Talking racism and mental health in schools podcast

This podcast, created for school staff, tackles questions like:

• How does experiencing racism impact young people’s mental health and self-esteem?
• What does it mean to be an anti-racist school?
• What are some practical steps schools can take to become anti-racist?

Guests on the podcast include former teacher, campaigner, author and speaker the Honourable Stuart Lawrence, and Eve Doran, researcher at Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health (BLAM).

The podcast episodes also feature the voices and experiences of teachers, including Rahi Popat from Keyham Lodge School, and Michelle Roddy  and Wonu Salau from St. Bonaventure's School.

Podcast episodes

The episodes of this podcast, Talking racism and mental health in schools, cover 5 different topics:

Episode 1 – An introduction to racism and mental health in schools

In our first episode, Cyra and Stuart look at why we consider racism to be a mental health issue, and the role schools can play in addressing it.

Episode 2 – Involving the whole school community

In this episode, Cyra, Stuart and Rahi talk about the importance of involving the whole school community in anti-racism work, and share practical tips to help schools achieve this.

Episode 3 – The impact of racism on self-esteem

Cyra, Stuart and Rahi discuss how experiencing racism can impact a young person’s self-esteem, and the role schools play in helping build young people’s resilience.

Episode 4 – Why representation matters

In this episode, Cyra, Eve and Michelle look at what representation means both in school staff and on the curriculum, and the impact a lack of representation has on young people.

Episode 5 – Black British culture and language in schools

Cyra is joined by Eve and Wonu to discuss how schools can celebrate Black British culture and ensure school policies don’t discriminate against young Black people.

Using this resource

This resource is designed for:

• use by school staff