CIDEC-CLD Co-Sponsored Seminar
Doing DARPL - DARPL vision and operation - doing the ‘Heart work’ / ‘Gwaith Calon’ in Wales, UK
Chantelle Haughton and Dr. Susan Davis
Room 7-105
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
252 Bloor Street West
Toronto ON M5S1V6
Canada
DARPL - Diversity and Anti-racist Professional Learning was founded by Chantelle Haughton. It is a National professional learning movement and community of practice, funded by the Welsh Government. DARPL is directly linked to the Welsh Government’s ambition of being ‘an anti-racist country by 2030.
DARPL offers high quality professional learning, advocacy, consultancy and support which enables anti-racist leadership and racial equity in education, childcare and play. DARPL’s ongoing legacy work enables an anti-racist agenda and professional learning continuums in organisations to impact now and future generations. A range of practice and research work is ongoing. For example, recent research in schools in southeast Wales, commissioned by a local authority cumulated in changes in policy around the non-reporting of racist bullying / racist incidents, reason, and rationale. Team DARPL are working in a pan-Wales approach to upper tier organisations such as Government, Local Authorities, qualification and examination bodies as well as schools, settings and other national organisations such as Estyn Inspectorate and Care Inspectorate Wales.
About the Speakers
Chantelle Haughton
Chantelle Haughton is Founder and Director of the national professional learning movement and community of practice DARPL (Diversity and Anti-Racist Professional Learning) Wales, advocated and funded by Welsh Government, co-constructed and delivered with a diverse coalition of partners led by Chantelle. DARPL was awarded THE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Equity and Diversity (2023). Chantelle is Principal Lecturer in Early Years Education at Cardiff Metropolitan University, a National Teaching Fellow, a Senior HEA Fellow. Chantelle Chairs the Welsh Government Childcare, Play and Early Years Governance Group focused on Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan (ARWAP). Chantelle was awarded National Teaching Fellowship from Advance HE (2021), Student Led Teaching Fellowship Award (2013), Vice Chancellors Staff Award for Excellent (2011), and HEA CATE finalist (2017) – each of these celebrations relates to the live, playful and sustained community engagement projects involving students, children and practitioners as partners which extend the reach beyond the lecture theatres into live inclusive multidisciplinary collaborations. Community and outreach is core to Chantelle’s work with our students and partners. Chantelle was Chair’s Brief in the Ministerial Working Group with Prof Charlotte Williams responsible for the Welsh Government report published in March 2021 on ‘Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities Contributions and Cynefin in the New Curriculum Report’ in which all 51 recommendations were upheld including mandatory teaching of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic histories. Chantelle was Principal Investigator leading a research team in a Welsh Government-funded research project to explore the lack of diversity in the recruitment and retention of teaching and career progression experiences for teachers from minority ethnic backgrounds in the Education Workforce of Wales (2021). This work resulted in the production of the Welsh Government National Action Plan for ITE recruitment and retention of Minority Ethnic Teachers. Chantelle was Principal Investigator leading a diverse research team in a regional funded piece of research looking into learner, teacher and family experiences of racism in school and reporting / nonreporting which has led to a regional policy shift and strategic equality action plan. Chantelle’s own diverse heritage and family mix, with lived and professional experience contribute to her sincere, robust knowledge and care for the current and developing and challenging national policy and practice. Chantelle works with peers in knowledge exchange within Jamaica, Canada and Aotearoa/New Zealand. She Chaired Black History Wales 365 Management Committee (2020-2022), was Vice Chair for BAMEed Network Wales, Deputy Chair for the Early Years Network Wales in Social Care Wales, is Co-Chair Black Leadership Group Wales and previous Deputy Chair for the Advance HE Race Equality Working Group at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Dr. Susan Davis
Dr. Susan Davis is a Reader in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Education, in the school of Education and Social Policy at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She is the pathway leader for the Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD) within the school. She also works for Welsh Government as a research lead on DARPL (Diversity and anti-racist practice, professional learning) across Wales. She is a Senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). Susan is currently carrying out a number of research projects. She has devised a programme called ‘Proud of the Skin I’m in’ (PoSii) which looks at supporting positive racial identity in the early years, working with colleagues in Bath Spa university, England and Sarah Lawrence university, New York, USA. She is also carrying out research with the National Museum of Wales looking at the implementation of e-materials celebrating the Windrush generation and their legacies in Wales. Susan recently ran a national and international conference at Cardiff Met, ‘Unravelling and decolonising World Knowledge: Sharing Alternative Ways of Thinking and Knowing. She is working with colleagues on an edited book on conference themes and think pieces. Previously, she was a primary school teacher, specialising in early years pedagogy. Susan also taught with the Open University on their early childhood programmes.
