Building and Influencing Inclusive Culture at the University of Northampton

Allyship is often referred to as critical to the achievement of true equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of society and in relation to all protected characteristics. Whilst the term itself is clear and understood by most on an intellectual and conceptual level, incidental evidence suggests that those who consider themselves as allies frequently hold back for fear of saying or doing the wrong thing in any given situation. This session seeks to explore the various interpretations of the allyship concept in order to tease out the potential barriers to the allies’ full and authentic self-expression in potentially tricky EDI-focused situations. It will conclude with a crowdsourced list of resources to support the development of ‘allyship confidence’ which the attendees can draw on in the future.