The Social Justice Curriculum — what have we learned?
“I now have a wealth of resources to read and watch, and a wider understanding of how systemic inequalities operate. I am already seeing a shift in my practice, or at least more consciousness when it comes to making choices.” Participant
The Social Justice Curriculum
Over 150 staff have participated in Wellcome Collection’s unique, bespoke Social Justice Curriculum (SJC). What have we learned about the impact of this significant personal, professional and collective learning journey led by facilitators with lived and learned experience? This article will respond to this question through participant quotes and reflections from Facilitators Amy Kavanagh and Natasha Trotman.
“Understanding the origins of racism and ableism and how they are perpetuated feels foundational to so many aspects of my work.” Participant
Ableism and racism are ingrained in our history, our society and our institutions. Wellcome Collection has an uncomfortable history, with a collection rooted in injustice. With this context in mind, we co-designed a programme to support staff to:
- learn about historic ableism and racism and its relationship to society and our collection
- understand core concepts and theories relating to social justice.
You can find out more in a previous article about the SJC.
“(The Social Justice Curriculum) really gave me a deeper understanding of racism and ableism as structural problems in society.” Participant
In order to make meaningful change, we also needed to find a way to support colleagues to recognise their own relationship with injustice, including how they might benefit from structural inequity.
“It has been a fantastic learning experience. It has made me sharply aware of the biases I hold, and more critical of the world around me.” Participant
Facilitators with lived and learned experience
A crucial element of this learning programme has been the expert facilitation by a small team of freelance professionals. Over the time this programme has been running, Michèle Taylor, Natasha Trotman, Alex Wanjiku Kelbert and Amy Kavanagh have provided facilitation and so much more.
“The facilitators were simply amazing, incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated.” Participant
They impart knowledge, share experience and create a held space for groups of Wellcome Collection staff members to explore historical, societal and institutional ableism and racism. The original Facilitators Natasha and Michéle were also Co-Designers of the participant’s learning experience and all facilitators have shaped and evolved the SJC over time. I wanted to hear about what they’d learned while delivering this programme and invited Amy and Natasha to share their reflections.
From your perspective, what is the purpose of the Social Justice Curriculum?
AK: The SJC is a refreshing approach to tackling the systemic oppressions and barriers experienced by disabled and racially minoritised people in museum and heritage spaces. It seeks to address ableism and racism as experienced in the museum, library, gallery, the archive and in curatorial practices. Through inviting introspection and reflexive learning, participants are supported to understand their own role in dismantling ableism and racism.
“I feel I now have a better foundation to recognise racism and ableism whether in the workplace today or through our historic collections. I think this learning is going to stay with me, I really feel like it helped me think about things in a new way.” Participant
NT: In a time where the relevancy and need for museums are being explored from multiple lenses and the rise in contested objects, for example — the SJC is a timely learning intervention. From my standpoint, I see it as a vehicle to aid the carving out and holding of space for change. The SJC is a pioneering, refreshingly new approach with transformative methods for equitable practice; offering pathways for participants to consider enduring and systemic barriers experienced by disabled and racialised individuals in museums, heritage spaces and beyond.
Participants are provided with tools and designed engagements to interrogate systemic barriers experienced by disabled and racialised individuals, then introduced to authentic, alternative and accessible methods for overcoming those barriers.
What are your thoughts about the approach?
AK: It’s great to facilitate a course that gives the time for participants to really explore a complex issue like ableism. On paper it looks complicated, but the length of the sessions really enables us to establish safe and reflective spaces to explore the key issues.
“It exceeded my hopes and expectations by opening my eyes to the insidious nature of institutional racism and ableism and how deeply it is still ingrained in our society” Participant
NT: As one of the Co-Designers, I’ve also had the opportunity to witness the inception, creation, delivery and iterative development of the SJC’s framework, methods and approaches. Having co-designed the learning journey and ‘experience interventions’, as well as delivering the SJC to multiple cohorts, this has afforded me various angles and perspectives of the Social Justice Curriculum.
Taking the entire SJC (concept to delivery) into consideration, I can say part of the beauty of it and what makes it resonate so powerfully is the delicate balance of the established SJC framework and the (carved-out and held) emergent element. This gives rise to a unique blend of lived experiences and adaptable methodologies; fostering and engaging a held learning environment that nurtures growth and deep reflections in-step with the cohort — making it the first step of a life-long learning journey and continual professional development. It reminds me of a quote from Maya Angelou: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty”.
“I did feel uncomfortable at times, but this felt necessary.” Participant
What are your reflections on the SJC from your experience as a facilitator?
AK: Even though I’ve now facilitated several cohorts, each group offers different and new perspectives, which is really refreshing. I enjoy learning about all the different projects and workstreams already engaging marginalised groups at Wellcome. It gives me confidence as a disabled person that there are people who are already doing the work and want to understand the barriers and exclusions I face. It’s always helpful to feel like you’re pushing on an open door as an accessibility and inclusion professional.
NT: I’ve delivered the SJC to several cohorts; each group provides new, unique, and often fascinating responses to the learning and experience interventions. It’s great to witness the individual and collective learning journeys. I’ve enjoyed facilitating sessions and holding space for cohorts to unpack and reframe the official and unofficial systems we traverse; this highlights some of the beauty of emergent learning. The SJC’s strong emphasis on sharing knowledge, experiences and building values across departments and boundaries underscores the importance of transdisciplinary work that occurs during the process. With each cohort completing the SJC, I leave forever changed. Contributing to various cohorts’ learning journeys leaves me with a deep appreciation for the transformative power of co-creation and growth on this professional, personal, and collective learning journey. It also highlights that my practice and what I impart each time as a facilitator is a verb, a constant action, rather than a static noun; I am learning from the cohort as they engage with the module/s; we are learning together.
What impacts have you observed on participants of the SJC?
AK: One of the recent changes to the SJC has been adding a practice development session. These discussions are an opportunity to present ideas about how to make change in the spirit of the values and ideas of the SJC. It is in these discussions that I have truly felt the impact on the participants. There is usually honesty about recognising maybe where barriers have been in place, but also real tangible enthusiasm in the solutions proposed.
“The practice development session was so useful for thinking about how we can practically use our learning from SJC and how we can keep this learning at the forefront of our minds” Participant
Truthfully the impacts are sometimes also personal and this is why we try to create a supportive environment. Learning about ableism and disability justice can provoke reflection and self discovery about individual experiences. However, I always hope this process will ultimately be an empowering experience and equip participants with the tools to embrace their own identities.
NT: The impact(s) I have observed concerning the participants is illustrated by the contemplative ‘Rose, Bud, Thorn’ exercise that participants partake in during the final phase of the learning journey. This exercise not only underscores the positive aspects, but also highlights areas of intrigue or curiosity and identifies areas of challenge which may need further exploration. In my view, it symbolises the entire learning journey — fertile ground where aspirations and hopes are sown and then grow, flourish and encounter some challenging terrain along the way. Participants are receptive to learning, setting the Rose life cycle and learning journey into action.
“I’m learning so much about how to create a space in which people can feel safe to say things that they might not feel they have the ‘right’ words for.” Participant
What are the most important take-aways, particularly for organisations that aren’t able to run a programme of this scale?
AK: The resounding message we always get shared through feedback is the value of lived experience. As Facilitators we are willing and professionally prepared to share stories of discrimination and structural inequality. Our lived reality resonates stronger than statistics or abstract identities. If an organisation does not have the capacity for a long in-depth course like the SJC even having a ‘lunch and learn’ facilitated by someone with lived experience, will have significant impact.
NT: The most significant takeaways are that approaches are scalable and created for our future selves and tomorrow’s practitioners rather than just where we are now as a sector and professionals. The perspectives and insights shared during this process bring the value of the SJC’s dynamic principles into focus; this includes adaptability, diversity, access, inclusion, innovation, communication and resourcefulness; these principles can be applied to any organisation, regardless of size for example, a Lunch and Learn series can provide rich insights using a bite-sized approach.
A facilitated learning space with ring-fenced time for engagement can provide room for sharing lived experiences, open new communication pathways, and foster collaboration and new opportunities to create meaningful change. It’s not necessarily the programme’s scale that determines its success but the principles and shared values.
Another important takeaway is the value of reflective practice, transdisciplinary methods and approaches. We are in an era where resources are rapidly changing, and tomorrow’s challenges mean we may find ourselves in un-chartered terrain (locally and globally). The ability to pivot, collaborate and work across disciplines, foster shared values and responsive methods and approaches is the gold.
Thanks to Amy and Natasha for taking the time to share their insights and learning. Get in touch (socialjustice@wellcome.org) if you have questions or reflections or if you would like to access the Social Justice Curriculum resources. We would love to hear from you.
