DARPL - Diversity and Anti-Racist Professional Learning National Leadership Conference 2023

Hosted by DARPL in partnership with Welsh Government, the EWC, the Leadership Academy, the Black Leadership Group, and regional consortia, this is the first national conference of its kind in Wales. The event aims to bring together leaders from across the education and early years sectors to learn more about the work of DARPL, its partner organisations, and provide important feedback which will help to shape the activity and development of diversity and anti-racist leadership.

Throughout the day, attendees will have an opportunity to:

• hear from inspirational and passionate guest speakers each with lived and professional experiences, including Professor Charlotte Williams, Diana Osagie, Loren Henry, Uzo Iwobi, and Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles
• take part in discussions focussing on important diversity and anti-racism leadership issues
• engage with recent research and see examples of anti-racist practice in the sector
• discuss their own diversity and anti-racism leadership practice with other leaders
• share their ideas in regard to how DARPL and its partner organisations can support them, their setting, and the wider sector in Wales
• explore current critical issues
• consider their own commitments to act on anti-racism
• feel empowered, inspired, and motivated

There will also be an opportunity to find out more about the leadership provision and resources available to support leaders across Wales. 

About DARPL

DARPL brings together a diverse team of providers with lived and professional experience through a professional learning and resource hub with a Welsh perspective in raising multi-disciplinary racial consciousness, as we all work together within the New Curriculum for Wales.

More about the speakers

Chantelle Haughton - DARPL Director (Welsh Government National initiative for Pan-Wales Diversity and Anti-Racist Professional Learning led by partners with lived and professional experience), is a National Teaching Fellow, Principal Lecturer in Early Years Education, Cardiff Met University, Senior Fellow (SFHEA). Chantelle founded and co-ordinates The CMet Outdoor Learning Centre. Chantelle is Chair of the Welsh Government Anti Racist Wales Action Plan Early Years, Childcare and Play Steering Group, Member Ministerial Working Group for Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Histories and Cynefin in Curriculum for Wales, former-Chair Black History Wales Management Committee (2020-22), Vice Chair BAMEed Wales Network, Deputy Chair Race Equality Charter task group at Cardiff Met and Vice Chair Early Years Network Wales.   

Diana Osagie - With 20 years' experience leading secondary education, including six years as a successful head teacher in a London secondary school; Diana works at the cutting edge of leadership development. She is known as a resilient school leader, skilled in urban leadership under challenging circumstances. Diana has substantial success in developing school wide models that strategically enhance the quality of teaching and learning across the curriculum and can couple sound strategic vision whilst giving clear operational direction. Diana is also school inspector with developed expertise scrutinizing school wide systems.

Charlotte Williams OBE - Charlotte Williams OBE is Emeritus Professor in the School of History, Law and Social Sciences, Bangor University. She also holds Honorary Fellow appointments at Glyndŵr University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, and University of South Wales. Charlotte has held several Ministerial appointments in Wales, including Chair of the Welsh government’s first Child Poverty Strategy Taskgroup, Member of the Ministerial Advisory Group for Communities First Initiative and Commissioner on the Taskforce on Local Government Electoral Arrangements Wales. Most recently she chaired the Ministerial working group: 'Communities, Contributions and Cynefin: Black Asian Minority Ethnicities in the new curriculum' 2020-2022 and remains Advisor to the Minister on the implementation of the recommendations of this report 2022-23. She is a Non-Executive Director of Estyn 2022-24 and Advisory Board Member of the Black Leadership Group UK.

Jeremy Miles MS - Jeremy Miles was born and brought up in Pontarddulais. As a Welsh speaker, he was educated at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera in the Swansea Valley and New College, Oxford where he studied law. Straight after graduating, Jeremy taught law at Warsaw University in Poland. Later, he practised as a solicitor in London and then held senior legal and commercial posts in media sector businesses, including ITV and the US television network and film studio NBC Universal. After returning to live in Wales he set up his own consultancy working with international clients in the broadcast and digital sectors. Jeremy was elected to the National Assembly for Wales for the Neath constituency in May 2016 as the Labour and Co-operative party candidate, following the retirement of Gwenda Thomas AM. On 16 November 2017 Jeremy was appointed Counsel General and on 13 December 2018 he was appointed Counsel General and Minister for Brexit. Jeremy was appointed Minister for Education and Welsh Language on 13 May 2021.

Dr Kevin Palmer - Dr Kevin Palmer is Deputy Director for Pedagogy, Leadership and Professional Learning in the Welsh government. After qualifying as a teacher, Kevin worked in colleges across Wales. He has a wide range of experience in the public and private sectors in the UK as transformation lead and consultant on education transformation and regional school improvement, supporting leaders and teachers through processes of change and innovation, and looking at pedagogy and practice as the heart of school improvement. Kevin’s current research interests include initial teacher education, research, professional learning, leadership, professional standards and A levels.