This post has been written by one of our Professional Services EDI Leads, Taniya, and reflects this year’s National Inclusion Week theme, ‘Build Trust. Navigate Change’. Grounded in a commitment to identifying and removing barriers, both in her voluntary EDI role and in her substantive position, Taniya shares her perspective on how meaningful and lasting change is achieved through listening, collaboration, and a willingness to learn from one another.
By building trust and working together, we can create more inclusive environments where everyone feels they belong. With that, I’ll hand over and let Taniya tell her story in her own words.
When I volunteered to become a Professional Services EDI Lead, I did so because I believe creating an inclusive environment is everyone’s responsibility. What I did not fully appreciate at the time was how much I would learn, both about the challenges people face and the practical ways we can make a difference.
Recently, I completed the Level 5 CMI Award in Managing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Studying alongside my voluntary EDI Lead role gave me the chance to connect learning with real-world experience. The course deepened my understanding of EDI, while my role allowed me to see how these principles can be embedded into everyday practice across the University.
As Professional Services EDI Leads, we act as a link between colleagues, departments and the wider University EDI committee. We help raise awareness of EDI issues, promote initiatives and events, share good practice and signpost colleagues to support when needed.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the role has been working with colleagues on projects that can have a positive impact across the University. Alongside my fellow Professional Services EDI Leads, I have been involved in a project to review and enhance the University’s contemplation rooms to make them more sensory-friendly. It has been encouraging to contribute to practical improvements that help ensure our spaces are welcoming and accessible to a wider range of people.
I have also been involved in a task and finish group reviewing and updating the University’s Equality Impact Assessment toolkit. This work highlighted the importance of considering how policies, decisions, and processes may affect different groups, and building EDI into decision-making from the outset.
Alongside my voluntary EDI role, I work as a Student Wellbeing Adviser, supporting students to overcome challenges that may affect their ability to engage with their studies and achieve their potential. A key part of my role is identifying and reducing barriers to learning, which reinforces the importance of inclusion, accessibility and equitable support. Whether supporting students or contributing to EDI initiatives, the goal is ultimately the same: helping people feel they belong and creating the conditions for them to succeed.
Completing the Level 5 CMI qualification feels like an important milestone, but it is certainly not the end of my learning journey. EDI is an evolving field, and there is always more to learn about how we can better support our diverse community. The experience has strengthened my commitment to inclusion and reinforced my belief that positive change happens when people are willing to listen, learn and work together.
Being an EDI Lead has given me a greater appreciation for the commitment that exists across Westminster. I have seen colleagues and students engage with training, contribute to important discussions, attend events and champion inclusion within their teams. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute as a Professional Services EDI Lead and hope that sharing my experience encourages others to get involved, continue their learning and recognise the role we all play in making Westminster an inclusive and supportive place to study and work.
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- Learning Through Action: My Experience as a Professional Services EDI Lead - 14 September 2026
- Belonging beyond background - 6 August 2026
- Inclusion in Practice: Highlights from Westminster’s Sixth Annual EDI Open Forum - 25 June 2026