Created on: 23 Nov 2020 | Last modified: 04 May 2023
The EIS organises various webinars to tackle equality matters including racism and prejudicial attitudes towards refugees; sexism and misogyny; homophobia and transphobia; anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim prejudice; disability related prejudice; ageism; and all forms of hate crime.
The EIS Equality in Focus learning series, funded by Scottish Union Learning to increase confidence and commitment in relation to equality matters within Union activity. Details of the workshops that took place in this series are below:
Equality in Recovery and Beyond
30 September 2021
The first webinar in the series focused on intersectionality, and reflected on how equality could be embedded in education recovery. Participants increased their knowledge about the equality impacts on certain groups, in light of the pandemic.
The session featured a creative performance from poet, Nadine Aisha Jassat and was facilitated by trainer, Ellie Muniandy. Access the PowerPoint from the webinar here.
Understanding and Addressing Racial Trauma in the Workplace
5 October 2021
This session considered the mental health impact of racism on adults, and discussed how this may manifest in the workplace. Participants were supported to reflect on theories of trauma, and strengthened their understanding of the relationship between continuous trauma and health.
The session featured a creative performance from poet, Nadine Aisha Jassat and was facilitated by trainer, Ellie Muniandy. Access the PowerPoint from the webinar here.
Mobilising for Anti-Racism at Work
27 October 2021
This workshop used the EIS resource Mobilising for Anti-racism at Work, to facilitate discussion amongst members regarding how they may take anti-racism forward in their workplaces. Participants increased their knowledge about the dynamics of racism in the workplace and the impact on the realisation of Fair Work for BAME educators.
Poet, Mae Diansangu, performed at the webinar, which was facilitated by Ellie Muniandy. Access the PowerPoint here.
Autism Appropriate Workplaces
23 November 2022
This webinar shared the work of the EIS Autism Appropriate Workplaces focus group. Participants considered how workplaces could be better for Autistic staff, and what Reps and colleagues could do to advance this aim.
The session featured a creative performance from poet, Julie Farrell, and was facilitated by trainer, Leo Hamilton. Access the PowerPoint from the webinar here.
Mobilising Against Anti-Muslim Prejudice at Work
11 January 2022
The workshop provided an overview of the framing of Anti-Muslim prejudice, also known as ‘Islamophobia’, as a form of racism. Participants used the EIS Resource on Challenging Anti-Muslim Prejudice, to facilitate discussion about practical interventions in the workplace to address this issue.
Poet Noon Saleh Eldin provided the creative input. A video of her poem 'The Violence of Identity' can be viewed here.
The session was facilitated by the EIS, Khadija Mohammed from SAMEE (the Scottish Association of Minority Ethnic Educators) and Jonathon Shafi from Show Racism the Red Card.
EIS presentation - National Officer for Equality, Selma Augestad
Dynamics of Gender
18 January 2022
This webinar considered themes arising from the EIS One Thousand Women’s Voices project, discussed how Reps and members could further gender equality in the workplace, and considered the practical steps required to achieve this.
The workshop was facilitated by trainer, Ellie Muniandy. Access the PowerPoint from the webinar here.
Participants heard a poetry reading by Scots Performer of the Year for 2021, Len Pennie.
Furthering Disability Equality at Work
9 February 2022
The workshop used this film - developed by a steering group of disabled EIS members - to discuss disability equality in the context of education, and good practice for inclusive workplaces.
Poet Sandra Alland provided the creative input. Click here to view a performance of "Audience" by Sandra. Text from Stairs and Whispers: D/deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back, from Sandra's essay "Nothing About Us Without Us, No One Left Behind" can be viewed here.
The session was facilitated by the EIS and trainer, Leo Hamilton. It also featured a presentation on Disability Inclusive Science Careers from Heriot Watt University. Access the presentations below:
Furthering Disability Equality (Leo Hamilton & the EIS)
Disability Inclusive Science Careers (Heriot Watt)
Equality in Recovery
2 February 2022
This webinar marked the final step of the Equality in Focus series and provided an overview of equality matters through the lens of intersectionality. The session encouraged reflection on how the intersectionality lens could be applied to workplace policy and practice, and considered practical ways to advocate for equality at work.
The session featured a creative performance from poet, Nadine Aisha Jassat.
A film by Roxana Vilk, based on one of Nadine Aisha Jassat's poems, can be viewed here. Hopscotch aims to highlight the lived reality for many Ethnic Minority and Muslim women across Scotland today.
The workshop was facilitated by trainer, Ellie Muniandy. Access the PowerPoint from the webinar here.