Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector

Report from a hackathon organised and facilitated by the Involving Young People Collective, in partnership with Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Hudl Youth Development Agency.

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 2

Contents Introduction

3

Background

5

Barriers to a more diverse and equitable environment sector

7

Access, Intersectionality and Representation

9

Language and Messaging

12

Gatekeeping

13

Education & Raising Awareness about the Environment

14

Wealth and power inequity

15

Systems

16

Ideas corner

18

What next?

22

Hackathon: Format and Observations

23

Thanks and Acknowledgements

25

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 3

Introduction In April 2021, the Involving Young People Collective (IYPC), together with Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Hudl Youth Development Agency, hosted a hackathon to address the lack of diversity in the environment sector.

The IYPC is made up of young people from all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives, connected by our drive for social change.

We work together to design and test new ways in which Esmée, as a funder, can actively engage young people – both internally within the foundation, and externally regarding what and how they fund.

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

How can organisations and movements create space for diverse communities and support them with the work they do?

What barriers are diverse communities facing in accessing the environmental space?

To start addressing the lack of diversity in the environmental sector, we focused on two underlying questions:

Home

Due to the evident lack of diversity within the UK environment sector, particularly in paid positions, we wanted to explore how funders like Esmée can start to rethink how they fund organisations working within the sector to meaningfully engage with diverse communities and platform their work. For the hackathon, we were joined by over 50 individuals that included young environmental activists, funders and organisations led by People of Colour.

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 4

Introduction

We, as the Involving Young People Collective, co-created a space for those with lived experience of working, campaigning, and volunteering in the environmental space to share ideas and actively listen to one another. We wanted it to be a space where people felt safe to share their perspectives and challenge conventions.

It was a brilliant event, one that was buzzing with shared enthusiasm, a range of views, and innovative ideas from environmental leaders from across the UK. Ahead of the event, we also launched a series of provocations given by some of the participants to stimulate collective thinking.

This report covers points raised during the hackathon – through the discussions and using Google Jamboard, a visual collaboration tool. We hope it reflects the range of experiences, reflections and ideas shared by the participants.

It was a brilliant event, one that was buzzing with shared enthusiasm

Reflections from the hackathon

Note about language used: Various terms have been used to describe communities experiencing racial inequity.

This reflects the terms that participants used during the discussions.

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Dan Seifu from the IYPC and Hemlata Pant, a young environmentalist, have both shared their reflections following the hackathon:

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Challenging conventions for a diverse and equitable environmental space

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

Esmée’s hackathon and me: a young environmentalist’s look into how change is made

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 5

Background

JUST

3.1%

A LACK OF DIVERSITY IN THE ENVIRONMENT SECTOR IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS EXISTED FOR A LONG TIME AND IS STILL PERVASIVE TODAY. A 2017 report by think tank the Policy Exchange, ranked ‘environment professionals’ as the second least diverse profession in the UK with just 3.1% of staff working in the sector being from minority race groups, compared to 19.9% of the general UK workforce. Farming was the least diverse (1.4%).

In 2018 the Institute for Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), the National Union of Students (NUS) and the Equality Trust undertook research into the issue. This gathered diversity data from five major environmental charities and several government departments and agencies working in the sector. The research found that representation of ethnic minority staff

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Introduction

Background

Barriers

members varied from 1.81% at Natural England to 16% at Defra, and between 5.8% and 16.6% in sustainability charities. Two environmental consultancies also participated, reporting that about 10% of their employees were from an ethnic minority.

The research also traced the issue into education using Higher Education Statistics Agency data; which found that only 9% of UK university students studying feeder subjects to environmental professions identified as being from non-white minorities, compared to 22% of UK students in higher education overall.

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

of staff working in the environment sector are from minority race groups

It is in this context that the Involving Young People Collective, in partnership with Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and HUDL Youth Development Agency, decided to run this hackathon exploring solutions to this issue with those at the forefront of improving diversity in the environment sector.

research found that representation of ethnic minority staff members varied from

1.81% 16% to

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 6

Background

3

Hackathon: what we asked

1

What barriers are diverse communities facing in accessing the environmental space?

Why? Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

2

What do organisations & movements pioneering diversity in the environmental space need?

OR

What can organisations with decision-making power & funders provide you/ them with?

How can the barriers facing diverse communities in accessing environmental spaces be removed?

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

4 What next

How can organisations & movements create space for diverse communities & support them with the work they do?

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 7

Barriers to a more diverse and equitable environment sector We started discussions by first identifying where the problem lies before moving onto suggestions for what is needed in order to tackle these problems.

A number of key themes came up from the discussions. Access, gatekeeping and messaging reflect views more directly related to the environment sector itself.

Whilst education, wealth inequity and systems are about the wider issues in society.

EDUCATION & RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT

We have grouped views, experiences and recommendations under what we felt was the most relevant theme.

GATEKEEPING ACCESS, INTERSECTIONALITY AND REPRESENTATION

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

LANGUAGE AND MESSAGING

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

SYSTEMS

WEALTH AND POWER INEQUITY

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 8

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 9

Access, Intersectionality and Representation

People of colour’s contributions towards the environment are often not recognised.

“THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR IS AN INSIDERS CLUB!!”

• People need to be paid for their work, there is only so much volunteering and work experience that people can do.

There are also too many low-paid opportunities. It is not as much of a possibility for working class/first generation graduates to engage in this kind of work.

• There is a lack of accessibility for marginalised communities into the environmental sector, especially as they often have other priorities. Many people do not have the privilege to give up their time to volunteer sometimes.

• Pre-degree access to the sector is incredibly hard, and there is also a lack of breadth in career suggestions.

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Introduction

Background

Barriers

• Many events hosted in the environmental sector do not take into account the many different sides of accessibility.

• The intersectionality of climate justice is not recognised, often leading to apathy towards the environmental movement.

• People of colour’s contributions towards the environment are often not recognised.

• There is a high incidence of tokenism in the sector • The countryside is not accessible to People of Colour, especially as they were not invited historically.

•B AME women and young girls feel less safe outdoors. he environmental sector is a white and •T middle-class movement, and it is mostly seen through protests where the main tactic is arrest, meaning it is not accessible to all.

•R acism is experienced in rural spaces and within the environmental sector. orking in the environmental sector or •W with the land is associated by many marginalised groups with poverty and trauma.

• The environmental movement is not representative. Diverse communities will not show up if they do not see themselves represented.

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Many people do not have the privilege to give up their time to volunteer sometimes.

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 10

Access, Intersectionality and Representation

“DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ARE

DIVERSE

WE NEED TO RECOGNISE THEMSELVES, SO THIS AND APPROACH DIVERSITY FROM AN INTERSECTIONAL LENS.”

Addressing the problem • Create high profile, good quality training schemes nationally for young people contributing to green-jobs and apprenticeships routes. Provide mentoring with experienced members of the environmental sector to those with less experience, including reverse mentoring.

• Ensure that expertise is not considered part of formal education, but is considered as part of lived experience. Lived experience should be platformed.

• Aim engagement work at specific demographics and make implications of it relevant to them, e.g. hyper-local solutions.

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Introduction

Background

Barriers

THINK

CREATE

TEST INVEST

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

•P rovide food at events to give extra value to members of the community and anyone participating in the environment conversation. hink about access as an ongoing •T thing to be looked at continuously.

Need to make people feel included once they have access to the environmental sector.

•P rovide transport to events that are accessible as well as providing accessible spaces.

•T est running events and consultation sessions at various times to make sure people from various communities can join.

Support with childcare when needed to make sure no one is left behind.

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

• Stop the dominance of audio-visual resources. Whilst it is the norm to make use of resources such as videos or written briefs, these are not accessible to everyone.

Considering how different access needs and learning styles can be catered to will greatly improve a lot of people’s experiences.

• Invest in more languages beyond English.

• Physical barriers, wheelchair access, braille and lighting can always be improved, • Create an open and accessible space with resources and information to help groups.

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 11

Access, Intersectionality and Representation

What funders can do Make more equitable routes to funding.

Simplify processes, seek out organisations and support them, provide mentorship and pay organisations to come together.

Streamline applications for smaller organisations.

Include living costs as a fundamental part of funding a project.

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Introduction

Background

Barriers

Defra and Natural England provide funding for racialised working class groups, organisations and communities. Creating a top-down domino effect of change.

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Create environment style funded leadership training fellowship.

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 12

Language and Messaging “THERE IS STEREOTYPICAL IMAGERY OF WHAT LOVE FOR NATURE AND ENVIRONMENTALISM IS. IT IS OFTEN MADE FOR WHITE PEOPLE BY WHITE PEOPLE.” • Marginalised groups do not feel represented in the environmental sector.

There is a gap in messaging where marginalised groups do not feel like the movement is for them.

• If you are born into a poorer area, the message portrayed is that nature is not part of your life, even the green spaces around you.

• There is a legitimisation issue. Messaging around who can do environmental work is not inclusive. This needs to change and come from the formal sector.

• There is an image of what it means to be an ethnic person that has been defined by people not from that background, causing a loss of identity.

he branding and language used in •T marketing does not make young people feel welcome.

•T he doom messaging used currently is not universal or accessible.

●

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

• Change the narrative and ask people what would excite them to find the positive actions we can take to improve diversity in the environmental sector.

• Communication, context and languages. The way people understand things may be different depending on their culture for example.

“There is not enough signposting, people don’t know where to look for information on how they can access the environmental sector. There is also a lack of knowledge about what is available, and marketing is often not directed to POC [People of Colour] communities.”

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Addressing the problem

• Racialised communities working in the environmental sector could focus their entry point topics on lived experience challenges they are facing, for example mental health.

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 13

Gatekeeping • The collective experience is that the sector does not value the work and ideas of diverse communities. They only consult them when they need something. Very tokenistic and inauthentic.

• People are unwilling to hear new, exciting and creative ideas that can address climate justice.

• From experience, the sector is not ready to challenge its supporters about this issue, which would increase its appeal to diverse communities.

• Need to critique the whiteness of the space and the historical narratives of what the space ‘should’ look like and what ‘good’ looks like. For instance, smaller grassroots organisations and communitybased work in the environmental space are not perceived as ‘legitimate’ or ‘successful’ because the work is often carried out by non-traditional means and on a smaller scale.

Addressing the problem alk to communities directly and •T really listen. Ask what are the pre-existing conditions that we work from that prohibits communities from participating in nature. Work with and respect groups across the sector and not just the ‘usual suspects’ as well as encouraging group working.

•A lways try to understand the barriers faced by different groups and try to figure out similar barriers faced by different communities so that we know which ones to tackle.

• People often have to prove themselves in order to be able to access the environmental sector. What is accepted in the space is not culturally universal either, and it should be.

• Proactively engage and destroy tokenistic attitudes and engages with all communities equally.

• Have listening trees so that people can express what they want to see, sharing cultural visions.

• Need time, money and space to show and grow engagement in the environmental sector and to have a real impact influencing gatekeepers.

• Ongoing, regular meetings with diverse groups to consistently learn from each other.

“SACK TOXIC INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ACTING AS BARRIERS TO

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

PROGRESS!”

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 14

Education & Raising Awareness about the Environment • Young people want training and education that they currently don’t have access to.

• We are not taught enough in school about the environment, and the environment sector is inaccessible due to the use of jargon and complicated language.

• There is not enough education about how the environment should be treated from a young age. Most of what we learn comes from school, so we should make the most of its capacity to make changes in how people think.

• Research coming out of universities is not being utilised. We need to look closer at the data sets for organisations and funders to engage with and use.

Addressing the problem

• Aspirations in education are still based on the goals of capitalism (making lots of money). We need to think holistically about the power of education and what it can do for people’s aspirations.

• Educational institutions should work more closely with local diverse environmental organisations.

Aspirations in education are still based on the goals of capitalism

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 15

Wealth and power inequity • There is not enough going around for everyone, especially because the environmental sector is not valued financially or seen as a profitable sector.

• Lots of people make money from the degradation of the environment.

Therefore, preserving the environment goes against profit-making, meaning we cannot use capitalist tools to solve the problem. Capitalism is disconnected from nature. In the West, nature is perceived as a commodity and linked to wealth.

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Train and support young people as environmental stewards

• Land is very expensive. Even poorer areas are becoming ‘developed’ and taking all the space for flats.

• Land inequity – less than 1% of the population owns 50% of the land, and racism is the founding layer of this issue.

What funders can do • Provide small pots of money to organisations from racialised communities to ‘evidence’ the need for their programmes.

• More unrestricted funding.

less than 1% of the population owns 50% of the land

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

•P rioritise seed investments and create space for creative and radical ideas to be spring boarded.

•C ommit resources and social investment into cooperative land ownership and advocate, care and train young people as environmental stewards.

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 16

Systems

There is demand for young people to show up, but no mechanism to carry this out

• There are patterns of expected delivery that are rooted in ‘output as success’ rather than the enrichment of the work through the process. This puts pressure on grassroot organisations to deliver on someone else’s agenda.

• Diverse communities want to get involved and share their knowledge but current systems feel inaccessible to them.

• There is demand for young people to show up, but no mechanism to carry this out.

• Right now there is one formula that is applied to everyone. Local knowledge needs to be applied, because what works for one area will not necessarily work for another.

• A lot of household organisations focus on putting patches on environmental problems, rather than pushing for systemic change designed to be inclusive to all.

• The grassroot is not connected to funders.

Many times they don’t have the eligibility.

• Reporting structures for funding - too many are needed to monitor the progress of funded projects. This takes up time and resources to report in a bespoke way for a funder which reduces the impact of the work.

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Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Addressing the problem • Organisations and movements working together and sharing knowledge on what has/hasn’t worked:

•T hinking and frameworks need leaders with lived experience.

- Need connections and networks to share data, experiences, and practices.

- Not working in silos. There are lots of people trying to do the same thing but no mechanism to share and connect currently.

•T o get diverse communities involved, give representatives jobs in leadership and engagement: - Appoint people of the culture to help repackage what natural spaces mean to the next generation.

- Listen, pay people, and let them lead.

- Share space, move on, step down.

This would fill capacity gaps and connect people.

There are lots of people trying to do the same thing but no mechanism to share and connect Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 17

Systems

What funders can do

Application processes that are creative.

Communicate organisational diversity goals with a timeline to ensure accountability.

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Introduction

Background

Barriers

Test out new ways to measure impact and diversity by becoming more people centric. Move from using numbers to valuing testimony and lived experience.

Embed different approaches and knowledge into systems of practice rather than extracting it for engagement and diversity box-ticking.

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Be honest about what large organisations can and cannot do. When having these conversations be honest about what the power dynamics are within your organisation. For example, can push-back come from more senior figures in the team?

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 18

Ideas corner

“YOU ARE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION. DON’T WASTE ENERGY ON TRYING TO CHANGE SOMETHING THAT WON’T: CREATE NEW SYSTEMS, NEW SOCIETIES!!”

We also asked participants to share what were the most interesting, radical and impactful ideas that came up from the discussions. Here’s a round-up of them alongside who organisations should work with.

Innovation in practice • Creating a database of ideas and the work smaller organisations do so they can be reached based on their work.

Maintaining dignity through the process of the uncomfortable anti-racist work.

• A platform to create unity and stronger bonds to achieve the same goal • Learning platforms across grassroots organisations.

• National Park that is managed and taken care by People of Colour but is open to all.

• Passing on the torch: intergenerational, vertical and side-ways mentorship – sharing knowledge, skills, models.

• Social investment as a tool for acquiring local green spaces for communities to centre their community work around.

• An environmental focus leadership programme.

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 19

Ideas corner

Governance and leadership

Funding

• Alternative models of governance and structures. Funders can put pressure on other organisations to diversify structures – especially the bigger conservation organisations.

• Fund emerging leaders in this space. Give them the money and space for them to evolve – 1000 new leaders with a salary for 2 years

• Fixed term for trustees to create a more transient nature of the role.

• Having sustainable conversations at the board level about this issue that integrate People of Colour and conclude with actions that have accountability.

• Citizen jury / assembly holding funder to account for funding decisions. Being accountable to the sector and communities that are meant to be supported.

• More intersectional approaches to environmental funding i.e. support the projects that help the issues related to environmental work like food poverty • Handing power and money over to diverse communities.

• Delegated grant-making to those who are closer to those communities • Having an inclusive network of orgs that work together to understand and breakdown barriers to funding • Inclusion must be a condition of funding • Having support when accessing funding and even finding relevant pots of funding would be beneficial as that is very time consuming.

• “Undercover boss” wife-swap between funders and grassroots organisations.

• Address land inequity.

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 20

Ideas corner

Organisational

Community engagement

• Have a strong, authentic and reflective process for checking privilege in white-led organisations.

• Long-term engagement with one community over a long period by organisations for sustained learning – combined with two-way learning (co-production and sharing of wisdom; each one, teach one), a two directional, reciprocal relationship.

• Create an authentic long-lasting role that focuses on changing the narrative in organisations / Funders.

Change the narrative

• Sharing of space. For example, coming to community space twice and then going to organisation space twice so that both can see lived experience. Being on the territory of the group you are trying to reach out to and vice-versa.

consideration any prejudices and also local allegiances. Panels should be diverse (including all ages) and have a duty of care. Include someone on the panel who is not from the area to give a separate approach. Also, who aren’t “experts” in environmentalism, but just part of the local community.

Panels should be diverse (including all ages) and have a duty of care.

• Marketing brands are a way forward, but they need to offer long-lasting ways to work with people from the communities.

• Place based panels that bring together different communities who know the local organisations.

Be aware of and take into

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Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 21

Ideas corner

Who should organisations work with?

• The people/groups who we can’t reach/don’t have connections with/ don’t hear from. Need to constantly think about the people who are out of our reach currently.

• People across communities with lived experience.

• The users of the space • Engage with diverse communities, not just about diversity issues, from the beginning.

• Work locally as well as nationally and emphasise the importance of local knowledge.

• Marketing brands to ensure representation is diverse.

• Influencers to enact real change and structural change.

• Community trusts especially formed for accessible green space.

sector etc. This could be through networks or forums but need to be aware of their limitations: they can become a ‘club’ that is hard for disruptive ideas to break into.

• Grassroots organisations.

• Non-nature organisations: e.g. tenant groups, unions, local councils, universities.

• Unions – to help get people into climate organising.

• Climate and Race collective at Racial Justice Network

• Other environmental organisations: to share learning, ideas, concerns etc. As well as organisations that might be really different – i.e. from a different

• Climate Reframe group

Influencers to enact real change and structural change

Need to constantly think about the people who are out of our reach currently.

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 22

What next?

3

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESMÉE FROM THE IYPC This isn’t the end of the conversation – it’s just the beginning. And we’re really looking forward to continuing these conversations with all those involved and anyone else interested in creating a more diverse and equitable environment sector.

In the meantime, we have put forward the following recommendations to Esmée based on the discussions at the hackathon.

1

Citizens Assembly type model for Esmée Fairbairn Foundation,

making them accountable to a

group of organisations who judge in a year how good they’ve done

Run a hackathon with just young people to see what comes up and make

comparisons with the

2

on this issue.

Start a network with the people

results of this hackathon.

who attended the hackathon to

(Young people couldn’t make this slot due to

continue the conversation and

commitments, so running

and mechanisms to tackle the

people will have a better

share positive stories based on the

school, university or other

start developing some solutions

this event will mean

issue. Campaign / platform to

chance to contribute).

experiences of those pioneering Diversity and Inclusion work in the sector.

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 23

Hackathon: Format and Observations “After this initial introduction, I’d like to have further conversations with the environmentalists and funders in my working group, as well as those I did not have the opportunity to speak with, e.g. some of those who created video provocations (loved these, by the way!).” – Participant

Format Time

Activity

10:00

Welcome / Icebreaker

10:25

Hackathon Framing

10:40

BREAK

10:50

Human Centred Design – exploring problems and needs

12:00

LUNCH & Live Jamboard

12:40

Human Centred Design – exploring ideas

13:25

BREAK

13:30

Selection of the most impactful/radical/ interesting content

14:20

Main Room - celebration of ideas

14:50

Check-out

15:00

Closing

Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

“I learnt how many different people are involved in the environmental sector. How everyone has different roles and jobs for the environment, and bringing them all together would make a huge difference, as they could work in with each other’s understanding.” – Participant

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 24

Hackathon: Format and Observations

100% of the participants who filled in the feedback form said they would like to continue this conversation.

Observations from the hackathon These observations and suggestions are based on our own reflections as well as the feedback of 33 participants who completed a survey about their experience of the event.

• 100% of the participants who filled in the feedback form said they would like to continue this conversation.

• Continue providing provocations and engage with the online community.

• Be mindful of the language used and the conversations it can enable. For example: Diversity vs Inclusion.

• Participants had the opportunity to suggest other people, communities and organisations to join this conversation whom we would love to engage going forward.

Introduction

Background

Barriers

• Some attendees struggled with the length of the event, whilst others wanted more time. We recommend that in the future, we split the event into a series of events.

• E nsure issues aren’t simplified or narrowed when outlining actions: sit with the “mess” and complexity of the systems in which we are working.

• Create more opportunities for people in the working groups to understand each other’s work and get to know each other more.

• E ngage traditional conservation charities in these conversations - they would really benefit from the discussions and insights shared at this hackathon.

“It was great to have such a range of people and organisations in the room beyond the Involving Young People Collective and Esmée staff. Really enjoyed meeting people and thinking about the range of perspectives, experiences and types of work we all are involved in, which made the conversations really engaging and rich.” – Esmée staff

Continue providing provocations and engage with the online community

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• E nsure conversations are across regions (not London centric) and that people from rural, coastal and urban environments are involved.

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 25

Thanks and Acknowledgements

This report was produced by the Involving Young People Collective as a summary of the discussion at the hackathon. Please note that not every message or idea presented reflects the views of every participant.

We are so grateful to everyone who joined us, shared their experiences, ideas and listened. Thanks also to Graphic Change who provided the illustrations throughout the report. Thank you!

Daze Aghaji

Zena Edwards, May Project Gardens

Zunaira Malik, Action for Conservation

Khadijah Patel

Dr Jenna Ashton, Creative Climate Resilience

Rhiane Fatinikun, Black Girls Hike UK CIC

Caroline Mason, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Nadeem Perera, Flock Together

RoZana Attia

Lola Fayokun

Maxwell Ayamba, Sheffield Environmental Movement (SEM)

Dave Fuller, Repowering London

Manu Maunganidze, Nature Youth Connections and Education (NYCE)

Catherine Hillis, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Ines Belliard, Global One 2015 Benjamin Bishop, Cody Dock, Gasworks Dock Partnership Leah Borromeo, Disobedient Films Rosie Clewett

Jenny Dadd, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Abel Daniel, May Project Gardens Mohammed Dhalech, Mosaic Outdoors Luna Dizon, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Home

Introduction

Background

Louis Howell, Revolution Hive / HUDL Youth Development Agency Aashifa Hussain, London National Park City Rangers / Well Grounded

Astha Johri, LOT: London’s Land Bank

Mya-Rose Craig, Black2Nature

Barriers

Daniel Seifu, Involving Young People Collective

Liam McAleese, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Amira Ismail, Involving Young People Collective

Helena Craig, Black2Nature

Heather Salmon, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Betty Mayo, Involving Young People Collective

Gareth Hicks

Shaira Begum, Ella Baker School of Organising

Francisca Rockey, Black Geographers CIC

Michelle Killington, Myatt’s Fields Park Laura Kravac, Action for Conservation Dr Chamu Kuppuswamy, University of Hertfordshire

Victoria Sherwin, Myatt’s Fields Park Project

Serena Murdoch, Involving Young People Collective

Rebel Tekie, May Project Gardens

Daniel Newton, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Simon Wightman, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Keji Okeowo, HUDL Youth Development Agency

Lulu Wright, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Ollie Olanipekun, Flock Together

Floree Zama-Neagra, HUDL Youth Development Agency

Hemlata Pant, Action for Conservation Thalia Papanicolaou, Involving Young People Collective

Samuel Zubair, Involving Young People Collective

Dipa Patel, London National Park City

Judy Ling Wong CBE

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements

Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Environment Sector 26

Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9AG T 020 7812 3700 communications@esmeefairbairn.org.uk www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk Registered charity 200051 @EsmeeFairbairn Home

Introduction

Background

Barriers

Access, intersectionality and representation

Language and messaging

Gatekeeping

Education

Wealth inequity

Systems

Ideas corner

What next

Hackathon: format and observations

Thanks and acknowledgements