Reasons for undertaking the Laidlaw Programme
The Laidlaw Scholarship appeals to me because I am fascinated by the role of education in developing the lives of individuals and would love to conduct further research on this. Migration is also a prevalent topic in the news; I am especially interested in the adaptation of individuals into their host country. My research would combine these areas of interest, into a topic that has scarcely been explored.
Working collaboratively with academic and other experts is a very rare opportunity and I would love to develop my own research alongside theirs. The Laidlaw Scholarship also appeals to me because I would love to be part of a community of leaders who can contribute effectively in society and positively benefit others. Engagement in a programme of leadership talks would constantly develop my skills, and I would truly enjoy reinvesting the new knowledge, skills, and experiences amongst my peers, colleagues, and networks. Additionally, promoting this opportunity to other Durham students would be incredible; mentoring junior Scholars would be an activity that I’d immerse myself in. I have massively benefitted from the support of the current Laidlaw scholars and would really appreciate the opportunity to help future Scholars engage with the programme.
What did you gain from the overall programme – the research experience, leadership training, networking, international experience and any other aspect you wish to comment on
The Laidlaw Programme has been an invaluable experience for me. Over the past 18 months, the leadership training days have been fascinating for learning about different career paths, wider opportunities, and other people’s experiences. I believe that I have met some lifelong friends in the Durham cohort, who I have met because of the events that the Laidlaw staff have set up for us. The Laidlaw Programme has provided us with so many opportunities, and this is due to all the hard work of everyone involved.
The June 2019 Leadership Training Days were really helpful for learning more about myself in a team, and learning how to improve a team’s productivity. The MBTI and Belbin tests confirmed my focus on team harmony. This has helped me to prioritise this trait and use it in team situations. The tests also revealed my indecision at moments of crisis and some failure to provide a clear lead to others. I worked on this weakness when volunteering in Romania. Two of my fellow volunteers were ill so they left around 40 children with me. This situation forced me to take a clear lead and not doubt my abilities.
In the 'Play House' activity, the importance of listening to everyone was confirmed. A few quieter members of the group had some excellent ideas but were not heard over the others. It was only when we all paused that these suggestions solved our issues. From this activity, I also learned the importance of delegation. Lack of delegation initially prevented us from success. From this, I learned that the team needs to communicate specific roles to everyone to be more productive.
Research Roulette
In October 2019, I was asked by Hatfield College to present my summer’s research at their annual research conference. The other speakers were fantastic and their research was very interesting. The event was out of my comfort zone because I felt that my research, as an undergraduate student who spent 2 months on the project, was poor in comparison. However, I tried to turn my insecurities into a learning opportunity by gaining inspiration from the other presenters. Consequently, I learned a lot about how to present research to a wide audience in an interesting way.
Since the Research Roulette Conference, I have learned that different people’s projects cannot be compared because they are about so many different topics. Thus, I gained more confidence in presenting my own findings.
School’s visit
Following one of the leadership events, I was fortunate enough to spend a day at the Laidlaw Schools Trust Office in Newcastle, where I learned more about how schools operate on an admin level, and about education more generally.
I was given the opportunity to speak to staff working in Human Resources, Accountancy, Development and Office Management. These conversations gave me a good insight into what work is like in the Education Sector. As well as this, I visited one of the schools in Newcastle; it was really interesting to get an impression of both office-based work and school-based work.
Not only did the visit encourage me to pursue a career in Education, but it also fed into my Laidlaw Research Project, which was about Children’s Literature.
Summer 2020 Leadership Conferences
I really liked how varied the Summer 2020 Leadership Conferences were.
Eleanor Loughlin’s session on managing our projects helped me consider the stakeholders in my project, which I had not fully considered. It helped me to realign the potential impact of my project with my research plans. Also, the session highlighted the different responses to risks and how this can become an opportunity. I found Eleanor’s point that someone’s risk might be someone else’s opportunity especially thought-provoking. It made me consider how I can use my strengths and weaknesses to redirect my project in response to the challenges that coronavirus has brought.
Jacqueline Novogratz’s seminar on ‘How to be a Moral Leader’ was a super inspiring discussion. Jacqueline’s point that the solutions we come up with may become our problem later was really thought-provoking and has reinforced that it’s important to consider the long-term effects of a ‘solution’ and the possibility that your dream might not be fulfilled in your lifetime but it’s still important to push for it! The discussion has also encouraged me to take more risks. Jacqueline explained that empathy without action reinforces the status quo and is basically the feeling of sympathy. Instead, we need action. It was reassuring to hear that she had many doubts about her idea that Acumen could make money then give it away to philanthropic projects because it shows that all super-successful projects face challenges. Jacqueline’s example about the healthcare app in Pakistan which was made free as the Pakistani government banned non-governmental healthcare was an illuminating example of the opportunity in crisis. Like Eleanor’s session, this example demonstrates the importance of flexibility.
Conference > More confidence
Towards the end of the second research period, I volunteered to speak at a Conference for PhD Students. For this, I spoke about the effects of coronavirus on students. It was great to experience presenting my findings and targeting them to a specific audience.
Learn With Us
I have been volunteering for Learn With Us since July 2020, which grew out of the LST volunteering opportunities. For the first few months, I wrote and created educational videos for children to learn more about World News in a digestible and understandable way. This experience really developed my ability to present information, as well as my technical abilities on Powerpoint.
Now, I am responsible for ensuring that the Mentors, who create educational videos on a range of topics, are supported in their roles. This includes supporting Mentors with the editing and resources for their videos and agreeing a schedule to ensure that videos are regularly produced. So far, this has further developed my technical abilities and increased my understanding of how a large group project develops and functions. Without the Laidlaw Scholarship, I would not have heard about this opportunity.
Reading books online
Also, in summer 2020, I had the opportunity from the Laidlaw Schools Trust to read children’s books for students at LST schools who may not have access to these books. This was a really enjoyable activity and the Westgate Hill Primary Academy teachers were very supportive and enthusiastic. Again, I would not have had this opportunity without being involved in the Laidlaw Scholarship.
Game Changer
The Design Thinking session in July 2020 and Game Changer sessions in January 2021 has really improved and clarified my understanding of developing ideas.
In the July design thinking session, I liked the emphasis on the importance of listening to the potential recipients of a new idea. I like how the process works in a full circle, emphasizing that the designer should talk to those that the idea will affect both at the start and the end. Furthermore, I appreciated the emphasis on purpose - great leaders focus on the why, not the what - if you focus on the what, you’re not listening. For me, this presentation highlighted the most effective ways of creating new ideas and projects. It was also important to focus on the recipient in the Game Changer Sessions a few months later.
Additionally, we were reminded of the reality of having changing ideas – developing any project entails a constant cycle of learning, building, and measuring. Thus, we should always be prepared and willing to pivot. This was a really useful thought throughout the project, especially when my project altered a lot in the second research period.
I found the Game Changer Sessions in January just as useful. When brainstorming current sustainability problems in our teams, we were told to focus on the problem, not the solution! This was useful for managing ideas and retaining focus. I often jump ahead and sometimes find it hard to narrow my focus. Thus, this was a helpful process for me to experience.
Also, I learned that reframing a problem into a ‘how might we’ is a really useful technique for brainstorming solutions. I often struggle with thinking of innovative ideas, but this reframing has helped me generate ideas and not be bogged down by too many steps and problems!
Research
For my research project, I initially chose to research the effects of Children’s Literature on primary school students in England, comparing this to the education system in Ghana. Through the Laidlaw Programme, I had planned to visit a school in Ghana in the second summer.
The main highlight of my first year’s project work was the contact with the Ghanaian School. This is a link that I hope to continue after the completion of the Laidlaw Project. Similarly, my correspondence with the Teabag Charity, a charity set up to support the education of young people in Ghana by providing basic equipment, books, and educational facilities, has been inspirational. This contact has reinforced my desire to help provide any materials/volunteer my time in the future.
I have also really enjoyed learning more about the analysis behind children’s books. For example, in Daniela Damigella’s journal entry, ‘Stereotypes and Prejudices at School: A Study on Primary School Reading Books’, she examined the contents of primary school reading books, asking whether males and females are depicted in a stereotypical way. I found this topic really interesting because it reinforced underlying, subtle messages that are influential for children reading them. For me, this consolidated my view that children’s books have more of an impact than is initially considered.
Due to Coronavirus, the visit to the school in Ghana was not possible. So, I adapted and changed my research topic from last summer to look at ‘How the Coronavirus pandemic affected attitudes towards work/life and how have people acted in response to change?’ I have been really fortunate to have been able to speak to undergraduates and postgraduates who have kindly volunteered their time. I then used the data from these interviews to create a research report explaining my findings. My experience talking to different people about their experiences of coronavirus this summer has shown me that I really enjoy conducting interviews and has helped me narrow down my career aspirations.
After talking to a range of students and university staff about their experiences of coronavirus, I learned more about how such rapid and unprecedented change has forced people to adapt in ways that they did not expect. This has increased my understanding of the functions and results of change.
Suzanne and Lucy
Throughout this entire programme, Suzanne and Lucy at Durham have been super supportive, encouraging, and helpful. They have made the entire process even more enjoyable and I know they have worked really hard to make the Programme as rewarding as possible for the Durham cohort.
How you think the programme will help you in the future
The Laidlaw Scholarship has contributed to my communication skills because I have learned more about networking through emails. Having read several articles and employability websites about composing professional emails, I feel more confident in contacting strangers. This has manifest in my communication with the Executive Headteacher of a local primary school, where I read with the pupils and learned more about their perceptions of the books that they read.
The programme has also developed my problem-solving skills. Before the start of my research period, I contacted a number of professors at Birmingham and Oxford University, as well as the Africa Research Institute. Unfortunately, I did not receive any response. Of course, I completely understand as I did not have any research to offer at that point. However, for the first research period, I had to alter my research in light of these communications. Thus, I decided to research the theory behind charities and schools, learning about research methods in the process. From these alterations, my problem-solving skills have been improved as I re-evaluated my research priorities to productively continue with the research.
This has also contributed to my decision-making skills. Before the Laidlaw Scholarship, I would’ve followed a very rigid revision and research method. If something went wrong, especially with revision, I struggled to adapt my routine. However, as a result of the initial problems in my research, I feel more confident in overcoming issues with a lot less stress!
In terms of knowledge, I have learned about different ways to conduct research/ethnographies. For example, Alireza Ashgarzadeh, George J. Sefa Dei, and Sharon Eblaghie Bahador conducted a 3-year fieldwork study on African education.[1] From this, I learned the importance of ‘experiencing’ research first-hand to gain original conclusions. Within the second phase of the research period, the team conducted 66 individual in-depth interviews: this also demonstrates the importance of original research. In this paper, the research focus was on the Ghanaian school system. From the researchers’ fieldwork and interviews, they learned that the connection between education and schooling within the job market is clearly understood by students, teachers, school administrators, and the general public. Thus, their research highlighted the importance of talking to people and encouraging different perspectives – I think this is a simple but often overlooked activity.
I put this realisation into action in my second research period as it mostly revolved around conducting interviews and encouraging different perspectives. This will help me in the future because I am now a lot more confident in the necessary processes behind conducting ethnographical research, such as writing open questions, working in accordance with GDPR as well as adequately informing participants of the research. This was shown in my third year at university, for example, when I volunteered to interview a range of students about their experiences of international study. I would not have been comfortable doing this before conducting my second research period.
Likewise, my second research period will help me in the future to develop podcasts as I have learned how to make a podcast series using online technologies and writing content. This will help me in an ever-changing technological world, and for any creative career roles, I apply for after graduation.
In terms of leadership, I feel much more comfortable adapting to an ever-changing world. This was especially challenged when I adapted my research and travel plans due to coronavirus. As I have learned throughout the Programme, this is an important strength for a leader.
Any aspects of the programme you think could be improved – and if so, how …
In the future, it would be helpful to have a set explanation of the expected commitments to the Laidlaw Programme at the beginning. I understand that it is a constantly evolving programme and I am really grateful that I was involved with this. I also understand that 2020 was an unprecedented year so everything had to be adapted. I really enjoyed all of these activities and found them very rewarding, but I would’ve liked to have known about them from the beginning – sometimes it felt like extra compulsory responsibilities were created throughout the programme. Therefore, it would be helpful for future cohorts to explain exactly what is expected for the ambassadorial, leadership and the Scholars’ network duties at the beginning of the programme.
The programme has been a really positive experience and I am grateful for everyone’s hard work.
Are you prepared to ‘give back’ to the programme in the future by being an active alumni
Yes, I am prepared to ‘give back’ to the programme and will be willing to help in any way in the future. As I hope I have made clear, the Laidlaw Programme has taught me a lot and had expanded many of my perspectives, so I hope that I can ‘return the favour’ in the long-term future.
As I have discussed earlier, I will continue to help the ‘Learn With Us’ volunteering initiative as an alumni. I will also maintain my communications with the Laidlaw Schools Trust.
Likewise, I organised two socials with my cohort which were very well attended – we get on really well and I expect these positive relationships to continue in the future.
Moreover, I will continue to spread the word about the Laidlaw Programme. I have raised awareness of the programme in my department and have responded to queries about it. Also, I have posted about my experiences of the Laidlaw Programme in Durham University’s outreach for prospective students.
Finally, I am working in a team with 3 other Cohort 3 scholars to coordinate a Durham Mentoring Programme. We plan for this to be up and running by the end of the academic year.
[1] Asgharzadeh, Alireza, George J. Sefa Dei and Sharon Eblaghie Bahador, Schooling and Difference in Africa. Democratic Challenges in a Contemporary Context, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2016).
Please sign in
If you are a registered user on Laidlaw Scholars Network, please sign in