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BABAO EDI Review

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BABAO is currently undergoing an EDI review that is beginning under the direction of the EDI sub-group and Dr Jason Arday.

Discussions have been taking place with the EDI group and trustees to clarify the initial principles of the review, specify the ways in which members can take part and help direct the process, and the timescales over which this will take place. 

The scope of the review

The EDI review will help us to reflect upon current practices and activities by BABAO, identifying the association’s strengths and weaknesses as a means of both engaging and supporting all of our current members and delivering our charitable objectives to promote biological anthropology and osteoarchaeology outside of the membership. The review will focus on issues identified by members through the EDI survey, the SGM and in a variety of conversations this year. These will include, particularly, equality, diversity and inclusion based on race, disability and caring roles.

The review will go on to identify strategies that BABAO can implement that offer the best opportunity to address inequalities that exist within and beyond the organisation.

The universal aim of all aspects of the review is to ensure BABAO is doing everything within its power to create an inclusive, welcoming and supportive environment for all members and allocating its resources in the most effective ways to address the needs of our current and future membership.

Participation and consultation

Member’s participation in the process is essential to ensure the outcomes of the review reflect our shared vision for the organisation. During the review we will run online focus groups, which combine the three main themes of race, caring and disability – hosted by Jason and members of the EDI sub-group to enable you to ask questions and make suggestions. The questions used to direct the focus groups will also be shared with members as a short survey to ensure those who are unable to attend focus groups, or prefer to communicate in writing, are able to do so. Toward the end of the review we will run a consultation with all members on the review documentation. Contributions to the review will be welcome at any time during the process – please see details below for how you can communicate with us.

Expense to BABAO

The fee for the review is £10,000. As a part of this Jason has formally agreed as part of BABAO widening participation agenda to financially support two members from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to attend the BABAO Annual Conference 2021. He will cover travel, accommodation and sustenance including the conference fee. 

Timescales

Preliminary work for the review has already taken place via a series of meetings with Jason, the EDI sub-group and the trustees. This has enabled us to identify the main EDI themes noted above as focal topics.

Online focus groups will take place in December and January. The dates and times will be shared via the BABAO mailing list asap. The short survey will be circulated after the focus groups have been held. 

It is currently predicted that the review will finish early in the New Year, and further information will be sent around at that point to invite members to consult on the review documentation.

How to contribute

If you want to contribute anything to the review at any time, please do contact either the EDI sub-group via the anonymous reporting form or by contacting any member, or Jason directly via email at Jason.arday50@gmail.com.

Becky Redfern and Lizzy Craig-Atkins

1st December 2020