The Blavatnik School of Government is one of the partners involved in the new Pathway to Success Leadership and Development programme, a ground-breaking new initiative working to equip BAME (Black, Asian and Minority-Ethnic) individuals with the tools and knowledge required to stand for political office.

Run by the UK Parliament and Operation Black Vote (OBV) in collaboration with Oxford University’s Magdalen College and Blavatnik School of Government and Lloyds Banking Group, the residential programme will see participants undertake a week of intensive coaching to build their confidence and familiarity with political settings, and enhance their understanding of the political landscape.

Professor Peter Kemp, the academic director for the programme, said: 

“The Blavatnik School believes that achieving diversity in public policy is essential if governments are to more fully reflect the people they represent – in fact, two-thirds of our students, past and present, are BAME from all around the world. We are therefore delighted to be a partner in the Pathway to Success programme, which will help to prepare participants to better serve the needs of their communities in the UK.”

Participants will stay in Magdalen College and spend a day in London to visit the Houses of Parliament. They will engage with a variety of outstanding academics, top thinkers and experienced practitioners who have been at the top of the political game, including Blavatnik School faculty such as Professor Jonathan Wolff and Associate Professor Emily Jones, as well as former special advisor to the UK Prime Minister Nick Timothy, US presidential campaign strategist Parag Mehta and top sports and leadership psychologist Steven Sylvester amongst others.

The programme aims to build in-depth understanding of major political, civic and business ideas through discussion, group activities and input sessions, including:

• Political philosophy, law and ethics
• Understanding, making and driving policy
• Understanding Parliament
• The media and message framing
• Understanding communities
• Understanding the business world
• The power of the collective and networks
• Practical implementation
• The power of storytelling
• Ethics and decision-making.

The Pathway to Success Leadership Development Programme has been created following recommendations from Professor Sarah Childs’ 2016 The Good Parliament Report and is part of a comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to tackle under-representation at senior levels in the House of Commons by 2022.

For more information about the Pathway to Success Leadership Development Programme and how to apply, please visit Operation Black Vote’s website.