Article by Ayoola Johnson, Access, Student Success & Development Coordinator.

The central Student Success team has led several initiatives to support the success of Black students in the last couple of years. One of these initiatives is the Manchester 10/10 programme, a collaborative student-staff project designed to empower and build a sense of belonging for Black/Black-mixed undergraduate students through tailored events and opportunities.

Through M10/10, our team hosted a TED talk event in February to challenge and inspire students’ ideas. From speeches about celebrating black excellence to insightful poems about Black identity and overcoming barriers like imposter syndrome, six student speakers, currently on our M10/10 Black Leadership Programme, delivered powerful and thought-provoking talks that ignited discussion amongst the 75-plus students in attendance. These inspiring talks can be fully accessed via our Student Success YouTube Channel.

Another part of the event was a student consultation section to stir conversations about students’ current experiences. Here are students’ top three recommendations:

• Many Black students often find themselves as the only one or one of a few in their degree programs, leading to feelings of isolation. To ensure a positive experience, it is crucial to address staff bias, stereotypes, and negative perceptions.
• Students expressed a desire for Faculties to take more responsibility for their career development. For example, they suggested having a Black heritage career advisor or mentor, especially in healthcare courses.
• Instead of just School-specific events, students would like to have Faculty-wide events to increase opportunities for meeting other Black students. Additionally, they emphasized the importance of having more Black heritage alumni present at these events. These spaces should not only be socially driven but also intellectually driven.

The students’ feedback about the event was overwhelmingly positive, with most of them appreciating the opportunity to be a part of the conversation. One of the attendees said, “All the topics that were discussed really related to me. I’ve never really experienced that before. It felt like I belonged.”

You can find out about The Manchester 10/10 Programme here or for further information, contact us via manchester1010@manchester.ac.uk.

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