City and University Leaders share race and equality lessons

Prominent leaders from across the City of Liverpool and LJMU have come together to mark the halfway point of an innovative scheme to develop greater understanding between the university and the communities we serve.

LJMU launched the pioneering scheme which matches its Executive Leadership team with senior Black and Ethnic Minority leaders for almost a year of partnership and learning sessions.  Over the past few months, leaders have shared their lived experiences with one another in a two-way mentoring relationship, to create open and honest conversations about race and equality.  The aim of the scheme is to build relationships across the city and build positive change which will benefit students and staff at LJMU, and the whole Liverpool community.  

Last night, leaders discussed what they have learnt, and key priorities for the remaining six months of the programme.  They also heard keynote speeches by Nelson Mandela’s Former Bodyguard, Chris Lubbe, and the youngest Black professor in the UK, Jason Arday. 

Liverpool City Leaders taking part in the scheme include Mayor Joanne Anderson, MP Kim Johnson, Paul Amann, Simone Roche, Tracey Gore, Monica Mwanje, Irene Afful, Ngunan Adamu, Lorna Rogers, Emeka Onuora, Ayo Barley, Shazney Spence, Garth Dallas and Hodan Elmi. 

The Reciprocal Mentoring Launch, amongst Liverpool leaders, follows the success of LJMU’s own Reciprocal Mentoring Programme, which launched back in 2020. The scheme saw the university pair Black students with White LJMU leaders, in a two-way mentoring relationship, to discuss race equality and how it really feels to be Black in a British university. 
 
LJMU Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Mark Power, who is also taking part in the scheme, added “Over the past six months, myself and other leaders from LJMU and across the city, have gained such valuable insight from one another, in our aim to create a more inclusive environment at our university and across the Liverpool City Region.  

“Having been partnered with Mayor Joanne Anderson and MP Kim Johnson, we’ve shared our perspectives and experiences on a whole range of issues and topics, and we have explored practical opportunities to further connect our communities and to collaborate, alongside the other pairs, on projects now, and in the future. 

“As the programme continues for another five months, we’ll keep having these discussions and sharing our own insights, with the aim to bring about positive change for the whole city region.” 

The Reciprocal Mentoring Programme has been developed by the LJMU Equality Diversity and Inclusion Team in partnership with Liverpool Commonwealth Association.