2021 - 2025 Equality Outcome Progress

All students and staff at NCL will be confident calling out racism in all of its forms, as race and ethnicity must never be a barrier to accessing education or employment at NCL. 

What have we achieved since 2023?

• • Developed NCL’s ‘Understanding Race and Racism – The Basics’ Module as part of the All-Essential Staff Learning Course. The module enabled staff to become familiar with and understand race at NCL and the wider issues of race, racism and society. It was also an opportunity to help staff to understand racism through the lens of microaggressions. The module was completed by 93% of our staff.
    
    
  • Celebration of Black History Month and wider cultural and religious festivals, which are part of the college's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Calendar. For example, in 2024, in partnership with the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Network (hosted by CDN), colleges across Scotland had the opportunity to engage in an inspiring and essential webinar in celebration of Black History Month. The live webinar involved a panel of Black educators from Scotland who shared their personal stories, reflecting on their lived experiences and reclaiming the narrative on Black history in education. The webinar was attended by 40 educators from across Scotland.
    
    
  • International Week at NCL has become a fixture within the college's calendar of activities, celebrated by both staff and students. The event helps to showcase diverse cultures, traditions and talents represented within the college community. For example, in 2025, the event resulted in:
    
    
    • Welcoming a number of our international partners.
    • ESOL students showcased their cultural experiences including food, art, history, traditions and much more. Over 300 staff and students engaged with our ESOL students across the campuses. 
    • 150+ staff and students across 3 campuses attended our Panel Discussions on ‘Journeys to NCL’.
    • Kabbadi showcase delivered to NCL’s Sport and Fitness students by NCL’s very own International Kabaddi player, Arun Sidhu.
      
      
  • As part of the Staff Development Academy ‘Enhancing Learning and Teaching at NCL’ development programme for academic staff in 2024, we spotlighted Race inclusion. This involved sharing of key resources for staff to use as part of their curriculum development. We also hosted a ‘Coffee conversation’ attended by a guest speaker from City of Glasgow College to provide an insight into navigating the education system through a diverse lens. The coffee conversation was attended by 30 staff from across our academic departments and received positive feedback.

‘That session has to be by far the most informative session I have been to in a very very long time, it’s given me quite a bit to think about.’ 

Attendee

NCL will provide a safe environment for all students and staff, with a particular focus on the needs of women and girls, and members of our LGBT community.

What have we achieved since 2023?

• • Students and staff from NCL offered 286 P5 pupils from 17 different schools an introduction to Football, Dance, Rugby, Handball & Fun Fitness. Delivered in partnership with Active Schools North Lanarkshire, the day was designed to introduce girls to the life-changing physical and mental benefits of exercise. Our aim is to encourage and inspire young girls to pursue sport related studies and careers in the future, helping to address the gender gap and keep them active and engaged throughout life.
    
    
  • The college has successfully achieved LGBT+ Youth Scotland Foundations Charter Award. The 2-year journey to achieving our award involved meeting a number of key standards:
    
    
    • established a Champions Group to progress the Charter journey;
    • undertook consultation with our college community with approx. 350 staff and students participating;
    • delivered LGBT+ training to 35 staff members;
    • reviewed key policies and procedures to ensure LGBT+ inclusion;
    • raised awareness of and engaged with LGBT+ cultural activities e.g. Trans Awareness Week and Pride march. 
      
      
  • To celebrate LGBT+ History Month 2025, NCL worked in partnership with Terrence Higgins Trust to host talks on HIV Activism and how it resulted in social change in the 80s and 90s. Sessions were delivered at Coatbridge, Cumbernauld and Motherwell campus with 62 staff and students in attendance. An information stall was also made available for staff and students who were unable to attend the talks have with 54 individuals visiting the stall. The success of our LGBT+ talks resulted in further discussions with THT to deliver a tailored workshop for students within the Dental department.
    
    
  • Since 2023, NCL has worked in partnership with Naked by Unicorn Cup and Banner UK to provide students with a wide range of sustainable and reusable period products. The products have been offered in conjunction with continued training, support and education to the college community around menstrual health and what benefits and impacts the different options of period care can bring. Over the past 18 months approximately 1000 students have been engaged.
    
    
  • To mark World Menopause Day and raise awareness of menopause more widely at NCL, regular podcasts, seminars and information sources have been shared with staff. In 2024, two Menopause Awareness sessions were hosted with one of our Menopause Champions and our Occupational Health Advisor. The Health, Safety and Wellbeing team will also be offering online training sessions on Menopause Risk Assessment - 21 members of staff have expressed their interest to attend the training. This has all been supported with a dedicated Menopause Page on the staff intranet.
    
    
  • Supporting the National Campaign for Violence Against Women and Girls, the Beauty, Aesthetic and Hairdressing Team collaboratively organised an event with Police Scotland. The event was officially opened by Michelle McManus, and featured interactive workshops on wellbeing, mental health, and self-care. The event showcased the power of cross-departmental collaboration and engaged external organisations including Assist, Aura, Tony’s Safe Place, Smart Works Scotland and Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid, to address social issues of violence and inclusivity. The event attracted approximately 100 staff and students on the day.
    
    
  • A Working group has been established to help design and shape a college wide gender-based violence and sexual harassment campaign to raise awareness and promote a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all staff and students.
    
    
  • At our Motherwell Campus, a dedicated LGBT+ Student Officer has been appointed to support the Student President. This voluntary role represents the interests of our LGBT+ student body and organises and co-ordinates events to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues on campus.

All NCL staff will be confident providing support to students and colleagues in relation to gender identities, but particularly to members of our transgender community.

What have we achieved since 2023?

• • New College Lanarkshire (NCL) has successfully achieved LGBT+ Youth Scotland Foundations Charter Award. The 2-year journey to achieving our award involved meeting a number of key standards:
    
    
    • established a Champions Group to progress the Charter journey;
    • undertook consultation with our college community with approx. 350 staff and students participating;
    • delivered LGBT+ training to 35 staff members;
    • reviewed key policies and procedures to ensure LGBT+ inclusion;
    • raised awareness of and engaged with LGBT+ cultural activities e.g. Trans Awareness, Pride march. 
      
      
  • In response to staff feedback a Trans+ Inclusion Working Group has also been established. The first meeting was held in 2024 as part of Trans Awareness Week.  Twenty-two staff members from across academic departments and professional services attended the meeting to help inform our approach to Trans+ Inclusion at NCL. The meeting was also an opportunity for staff to hear about personal lived experiences from our LGBT+ Student Officer on non-binary and gender diverse identities.
    
    
  • Discussions are underway with our partner Terrence Higgins Trust to deliver Trans+ Awareness training to members of our working group and the wider college community. The training will support staff to have a better understanding of the experiences and challenges transgender people may face at college and within wider society.
    
    
  • To ensure NCL promotes and supports an inclusive and respectful environment for gender diversity and accommodates a wide range of identities, our application and enrolment form has been reviewed. Students now have the option to share their preferred pronouns, whilst still leaving space for those who are not ready or don’t wish to disclose. The next phase of this initiative is to design and launch an awareness campaign with staff to help promote the use of pronouns and their importance in creating a welcoming and supportive environment.

All students and staff will be confident discussing disability – particularly in relation to mental health, knowing that they will be provided with support and understanding.

What have we achieved since 2023?

• • With the support of the Estates Team and our Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team, students from our Supported Learning department launched the No Badge! No Parking! Campaign. Launched at our Motherwell Campus, 35 students were involved with the design of the campaign to help raise awareness and educate staff and students college wide on the need for students with disabilities to have access to accessible parking and the impact of incorrectly using the accessible parking bays. This has resulted in Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team, on occasion, patrolling the college car parks, making sure there is accessible parking for those with Blue Badges.
    
    
  • Part of the college’s sport and physical activity offering, a Boccia festival was held in Ravenscraig Sports Club which was open to the whole college community. Approximately 145 students participated on the day. Invitations were also extended to neighbouring colleges with representation from NCL Motherwell & Cumbernauld, Ayrshire college, Borders college and UHI Perth. This is complemented with the delivery of our weekly Boccia sessions, with approximately 30 students per week taking part.
    
    
  • The recruitment of our Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) has resulted in a number of measures being implemented. NCL’s MHFS’s are required to sign in at Reception on their arrival and can be identified by the Green Lanyards they wear. The college has also introduced a Radio System which means our MHFA can be notified quickly should their response be urgently needed. Our Incident Reporting Forms, now have an additional section to notify if Aid was given as a result of Mental Health. All Statistics are presented at the Joint Health, Safety and Wellbeing meetings which happen periodically throughout the year. Like general First Aiders, our MHFA’s, are required to complete refresher courses.
    
    
  • Launch of 3 Wellbeing Academies at our Motherwell, Cumbernauld and Coatbridge campuses. Activities in our Academies have included holistic therapies, intervention programmes, curriculum-based events, finances, team building and health and wellbeing surgeries, and partnership events. To date 4226 students have engaged with the Wellbeing Academy activities and 126 of those students are in intervention programmes across each of our campuses.
    
    
  • At our Motherwell Campus, a dedicated Disability Awareness Officer has been appointed to support the Student President. This voluntary role represents the interests of our disabled student body and organises and co-ordinates events to raise awareness of issues on campus. This has resulted in working closely with the Supported Learning department, to deliver a number of activities within our Wellbeing Academies including meditation and mood management.
    
    
  • NCL has undergone consultation with the Access and Progression and Supported Learning Teams along with Parents and Support Workers to ensure the college is accessible for all in all eventualities. With the Fire Lift Panels being installed this has allowed our students with additional support needs, to be able to learn on any level of the college, be able to visit the library, coffee shop and internet cafe. The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team have conducted Fire Evacuation Training with all people who require a PEEP and their Support Workers to train them in what best to do in the event of an Emergency Evacuation. We currently have no staff members with the need of the use of a fire lift, however the addition of the fire lifts immediately breaks down any barriers in any employment or changes to personal circumstances. Both the Estates Team and Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team meet regularly for drills and further training on the Fire Lift Evacuation process.
    
    
  • A Dogs on Campus Policy and Procedure has been developed to provide guidance to staff, students and visitors about permitting dogs on college premises. The policy particularly takes into account highly trained assistance dogs and their role in helping people with a disability to complete everyday tasks. It helps prevent staff, students and visitors with a disability experiencing any barriers or discrimination. To ensure the policy is in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, we have worked with a number of external organisations including Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK) to ensure the policy meets the needs of all assistance dogs handlers – whether that be owner trained, trained by an independent trainer or trained by a charity (ADUK or non-ADUK).

NCL will be known for communicating at a human level, with kindness and compassion.

What have we achieved since 2023?

• • Our Brand Team ensures regular communications on EDI related activity is embedded into the college communications strategy, e.g. newsletter communications raise awareness of BHM and Ramadan and how fasting may impact staff and students at New College Lanarkshire (NCL). 
    
    
  • NCL’s EDI Calendar helps to demonstrate our support and commitment to respecting and promoting awareness of diverse communities, cultures and faiths by recognising keys dates and celebrations that are relevant to achieving our equality outcomes and mainstreaming more broadly. The calendar helps inform and develop EDI related projects and initiatives within departments across Academic departments and Professional services.
    
    
  • The college continues to work in partnership with a variety of partners and stakeholders, but particularly those who represent our diverse college community. Partners include CDN (FE) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Network, HE Sector, Anti-Racist Education Network (AREN), LGBT Youth Scotland, TransEdu Community of Practice, Rape Crisis Scotland, Terrence Higgins Trust and many more.
    
    
  • The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Network have also been working collaboratively to strengthen equality, diversity and inclusion efforts across the sector to create a stronger voice and make meaningful change. Creation of sub groups to address some of the persistent inequalities outlined by SFC and EHRC – the sub groups, have involved joining forces to explore and address issues surrounding Black History Month, Gender Based Violence, LGBT+ Inclusion and Disability.
    
    
  • Colours of our Scarves workshops delivered to SCQF L4 to L7 HNC Students by Fair Play Foundation. The Colours of our Scarves workshop is an anti-discrimination and education in-person workshop, promoting equality and tolerance within Scottish sport and wider society.  The workshops have been delivered across both Motherwell and Broadwood campuses. The success of the workshops has resulted in them being delivered as part of the Sport and Physical Activity Department’s curriculum.
    
    
  • The Brand Team has made considerable progress to raise awareness and strengthen the visibility of our under represented communities within both internal and external communications. For example, through the use of impactful visual content such as photography and videos, helping to create a more inclusive representation across various platforms.