Kaneez (Primrose Consultancy Yorkshire) has been supporting The Kirkwood to develop a more inclusive approach to our governance and to help develop a more inclusive culture. I have benefited personally from Kaneez’s guidance through reciprocal mentorship, which is part of the journey we have started as a charity. Kaneez is authentic, passionate, and supportive in her approach, which has been invaluable to our organisation. We have completed a series of Racism and Cultural awareness sessions with colleagues from right across the charity, including Trustees, and these have been very effective in changing the conversation and actions we are progressing in every team.
The sessions were really insightful and challenging and have enabled very different conversations between colleagues, the outcome has been the development of principles and affirmative statements which will guide our future progress towards being a more inclusive and diverse movement. Kaneez has showed courage and skill in how she has delivered these sessions and we have benefited from Kaneez personal perspective through her lived experience, which has helped us to develop our thinking regarding the personalisation of our offer. The session was not easy, and I think this has helped us to get a far better and lasting outcome. We intend to do more sessions with Kaneez in the future.
Kaneez has also helped shape our approach to developing our journey and action plan to become a more diverse movement. She is contributing greatly to the development of our governance, advising on the development of an EDI committee and certain policies and processes that we have as an organisation. We have developed an action plan with the help of Kaneez and other contributors. I will continue to work with Kaneez personally to help with my own development as Chief Executive of and organisation that aims to be more diverse and as an individual. I have no hesitation in recommending Kaneez to support similar work in other organisations.
Michael Crowther
Chief Executive
The Kirkwood