New projects often create the opportunity to review and improve established processes. As part of our preparing for the Drug of Art workshops, the Michael Aldrich Foundation (MAF) has set up an Equality Diversity & Inclusion Reference Group to inform our thinking and planning.
The Michael Aldrich Foundation (MAF) recently recognised the lack of diversity on its board. The chance to change this by introducing more trustees is currently limited so in order to make sure that the right people are “in the room”, particularly for the new Drug of Art project, we have established an EDI reference group which centres voices, experiences and expertise from individuals. This is to provide the mechanism for co-design opportunities, sensitivity reading and reviewing key decisions to ensure that MAF is being as inclusive as possible. These roles are paid, firstly because it makes the group more accessible and secondly because it is important to value and compensate this input.
The idea for such a Group came from a similar approach taken by Charleston Farmhouse which set up a separate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory board.
Our first EDI Reference Group is led by Molly Aldrich-Wincer, an EDI Implementation Consultant with support from sustainable designer & activist Chantal Spencer, former CEO of Enabled by Design Denise Stephens and Jenni Lewin-Turner from Urban Flo.
The Group has already brought significant value to the project with a thoughtful and thought provoking presentation to the workshop facilitators at the Artist Preparation Event, an EDI workshop checklist and an EDI commitment statement.
We were very clear from the outset that we wanted to put EDI front and central to our work and whilst sometimes challenging, there really is no substitute for expertise and experience in order to reap the benefits of true inclusivity.
We look forward to continuing to work with the EDI Reference Group as the project progresses.
EDI Commitment Statement
” The Michael Aldrich Foundation is committed to developing anti-discriminatory practices throughout all of its programme of activity and how the charity operates. This is the
responsibility of all of our community. We will proactively
create and maintain an inclusive culture which centres the
experience of participants – who afford us a great privilege of working with them in our projects. We recognise the
complexity of the diversity and inclusion space and although we might not always get it right for everyone, we are
determined to keep trying. This includes being open to
challenge and feedback, in line with our commitment to 360-
degree learning. The Foundation will regularly review and
evaluate how this work progresses. “