Purpose and stimulus/rationale:
The Iroko project was developed, over an eight-month period, to respond to a context of: stark inequalities for Black and African Caribbean Communities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests; fractured relationships with these communities that needed repair; and a concern to understand racism as it was being experienced by these communities.
Process:
The project involved:
Co-production: The initiative was designed for learning with the community, not for extracting data from the community. It involved being present in the community, engaging the community where they were at on the issue, and enabling community leadership in the initiative.
Communication: The initiative involved building and strengthening a Community Ambassadors team; on-line community engagement on why collect data, how to collect data, and what data to collect; action planning for the initiative with Black and African Caribbean leaders; and capacity building and leadership training for Black and African Caribbean community members.
Collection: The initiative gathered data through an online engagement in four community sessions; three in-person sessions with young people from the community; and three in-person interviews. It engaged with 394 participants and facilitators, aged from 16 years to over 65 years.
Cultural analysis: The initiative involved an analysis of the stories, voices and data gathered to establish themes in relation to the impact of racism, and to identify the systems, from the personal to the public, within which racism was being experienced.
Cultural humility: The initiative allowed for reflection, led by Black and African Caribbean leadership to ensure that it was trust-based and that it engaged all voices. It further allowed for internal reflection through Council staff training to prepare staff to hear and respond to the outcomes of the initiative.
Council systems: The initiative was directed at identifying and effected the change required in Council systems to address and eliminate racism – including systems for planning, service provision, and community engagement.
Kirklees Council, Huddersfield University, and Amber & Greene (EDI specialist) implemented the initiative.
Impact:
Change: The initiative influenced Council plans and strategies; improved service provision; and sustained new relationships with the Black and African Caribbean community. The initiative empowered the Black and African Caribbean community to take responsibility; enabled learning; and developed self-determination.
Key reference documents:
Kirklees Iroko Project online presence: Project Summary & Iroko Project Trustee.
