Resources

The REACH Staff Network is committed to fostering equity, diversity and inclusion for all our members. Our REACH Mentoring Scheme is designed to support Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic staff in their professional and personal development.

The aim of this scheme is to foster meaningful engagement and networking opportunities for Mentors and Mentees, thereby enhancing the connections among members of the REACH Network and to operationalise the Network’s strategic priority on personal wellbeing and professional development.

Whether you're an early-career professional, or looking for career progression, this program pairs you with experienced mentors who can provide guidance, share insights, and help you navigate challenges.

To register for the scheme, please complete the form below. Please provide as much information as possible to help us process your request and match with an appropriate mentor or mentee.  

Loughborough University is committed to tackling racism and being an anti-racist organisation. To help facilitate the progress, the University signed up as a member of Race Equality Charter (REC) in April 2018 and was awarded the REC Bronze Award in May 2022.

The below links outline the policies and commitments made by the university to advance racial equity. REACH Network members have contributed significantly to these achievements via our advocacy work, which has been of strategic importance to the institutional equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) agenda.

• Race Equity at Loughborough University
• Race equity guiding principles | Loughborough University
• Race Pay Gap [In the interests of openness and transparency, Loughborough University has chosen to monitor and report its race pay gap as a voluntary initiative]
• Compassionate Leave Policy [2 weeks’ leave is pre-approved for employees who are experiencing trauma as a result of a protected characteristic, for example race or religion, to allow them time to seek help, advice and support]
• EDI Workload Policy [Working hours guidance for undertaking recognised EDI roles]
• Apply for EDI Funding [Process by which all academic schools, professional services departments, staff networks and individuals can bid for funding for activities that are aligned with progressing equity, diversity and inclusion priorities at Loughborough]
• Positive Action – BAME staff members on committees (2020)
• LU Race Equity Timeline

Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff make valuable contributions to Loughborough University and Loughborough University London. More information on representation, visibility, and progress towards increased racial and ethnic diversity is available at the links below.

• University population by racialised groups
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report
• HALO Code [Loughborough is committed to ensuring that no student or staff member faces discrimination or detriment to their career or education because of the way they choose to wear their natural hair while at work or studying]
• CITHEI Centre for Doctoral Training [LU Doctoral Research Cohort studying Unequal Academic Citizenship: Opportunities and Barriers to Participation and Inclusion of Cultural Diversity and Intersecting Identities in Higher Education]

REACH members connect with and support each other through a range of venues and forums.

• Meetings, socials and celebrations [BAME staff require safer spaces to gather and discuss issues and concerns that are relevant to them, without the observation, participation or inquiries of white peers and managers. REACH members meet frequently for virtual coffee breaks and occasionally for in-person/virtual meetings. We also gather with the wider LU community regularly for events and celebrations celebrating our diverse cultural heritages. Join our mailing list to receive updates and invitations - please email request to be added]
• EDI Community Mailing List [An internal e-mail list of people with responsibility for, or interest in, equity, diversity and inclusion across the University. Please email request to be added]
• LU Staff Networks

Challenging racism is a community effort and one that must be done consistently, and through self-education as well as collectively. Below are some resources to support this process. 

1. Definition of racism and types of racist behaviour (LU Race Equity Strategy)
2. Reporting incidents of racism at Loughborough University [Student reporting portal, can be used by staff. Submissions go to the EDI team and will be treated with care and not shared without permission].
3. Be an ally
   • Diversity Ally (School of Science)
   • EDI and me
4. Guidance for individuals and managers
   • Equality Act 2010 [UK Government information and guidance on the Equality Act 2010, including age discrimination and public sector Equality Duty]
   • LU Positive Action Guidance and Evaluation Tool
5. Self-education resources
   • Equity vs Equality
   • An open-access collection of essays exploring racial justice work in higher education. Advancing Racial Equality in Higher Education | Edinburgh Diamond
   • Dismantling Hostile Environments for PhD Supervision [training video by Dr Angela Martinez Dy for LU Doctoral College – LU Staff and Student access only]
   • University Library EDI reading lists and subject guides. The Library is always open to suggestions for books and multimedia resources for future purchase as a shared resource – feel free to recommend your ideas.

The below archive documents a range of activities related to the advancement of race equity at the institution. REACH Network members have contributed significantly to these achievements via all three of our action areas.

• LU News about EDI and University-sponsored anti-racist initiatives
  • LU Freedom School and Freedom School Online (2022) - video
  • Collective Anti-Racist Efforts x Citizens UK Anti-Racist Leadership Training (2021)
  • Ethnically Diverse Communities Parents and Guardians Workshop (School of Science)
  • EDI Hub [Teams group]
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – Lboro Blogs [Reflections, comments, discussion and opinion on EDI topics from Loughborough University staff and students]
• Inaugural Race Equity Town Hall (2021) [video]
• Alumnae Mike Wedderburn interviews Loughborough University Senior Management on Race Equality (Dec 2020): Discussing Race Equality at Loughborough [video]
• Director of EDI Services and BAME Staff Network member Veronica Moore discusses allyship with former Head of People-Organizational Development Adele MacKinlay and LGBT+ Committee member David Wilson [video]
• LU Responses to Movement for Black Lives (2020)