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Current role
Fiona Bartels-Ellis is Head of Equal
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she worked with including the impact of structural inequalities. Around this time |
“ Being black also has its challenges and raises questions about your credibility |
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Opportunity & Diversity at the British |
equality legislation was undergoing |
to many. Some people think that black |
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Council. She has been in the role since |
significant change and development |
people can dance, sing, you know the usual |
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March 2000. She is responsible for setting |
informing the work that Fiona was involved |
stuff but they struggle to be professional, |
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the strategic direction of the British Council’ s |
in and she recognised its potential to make |
reliable, effective etc,” she said.“ It can be |
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equality and diversity work and driving |
a difference. She later moved into social |
difficult at times especially working in an |
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implementation. She works with and briefs |
work education and anti- oppressive |
area that many don’ t want to engage in |
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a range of people at all levels within and |
practice was a focus of this work. She was |
and are unsettled by, but I am resilient |
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outside the British Council helping them to |
responsible for the Masters Programme in |
and believe in what I do. The values that |
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understand what equality and diversity is, |
Advanced Social Work with the Advanced |
I have are very important to me and I find |
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its importance, the contribution it makes to |
Award in Social Work at the University of |
that the more senior you become the more |
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society and how it applies in the workplace. |
Westminster, London before joining the |
difficult it is not to compromise them. Also |
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In particular, she works with supportive |
British Council and has been consulting in |
I acknowledge the richness of my culture |
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colleagues in Human Resources and helps |
the area of equality and diversity for over |
and the valuable lessons and experiences |
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other countries understand the positive |
20 years. |
stemming from it. |
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aspects of equality and diversity and the UK and the British Council’ s achievements in this area, whilst not denying the difficulties. |
Achievements
She has a range of qualifications including
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“ Balancing family and work life can be challenging and difficult at times but having good support is very important. I |
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Travelling is a part of her job because the |
an M. Phil in Social Policy from Cranfield |
have great colleagues around the world |
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British Council has offices in 110 countries |
University. In 2002 she was awarded a |
who work effectively with me making a |
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and in this context she has the opportunity |
prize for mainstreaming by the European |
difference in Pakistan, China, Romania |
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to meet and engage with a very wide range |
Federation of Black Women Business |
for example and particularly a special |
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of people and experience interesting places |
Owners( EFBWBO). This was followed |
colleague in Manchester” |
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like Oman, Romania, Jordan, Pakistan and South Africa.
Early years
Fiona was born in Ghana to a black
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in June 2005 by an OBE in the Queen’ s Birthday Honours list for her work in equality and diversity at the British Council which she defines as a“ commitment to helping ensure a more inclusive |
Community work
Fiona supports the education of several
children in Ghana, especially a young blind boy. She has been a member of
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Ghanian mother and a white English |
organisational culture and society, with |
Amnesty International for many years and |
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father. She came to England when she was |
a practical emphasis – not just words- |
supports the work of the Samaritans. |
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7 years old, returning for holidays wherever her parents were and lived in St. Lucia for approximately 3 years in her early 20’ s. She has however been settled in the UK |
recognising this is a process not an event”.
Challenges
“ Equality issues have always been part of
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Family
Fiona is 51 years old and married to an Antiguan. They live in Palmers Green,
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for sometime but travels fairly regularly to |
my work,” says Fiona.“ But there often are |
North London, with their children, aged |
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Ghana where her mother lives. |
pre-conceptions from people that you are |
10 and 18. She has an elder sister and a |
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Working as a Social Worker
In the mid 1970s Fiona trained and worked
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going to force them to understand and take on board equality and diversity. However, my main aim is to make people understand |
younger brother with family and friends all around the world. |
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as a social worker. Her route into equality |
equality, to work constructively with their |
The British Council’ s purpose is to |
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and diversity stemmed from this as it was |
blocks and resistance, and try and get them to |
build mutually beneficial relationships |
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through her work and of course her own experiences that she became profoundly aware of discrimination issues. She also became sensitised to the wide range of difficulties experienced by the people |
understand what it [ equality and diversity ] is really about. However, there is a bottom line and I believe it is not acceptable for people to abdigate their responsibilities and deny the reality of discrimination and inequity. |
between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK’ s creative ideas and achievements. For further information visit www. britishcouncil. org |
Photo: LEON HARRIS |
ISSUE TWO 2006 engage |