Black History Month: Seeing and Believing in Brent

October is Black History Month in the UK. The theme this year is Reclaiming Narratives. It’s about recognising and showcasing the complex realities of Black history, culture, and stories. It’s also about shining a light on untold success stories.

As we approach the end of October and Black History Month winds down, we’re building up to a key milestone in our three-year partnership with Business in the Community, with a Seeing is Believing visit to Brent next week.

Our recent Discrimination and work research revealed that 48% of young people from ethnically minoritised backgrounds face prejudice and discrimination as they enter the world of work. This figure was even starker for Black respondents in our survey of 3,250 young people, at 59%. Through our partnership with Business in the Community, we aim to illuminate the ethnic disparities that exist in the workplace, and empower employers to make tangible, evidence-based changes to eliminate discrimination and bias.

The King’s Seeing is Believing Programme epitomises the notion of shining a light on complex realities. Seeing is Believing visits are designed to close the gap between the boardroom and the community, by taking business leaders out to see realities for themselves.

On 6 November, our Seeing is Believing visit will take business leaders to visit the Young Brent Foundation. Funded by our flagship Connected Futures programme, Young Brent Foundation manages a dedicated project working with people aged 16-25 from three of the largest housing estates in Brent. Most people living on the estates have African or Caribbean heritage, and there are high levels of youth unemployment in and across the population. But the young people there also have strong academic attainment records.

We hope that by taking business leaders into this community setting, to meet the young people, we can help draw out the complexities of their experiences, and shift employers’ perceptions by drawing attention to the disproportionate barriers that Black young people face in their journeys to employment. Moreover, the visit should illuminate the wealth of skills, enthusiasm, and fresh perspectives that young people can bring to their workforce; if employers improve their understanding of how culture, heritage and identity, this will add value to their business model.

Chris Murray, Chief Executive Officer at Young Brent Foundation and Trustee of the KPMG Foundation, comments: 

“As of today, Brent has the most diverse set of communities in the UK. We need to enhance and amplify the strength of our communities in the workforce of tomorrow. Like Tom Lehrer stated, “Life is like a piano… what you get out of it, depends on how you play it”. Let’s give young people a chance to thrive.”

Maxine Willetts, Chief Operating Officer at Young Brent Foundation, comments:

 “Some of the labels that are pervasive, and impact young people are abhorrent. They come from voices that have no genuine connection or interest in understanding ethnically diverse young people, continuing to espouse narratives that arise from seeing danger in every difference, and find justification to discriminate.

“It has been an absolute joy to work with young people who, despite their experiences, are able to celebrate their differences. They are entrepreneurial rather than frustrated by the lack of Black hair and skin products in parts of the UK, drive themselves and their peers forward when others are blind to their potential, and whose boldness and refusal to be suppressed open eyes through their questions and curiosity. This generation will break through many ceilings.”