Taking place across the month of October, Black History Month is both a time to celebrate and a time to learn about and understand Black history and culture.
This year’s theme is ‘Time for Change: Action not Words’, a theme which aims to address the way in which Black people are often dealt the double burden of experiencing racism and discrimination, and then being expected to fix it. ‘Action not Words’ instead encourages companies and individuals to truly demonstrate their allyship, beyond just saying the right things.
Throughout Black History Month 2022, Arden University will be highlighting Black Excellence across its student base and celebrating Black culture.
In keeping with this year’s theme, below is a list selection of practical resources, including those provided by Arden University and selected third parties, which have been designed to help BAME students, alongside anyone from an underrepresented background, throughout their time studying with us. We hope students find these useful.
Official Black History Month Resource Pack
Black History Month Resource Pack 2022 - Black History Month 2022
Available from the official Black History Month website, this resource pack includes a set of informative source materials, posters, lesson plans, and more – designed with individual organisations and schools in mind.
Event Listings
Listings - Black History Month 2022
Across October, a wide range of events will take place across the UK, celebrating African and Caribbean cultures and histories. These including everything from art installations, food festivals, music workshops, educational seminars, and lectures. To see what’s happening near where you live, visit the Black History Month event listings page.
Black Minds Matter
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES — FAQs (blackmindsmatteruk.com)
Black Minds Matter UK is a charity which aims to make mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black people in the U.K, supporting the mental health of Black individuals and families by connecting them with free mental health services - led by professional Black therapists. As well as professional mental health services, Black Minds Matter also has an informative range of resources, including podcasts and guides, designed to remove some of the stigma from Mental Health for Black individuals.
Black Joy — Charity So White
Charity So White is an organisation which has sprung up in order to pose serious questions and candid conversations towards transforming the charity sector.
In celebration of Black History Month, the organisation has also compiled a variety of testimonies to hear from individuals about how they intend to mark the occasion, and why it’s such an important initiative.
Black and LGBTQ+ Organisations in the UK | akt
Black and LGBTQ+ Organisations in the UK | akt
akt is an LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, which works with young people aged 16 - 25 who are struggling with their housing situation or living in a hostile environment.
Alongside the work they do on a day-to-day basis, as part of Black History Month they’ve compiled a list of organisations, collectives, and community-run projects, that offer support to Black and LGBTQ+ individuals across the UK.
Arden’s Equality Scholarship
New Equality Scholarship Launches | Arden University
Arden’s recently launched Equality scholarship is one way we’re looking to help students, offering full scholarships to five Arden students who have had to overcome barriers because of who they are. These barriers are often present in the black experience of the educational system, with studies suggesting that, in 2020, half the young black students in the United Kingdom believed that their teachers' perceptions of them was one of the biggest barriers to achievement at school, with 49 percent also advising that racism at schools was a barrier to achievement. Students who would like to apply for Arden’s Equality Scholarship should send an essay or three-minute video explaining the barriers they have faced and how they have overcome inequality in their life.
Arden’s Inclusion Services
An introduction to Arden's Inclusion services | Arden University
According to the Office for Students, Black students have the highest non-continuation rate of any ethnic group, with as many as 15% dropping out before they complete their degree. We’re determined to help address this, and help remove as many barriers as possible to allow all our students, regardless of background, to not only stay in education, but to thrive in it. We’re doing this through actively changing our curriculum to include more BAME case studies, authors, and representation, and through the broad range of inclusion and support services we offer. Whatever problem, challenge, or barrier facing you, our Inclusion team are her to support you throughout your Arden journey. Click here to find out more about some of the stuff we offer in terms of support to help bridge gaps and embed equality within our activities.
If you feel you need support with your studies, please contact our student support team – they have access to a wealth of resources which enables students to make the most of their time studying with us.
