Elevate 2024

An innovative leadership and development programme for women from minority ethnic groups (January – June 2024)

Applications have now closed for this year. (Deadline: Wednesday 1st November 2023). 

 

The University is funding these places through Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People Development funds with no cost to the applicant. 
 

Following the success of our previous cohort, we are pleased to announce that the Elevate leadership programme will again be offered for the 2023-24 academic year. 

Elevate is a creative personal and professional development programme that acknowledges and celebrates the history, culture and diverse lived experiences of participants. It will encourage participants to reflect, explore and grow through connecting and building solidarity together.

The programme creates a unique opportunity to meet, share, support and learn together. Elevate will be a safe space where leadership concepts and ideas will be introduced whilst exploring strategies that support the navigation of systemic practices which have tended to historically fix the professional identities of women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Elevate recognises that prospective participants are ready to embrace and take on leadership responsibilities, but face differentiated lived experiences in employment, education and in wider society from their white counterparts

Elevate will be transformational and will centre on the lived experiences and development needs of women of colour. You will be the key focus!

 

Who is Elevate for?

The Elevate programme is aimed at women from Academic staff (grades D-G) and Professional Services staff (grades C-G) from Black, Asian or Minority ethnic backgrounds and who identify as female.

The Elevate programme welcomes trans women and also non-binary people who are comfortable in a female centred community.

The Elevate programme brings together colleagues from across six universities in the South West of England and South Wales: Bristol, Bath, Bath Spa, Cardiff, Exeter, and UWE Bristol.

Elevate recognises that prospective participants are ready to embrace and take on leadership responsibilities, but face differentiated lived experiences in employment, education and in wider society from their white counterparts. Elevate will be transformational and will centre the lived experiences and development needs of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women. You will be the key focus!

*We recognise the diversity of individual identities and lived experiences, and we recognize that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic is an imperfect term that does not fully capture the racial, cultural, and ethnic identities of women that experience structural and systematic inequality. Whenever possible, we will name programme participants as they themselves prefer to be named.

 

Elevate will:

• Create spaces for participants to explore the development of their leadership and critically evaluate their professional position in Higher Education
• Introduce different leadership styles and approaches, and encourage participants to develop their own authentic leadership style and to increase their influence in institutions
• Support participants to reclaim strengths and talents as well as acknowledge their development needs and commence an action plan to meet their needs
• Empower using culturally informed methodologies including recapturing oral histories, storytelling, live capturing and centralised voicing
• Centralise participants as women of colour in the learning context, exploring their identity

 

"It's helped me feel empowered to do everything I want to and make steps to achieve the goals I have set for myself. It has also helped me re-evaluate what is most important to me and will help me become a better leader." – Elevate 2023 Participant  

"The programme will be like nothing you have ever experienced and you will be thankful you participated. Enter the programme with an open mind and be open to be challenged. You are a co-producer of the experience and so show up. Carve out the time to be present as much as you can. Be fearless, vulnerable, and lean into the experience." - Advice from an Elevate 2023 Participant  

“This programme has been overwhelmingly transformative, giving me a space to reflect deeply on what I have achieved in my professional and personal life, as well as how I would like to go forward with developing these areas.” – Elevate 2022 Participant  

“The program opened the door for me to begin a journey of self-reflection and working on aspects that were stopping me from making bold moves in my career. I'm now less scared of change and have a new realization of my skills and experience and that I can flourish wherever I choose to go.” Elevate 2022 Participant