Education’s legacy on EDI and Social Mobility

Should social mobility be the overall aim for equality, diversity and inclusion? This is the question I have started to ask myself for several reasons.

I'm a black, gay woman who has worked in a numerous public, private and voluntary organisations, having experience of the impact of EDI, or lack of it as had on my life, personal and professional. A mother of two mixed heritage children, my daughter choosing university and my son deciding it wasn't for him. As a mature entrant to the HEI system in my late forties with fellow students who were half my age and internationally drawn, to having held numerous volunteering roles supporting the development of children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and now in the role of School Governor.

I recently attended the Hampshire Annual Governor's and Conference one the presentations topic was with social mobility saying it "describes the degree to which a person’s place in society, in terms of their employment, income or social class is determined by where they start." It was also stated the social mobility in the UK was poor by international standards which came as a huge surprise, no I was shocked! On The Equality Trust website, I found an article titled “Social Mobility and Education” where they view education as a mechanism for social mobility, they state that “research indicates that the link between inequality and a lack of social mobility exists throughout a person’s life. Higher inequality is associated with lower social mobility when looking at both children and adults”.

I've started reading Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi's Taking Up Space; The Black Girl's Manifesto for Change and having only go to page 40 has blown my mind. Discussing issues not only around ethnicity, gender, and class but regional accents, public and private education, the influence of teachers on aspirations and their bias. But what I had never considered, even with my own children as they present visually as white, that the choice of university for black students who may want to be around others that look like them and who they identify with culturally and the impact this choice can have. For example, some employers and professions prefer those who have studied at Russell Group Universities.

Does this then influence their career path and the organisation they choose to work for? If so, how does this impact on diversity in the workplace. My experience in the Police Service has been that generally BAME's weren't attracted to policing as they were to other professions such as medicine or law. Is this due to a lack of role models or perceptions of the police, or both?

Are we unfairly expecting employers and organisations to address issues around inequality, lack of diversity and inclusion in their workplace which society, particularly education, which has existed throughout their life?

For example, at the conference it was stated the students who are supported at home with parents reading to them, taking them on education school visits etc., have better attainment levels, but what if parents haven’t got the resources or time to provide this support due competing demands such as shift working, responsibilities as a single parent etc.,

Lack of attainment does not necessarily equate to a lack of ability or aspiration.

Just wondering if reframing to social mobility would change the discourse and perception around equality, diversity and inclusion, and facilitate a society where there is room for EVERYONE.

 Marcia Ore