The theme this Black History Month is ‘Time for Change: Action Not Words’. 

Black History Month is a time to come together to commemorate, educate and celebrate the contribution that Black people have made and continue to make in all areas of society and around the world. 

Following the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, many organisations and individuals made commitments and pledges to tackling racism. People took time to increase their awareness and understand the lived experience of Black people. 

Commitments to tackle the legacy of inequity from colonialism and slavery were brought to the forefront of public consciousness. This was a momentous step forward but many of us recognise that change is slow, and racism is persistent. The eradication of racism will take consistent and hard work to dismantle the structures and systems that ensure its longevity.   

We see numerous reports and statistics calling out racism across a range of sectors, from healthcare to education and policing. We know that racism is societal and an extremely complex issue.   

We must use every Black History Month as a call to action, an awakening to renew our resolve and to continue the fight against racism. This commitment is not only for the month of October, we must carry on taking anti-racist action all year long to root out racism.   

To ensure sustainable and lasting change it is important that we all work together and that our allies continue to support change through their actions. Actions have always been louder than words. 

 
Advancing inclusion - The Diversity Steering Group 

The College of Paramedics strives towards ensuring that the profession is more inclusive, diverse and a place where everyone belongs regardless of their background.  

The Diversity Steering Group plays a vital role in advising the College on equity, diversity and inclusion. Their work focuses on five strands: Race Equality and Cultural Heritage (REaCH), LGBTQI+, disability, gender equality and socio-economic status.  

The College of Paramedics has built important connections with the AACE National Ambulance Diversity Forum, the National Ambulance BME Forum, the National Ambulance LGBT Network and the National Ambulance Disability Network, as well as partnerships across the health and education sector. It has forged relationships with employers, in order to advance the work on equity and inclusion to make the paramedic profession a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and achieve, whatever their background. 

Article by Bo Escritt, a member of the College of Paramedics' Diversity Steering Group