Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Picturing Diversity: A Resource for Student Police Officers
Ben Raikes & Robin KiteleyUniversity of Huddersfield
18th March 2010
Overview
• Context – teaching equality and diversity on the Foundation Degree in Police Studies
• Challenges and opportunities• Project rationale• Project development process• Involving community members• Identity, speaking for oneself and ethical issues• Future development and sustainability
Context
• Foundation Degree in Police Studies developed in partnership with West Yorkshire Police (began 2005)
• Professionalisation of the police service– Emphasis on Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPT)– Policing Pledge prioritising public confidence and satisfaction
• ‘Equality, Diversity and Rights’ – foundation level module• Classroom-based, ‘issues-focused’ and linked to strands
of diversity• Mix of discussion and tutor-led input• 7 cohorts per year
Context (ii)
Some themes from module feedback:
“…less negativity…more positive examples…”
“…more interaction and discussion”
“…see content from different points of view and perspectives”
“…more self-paced learning”
“Particularly enjoyed listening to guest speakers who shared their experiences”
Challenges and opportunities
Challenges• Diversity by proxy? Who
represents diversity?• ‘Prisoners, Passengers and
Learners’• “I’m not prejudiced…”• EDR fatigue?• “It’s all cop-bashing…”• “It’s all very well in theory,
BUT…”
Opportunities• Important chance to
influence Police Officers’ learning
• Collaboration and community engagement in learning resource (Spencer, 2007)
• Recognising complexity• “Taking Orders” – push the
boundaries• Vary learning approaches
Picturing Diversity
• Web-based learning package and contextual video-interviews with community members
Picturing Diversity: Project rationale
• Recognising the value of community members speaking for themselves
• Moving away from “speaking on behalf of” community members
• Response to student feedback • Bringing to life complexities of “the idea of
community” and “hard issues” (Clements,2008)• Picturing Diversity is an ongoing work in progress
much like developing individual awareness of these issues
Project development process
• Funded by Learning and Teaching grant - £5K• Semi structured interview format devised• Pilot interview carried out• Interviewee recruitment• 10 interviews conducted over 3 month period• Writing of contextual learning materials• Multimedia development (in progress)Forthcoming:• Use within module• Evaluation• Dissemination
Slide of interview questions…
1. Can you start by telling us your name and a little bit about yourself and the community (or communities) you identify with?
2. What are the common preconceptions that people often have about you, or your community/communities?
3. What has been your experience of the UK police service?
4. What do you want police officers to bear in mind when engaging with you or your community/communities?
5. What one piece of advice would you give to a new student police officer who was just about to start working with you, or members of your community/communities?
6. What would you say to someone who believes that equality and diversity issues are just about ‘political correctness’?
7. Are there any examples of good practice that you’re aware of, in relation to the police and other professionals working with your community/communities, that are useful to pass on?
Involving community members
• “Training…will continue to be underpinned by community involvement in order for it to remain dynamic and responsive to community and operational need.” (West Yorkshire Police, n.d.)
• Model of service-user involvement already well established nationally in social work and mental health education, service development and locally within our institution.
Issues arising…
• Some of the issues that arose which can be used to prompt student discussion and debate:– What is the nature of ‘community’ (Piotr, Nina, BD5)?– Tension between recognising difference and generalising or
stereotyping whole communities– Effective communication…breaking down barriers– Use of language– Debates about the value of ‘political correctness’– The impact that individual police officers can make– The value of pro-actively finding out about communities
Identity, speaking for oneself and ethical issues
• Issues around collaboration and inclusion• Recognising the contribution of community members’
work – payment• Conceptual frameworks (academic, legislative,
institutional…etc) and their relationships to “lived experience”
• Acknowledging our power to potentially manipulate contributions through the editing process
Future development and sustainability
• Opportunity for feedback from contributors to input into the development of the resource.
• Resource to be piloted with, and evaluated by, Police students April / May 2010 – evaluation results to inform future development.
• Idea for on going, ever growing interview bank.• Potential use and development by other professional
courses.
References
• Clements, P. (2008) Policing a Diverse Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Spencer, S. (2007)• West Yorkshire Police (n.d.) West Yorkshire Police Equality
Scheme 2008 – 2011 [Online] Available at: <http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/files/docs/WYP_Equality_Scheme_2008-2011.pdf> Accessed: 15th January 2010.
