The Bridging the Gap to Leadership project is a collaborative project between Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Brighton. Staff and students across both Universities have worked together to share experiences, share and develop knowledge, develop resources, deliver training and much more. Through our collaboration we have been able to gain a deeper insight into the lived experiences of our students.

Canterbury Christ Church University Staff and Students

Helen Carr

Helen Carr is a Senior Lecturer in Practice Learning (SLPL) within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care. Helen works closely with two of our NHS Trusts in their delivery of practice education, developing placement capacity and the quality of our placement experiences for students, as well as supporting Social Work placements. The role is interprofessional. Helen has a background in Social Care, from working in children’s homes and within the refugee sector, and Helen teaches within the Faculty on Migration and Mental Health. Helen originates from the Social Work team at CCCU.

During this past year, Helen has been collaborating with colleagues (Mary Makinde, CCCU, Sarah-Jane Ryan and Channine Clarke, University of Brighton) in developing a HEE-funded virtual placement – Bridging the Gap to Leadership – for AHP students to develop their leadership skills whilst developing resources for practice educators supporting BAME students in their placements. This exciting project has given many opportunities for learning around new models of placement and the resources are already being used within workshops with our placement providers. The posters encourage conversations on microaggressions and racism, and the animations allow us to explore case scenarios from a placement perspective. Supporting students through this placement has been a privilege this year, so thank you to you all.

Contact Helen: helen.carr@canterbury.ac.uk

Mary Makinde

Mary is a Senior Lecturer on the Forensic Investigation programme within the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Social Sciences and the University’s Strategic Lead for Closing our Attainment Gap.  

As Strategic Lead, Mary works collaboratively with colleagues and students across the university to provide a holistic approach in addressing the outcomes and experiences of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Mixed Heritage students for sustainable transformational change. Mary is involved in the training and development of staff and works to embed strategies that tackle racial inequalities in higher education and to enhance the lived experiences of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Mixed Heritage students. Mary delivers training to enhance our understanding of unconscious bias, race, identity and difference, allyship, growth mindset, to develop relationships and make transformational changes.  

Mary’s work goes beyond the university, working with external stakeholders to promote inclusive practices that help to enhance the placement experience of students. Mary has worked on several projects with health and social care professionals to promote inclusivity. Mary is highly committed to people and works with organisations within the private and public sector to promote a culture that celebrates diversity and builds a sense of belonging. As a founding member of the Bridging the Gap to Leadership project, Mary is excited about working collaboratively with students to co-create resources, conduct research and develop learning communities that liberate, empowers and promotes collective solidarity. Working with colleagues and students from the University of Brighton has provided great opportunities for co-creation that is meaningful and puts students at the centre.   

Contact Mary: mary.makinde@canterbury.ac.uk  

Emmanuel Alli 

Emmanuel is a 3rd year Physiotherapy Student at CCCU and is one of the founding students of the project. Read all about Emmanuel here.

Ibrahim Fofanah  

Ibrahim is a 3rd year Physiotherapy Student at CCCU and is one of the founding students of the project. Read all about Ibrahim here.

Emmanuel Ozowara 

Emmanuel is a 3rd year Occupational Therapy Student. Read all about Emmanuel here.

Japheth Rubiato 

Japheth is a 2nd year Physiotherapy Student at CCCU and is one of the founding students of the project. Read all about Japheth here.

Aliza Ale  

Aliza is a 3rd year Occupational Therapy Student. Read all about Aliza here.

Phumuzile Sithole 

Phumuzile is a 2nd year Occupational Therapy student at CCCU. Read all about Phumuzile here.

Ralph Sevilla

Ralph is a 2nd year Occupational Therapy student at CCCU. Read all about Ralph here.

Emily Hawkins

Emily is a second year (level 5) Forensic investigation and Biology student at Canterbury Christchurch university. Emily volunteers as a ward helper for the local NHS trust and is the CCSU Science society treasurer as well as co-founder, and vice president of the CCSU Forensics society.  

Within role as administrator for the bridging the gap to leadership project Emily’s aim is to ensure positive change within the university and externally so that everyone can enjoy their experience and gain their degrees and work placement roles to full potential. Changing people’s attitudes and social stigmas is important to promoting and providing resources to both students and employers, as well as making everyone feel included, safe, and respected. These are just some of the key aspects Emily would like to bring to this project.  

Emily wants to educate workplaces, colleagues, and cohorts on allyship, preventing microaggression, the bystander effect and transgenerational transmission, all factors in which affect Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minority Ethnic students in their everyday lives.  

Sandra Lee

Ayo Akinola

Joshua Fitzgerald-Smith

Layla Lora-Finch

Shaka Abu

University of Brighton Staff and Students

Sarah-Jane Ryan

Sarah-Jane is a Principal Lecturer at the University of Brighton and is part of the Practice-based Learning and Pedagogy Research and Enterprise Group at the university. Read more about Sarah-Jane here.

Dr Channine Clarke

Dr Channine Clarke is the Head of Practice Learning and Development for the School of Sport and Health Sciences. She is an occupational therapist by profession and teaches on both the BSc (Hons) and the MSc Occupational Therapy (pre-registration) courses and the post-graduate ‘Health Professional as an Educator’ module.  She has worked at the University since 2007. Read more about Channine here.

Issy Taylor- Gallardo

Hansaka Seneviratne

David Amarteifio

Kai Yan Chun Spirini

Dimple Hirani

Tasmin Jesse

Harriet Atkinson