
• Failure to secure employment.
• Negative attitudes towards marginalised groups.
• Need to value the individuals voice
• Appearance of engagement: A divided response.

23. What’s fair?
Inequality is best explained as a powerful
social force that generates community
divisions and oppression.
Inequality weakens community life, reduces
trust and increases violence across
populations.

24. Language & Dialogue
• A bridge between people.
• Words can hinder or empower.
• Links Professional, personal, and private.
• Avoid ‘them’ and ‘us’.
• Validates: active and engaged participants.

25. Challenging Ideas of Status
• Learning and Development.
• Trust and intimacy.
• Vulnerable: needs arise from critical stress.
• Those whose needs are repeatedly ignored
or whose concerns are trivialised.
• Oppression lack of full entitlement due to
wider social divisions and no control over
same adult priorities.

26. Dialogue as community intervention
• Personal: inner, reflective, analytical, synthesizing. The way
issues are internalized. A process that makes sense. [Private
voice]
• Social: family and friends, deep, open, direct, love and
unconditional acceptance. [Personal voice]
• Professional dialogue: a closed ‘expert’ language - ‘jargon’ to
the outsider. The writer, the journalist and the professional
communicator… the questioning of technique and practice.
[Public voice]
• Learning dialogue: process of mentoring, coaching, and
tutoring. Enquiry, discovery, questioning, affirming. [Expert
voice]
• Community dialogue: process of debate and shared decision
taking. Trust, convention, shared understanding and protocol.
[Shared voice]
West-Burnham, J. 2009, pg 122

27. Stereotypes and Prejudice
Myths and assumptions Professional reaction

28. Behaviour and communication
Feeling Action

29. A Tool in Practice:
• Between people,practitioners and
community?
• Trust: time and space.
• Growth and thinking.
• Respectful challenge.

30. Positive & Possible
We can:
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31. Meaningful relationships
Our judgements about almost all social
interactions, organisations and
communities depend upon our
perceptions of the relationships
involved.
Professor John West-Burnham

32. Implications for personal and
shared practice?
Personal meaning Shared understanding
• What do I understand by • How do we tackle hierarchy?
inequality? • How do we work together?
• How do I promote wellbeing • How do we value others?
and health and happiness? • How do we address common
• How do I connect to the language?
whole? • How do we enable our children?
• How do I strengthen my own • How do we involve parents and
understanding? other groups?
• How do I enable others to • How do we share leadership?
grow?
• What can I do to take more
responsibility?

33. Multi-Agency Teams
• Respect for equality and wellbeing though joined
up service and shared resources
• Personal meaning - acknowledge different models
• Shared understanding - develop shared language
• Leadership - identify management and personal
responsibility

34. Closing Circle
Good bye!
See you again
…on Facebook or
www.equalitytraining.co.uk