Empowering Marginalised Royal Holloway Students to Make a Difference
Title: Empowering marginalised Royal Holloway students to make a difference
Aim: Engage marginalised business students at Royal Holloway, University of London, to imagine their highest selves through future self-portraiture and writing – to help raise their ambition and self-efficacy, supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals on equality.
Audience: Business students that hold marginalised identities (race, gender, sexuality, class and disability) approx. 20+ participants.
Grant commissioner: UN PRME 2022 Seed Funding Competition for Developing Innovative Pedagogies & Teaching Practice.
Partners: Dr. Lucy Gill-Simmen and Professor Sukanya Sen Gupta, Royal Holloway, University of London.
Artistic solution: I designed a future-self workshop to help marginalised students feel safe to express their highest hopes and dreams for themselves, free of current limitations which negatively impact ambition and achievement.
Project date: October 2023
“Liberating education consists in acts of cognition, not transferals of information.”
(Left to right) Birungi Kawooya, Dr. Lucy Gill-Simmen, Royal Holloway, University of London
Research and Art Wellbeing Programme
Supported research – Dr Lucy designed pre- and post-survey questions and led a focus group to measure the impact of the workshop.
Presented on the importance of empathy – I shared authentic experiences of capitalism’s ability to de-humanise people and how art helps us to maintain our unique perspectives and competitive advantage.
Mindful sensory exploration – I guided students to be present with natural fibres, aromatheuptic plants and African textiles.
Future-self biography writing – I helped students to consider their hopes in their family, communities and beyond, and fostered a safe environment as they shared their goals with each other.
Abstract future-self art making – I coached participants to make an image to embody their dream, and championed freestyle self-portraiture making.
Impact & Testimonials
Hope
.
Vision
.
Support
.
Hope . Vision . Support .
Survey results showed an overall improvement in feelings of self-efficacy and hope as participants opened up to themselves and each other, creating an inspiring environment.
“You helped me get to know my students and *look* at how they are connecting with each other and
themselves!”
“Your presentation and sharing transformed the energy of the room.”
“You reminded me to look after myself and share”