IoPPN Research Culture Insights: Dr Shelly M Kemp

Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI) Learning and Development – What? Where? And How?

Learning, development and support opportunities for members of our community to develop inclusive practices has been a regular discussion point across the faculty. More inclusive practices would support diversity, openness, and a more nourishing environment for all, which are all contributors to positive research culture. In 2024, I became the CEDI Goal Champion for Learning and Development to lead a review of current CEDI training and application of learning, rolling out new CEDI development opportunities and resources.

Our first Task and Finish Group focused on understanding the wants, needs, and barriers, to accessing, engaging with, and applying learning from CEDI learning and development opportunities. Through focus groups with 40 IoPPN colleagues, we know colleagues do not necessarily know where to find out what’s currently on offer, and what events/activities are best to engage with at the differing stages of their career journeys.

This is something I can relate to. I started at King’s in March 2023. I have been signposted to and happened upon various trainings sometimes months apart. When I first started, I was signposted to required training but then discovered the Staff Induction events, an informative and great opportunity to meet and network with other new starters. A few months later, I was signposted to the mandatory WorkRite training at PDR time (which I don’t know about you, but I always struggle to find the WorkRite training when I try to search for it!). Then through the IoPPN email communications, I learnt about and signed the IoPPN Code of Conduct. Without these prompts, I am not sure I would know exactly the CPD activities that would best support me in my role.

Reflecting on my own CEDI learning journey and that of our colleagues who gave their time to help us improve the CEDI learning journey at the IoPPN, I share three key messages and simple actions anyone can take to turn our learning into change to our practice, ultimately to benefit our research culture and beyond.

Learning and Development, rather than “Training”

It’s so easy to slip into calling it training, but training can imply a tick box exercise or a dichotomous outcome – you are either trained or untrained and nothing in between, with no further place to go. Learning and Development reflects the continuous process, of us developing within the changing context of our work and roles throughout our career journey. I invite you to think of it this way too – in what you can engage with, and what you can get out of it.

This brings us onto the importance of application to practice. Just like we think about the impact of research – the real world outcomes, there is only value in engaging with learning and development resources on offer if we apply it within what we do.

ACTION 1: Continue to reflect

None of us are done improving. Our context is constantly changing, our roles evolve or change, and we change and grow. If you are not sure how or what to reflect upon, perhaps try seeking opportunities that make you feel uncomfortable as this can be an indicator to you as an area for reflection and potential growth. Feeling unsure if you are doing the right thing, can provide you guidance on where to focus your learning and development journey. Engaging in opportunities will either reassure you that you are going in the right direction, or help expand your horizon in a way you hadn’t considered.

So much on offer: Where do I start? Where does it end?!

Let’s tackle “Where does it end?” first.

It doesn’t.

Those who work in learning and development spend a lot of time thinking about the whole culture of KCL and supporting staff in all job roles at all stages of their career journeys, at all levels. So whether you are new, or even if you have been here for a while, this is your call to try something different – or redo something you have completed long ago. Chances are that resources have been updated. You have also changed and will bring to your learning experience a new perspective, a new lens through which to view the training and its value to yourself and those around you.

So where do you start? This is much harder to answer given there is so much on offer, and the variety of job roles and individual experiences and needs. This is where having a mentor and/or trusted colleagues can help. Through a process of reflection and exploration with others about what is on offer, you can then select something appropriate to you. Your line manager may also help with this, and there are online workshops (Performance Development Review conversations) to help both managers and employees to have effective conversations relating to your development options.

The ultimate challenge though is not to just “attend” and not even to just “engage” with learning and development during the prescribed time, we need to take the practical steps to apply that learning into practice.

ACTION 2: Seek a mentor, or trusted group of colleagues to discuss learning and development.

This will help you to keep each other accountable, and also help in the process of reflecting on your needs, or wants, in relation to your daily working, or even your career development. A key finding from the focus groups we conducted was that by having an ongoing conversation and dialogue with trusted colleagues, people could develop approaches and practices in a meaningful way. Please see this webpage for information on mentoring at King’s.

What’s on offer and where can I find out about CEDI learning and development opportunities?

As said, there is such a vast range on offer I couldn’t comprehensively cover it all here. What I can do is help you know where to go to find the support and resources that you need. Aside from the static mandatory training on WorkRite, there are a number of places you can find out about interactive online and face-to-face learning and development opportunities, and other resources to support you in your roles.

For example, at King's we have SkillsForge (which you can filter by event categories, such as Equality and Diversity). On there you can find training like: Active Bystander training, Creating a Neuro-Inclusive Workplace, and management specific training such as Management Essentials, and Management, Leadership and Development, Managers/Leaders Supporting Mental Health at Work, and Psychological Safety for Managers/Principle Investigators.

At the IoPPN, we have a fantastic offer which you may hear about via email newsletters such as the IoPPN Circulars. The fantastic CEDI Committee members will update you at departmental or other meetings. If you don’t read these circulars or attend meetings, you’ll be missing out on all the valuable learning and development opportunities available to you like the Disrupting Racism training and the Culture Calendar. Additionally, I have signed up to the Organisation Development mailing list which is a great way to get access to development opportunities, such as the Coaching Apprenticeship opportunity (you can find out more about apprenticeships available to you here).

As there is so much on offer, reliable places to find out about what is on offer include:

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training and Development IoPPN pages on SharePoint
• HR’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training
• Organisation Development Career Essentials
• Organisation Development Personal Effectiveness Hub
• Digital Skills Hub
• Centre for research staff development

ACTION 3: Bookmark the pages where you can find training

Bookmarking these pages listed above will make sure you can find these whenever you need. You are more likely to put something into practice when you have engaged with it intentionally, or for a purpose. One of these purposes could be to promote positive research culture, seeking to enrich your own practice and modelling this commitment to continuous growth for others.

This blog is part of a ongoing series looking at research culture at IoPPN. If you would be interested in contributing, please contact aneita.pringle@kcl.ac.uk.