Developing an equity lens: the experience of creating a professional framework for coaches and mentors

Abstract

The following is a collective practitioner reflection on creating a coaching and mentoring professional framework for a pilot student support service that focuses on delivering targets in the institutional Access and Participation Strategy. Both coaching and mentoring are increasingly recognised as support mechanisms which can bring about change for social justice (Shoukry and Cox, 2018). As Learning Development practitioners, we are working within a specialist coaching and mentoring service which seeks to remove student inequalities. Therefore, working to create a professional framework which addresses this directly has been valuable. We share our journey in the hope that other Learning Development practitioners will consider an equity lens to critically reflect on their work and join a conversation to develop anti-oppressive practice in student support further.