Carlisle College won this new category by reflecting its strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in its values, policies and strategies.

Established in 1954 the college showed how it creates life-changing opportunities for its students which then has a positive impact on local communities. The college’s mission is to ‘enable social mobility and economic prosperity through exceptional education’ which underpin the culture and beliefs of the organisation.

A college spokesperson said: “Our values are not just about what we do, but also how we do things. Shaped by our colleagues, customers and learners, they set the standard of how we should behave, how we work together and give us the opportunity to make the right decisions based on our values: Being both inclusive and diverse; Trusting and respecting our communities; Taking ownership whilst working collaboratively; Inspiring excellence and curiosity.”

Learners of all abilities are welcomed and encouraged to thrive at the college and through their strong partnership with James Rennie School they offer educational experiences to a diverse range of higher needs learners through their tailored supported learning programmes. Working closely with SENCOs in schools across Cumbria, they implement transition support from Year 9 to allow for as smooth a transition as possible to life in an FE College. They also run a supported internship programme which successfully secured permanent employment for two learners this year. There are plans to develop the scheme to involve a wider range of industries.

The college, which educates around 2,500 students each year, celebrates Pride and welcomes organisations from our local LGBTQ+ community to host stalls, partake in college activities and engage in our work with the wider community. Alongside their student voice committee, they are currently developing a LGBTQ+ committee to ensure full representation.

The judges were struck by the work the college is doing to create a safe and welcoming environment for neurodivergent students. Staff are also encouraged to be open about about their own neurodivergence, promoting an environment of trust and inclusion, as well as highlighting successful people in the media or in their professional subject area who are.

The college also works with external organisations to promote diversity and inclusion. The Wright Stuff Education & Training has delivered presentations to more than 400 students through their Puppet Workshops covering Equality & Diversity, Prevent & British Values, Sexual Harassment & Misogyny, De-Escalation & Knife Crime and Employability.

The college also works with community groups and is part of the Carlisle One World Centre “Carlisle City of Sanctuary” initiative, and hosts of the Multicultural Cumbria Culture Bazaar. The year Carlisle College has engaged in an ongoing project to pro-actively support refugees and asylum seekers across Cumbria . As part of the project, they have worked with local people to raise awareness of the issues faced by refugees and asylum seekers – particularly the language barrier - and to seek to overcome prejudice.