A researcher from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is helping young children see “no job is out of their reach” with an innovative new book spotlighting a diverse range of role models.
Jane Hearst, a specialist in the use of arts in healthcare, wants to help improve young people’s aspirations by including a wider representation of disabilities, race and gender in career information.
Using research and data into demographics gaps and representations, Jane has written Aspire To, a collection of real-life case studies of diverse leaders and inspiring people with a range of different backgrounds from staff, students, and alumni at DMU, and drawn from among people in Leicester.
Jane said: “I want children to know, that no job is necessarily out of their reach. In this book I am trying to create something where children can access photographic representations of people like themselves and have access to their stories.
“I want children to be able to see all these different people and that it is possible to excel in a career that doesn’t seem to fit with the narrative of their communities.
“I feel that, for children actually hearing these people and their stories and hearing them say you know there was many challenges, many barriers they came across, but look I still managed to get here, is a much richer example of a role model and how they can break down barriers of representation.”
One of many people to feature in the book is former Disability Representative for De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU), Parimala Ramu.
As a BAME disabled student who studied Engineering Management which has been identified in research as a faculty with underrepresentation of both disabled students and women, Parimala has faced many barriers along the way.
But she said she had never let them stop her.
She said: “It is my absolute pleasure to inspire young minds based on the journey that I have travelled so far.
“I think it is very important to make sure that the next generation learns to understand what is happening around them and how diverse people strive to achieve in life.
“I’m very pleased to know that DMU is leading this initiative for the benefit of our younger community.”
Jane also took inspiration for the book from her own personal experiences.
She said: “I am from a working class-background, I still had more privileges than many other working-class people, but the attitudes of my community still affected my goals.
“I was the first person in my family to get good GCSE’s let alone a degree, masters and a PhD.
“There were many occasions I had to get my parents on board with my decisions. I had to push for what I wanted because my community didn’t naturally do what I wanted to achieve.
“I also faced many financial struggles this was a big hurdle for me, not just finding ways to support my studies but also surviving whilst not in full-time work and getting my family to understand why I was doing this.”
Jane’s work also examines the way social and economic factors – along with familiar influence – can prompt children’s choice of career.
She continued: “I have been inspired by many people myself and DMU helped open my eyes to what is possible in a career and gave me the motivation to keep battling my struggles to get where I wanted, and now I want to help other people do the same.”
The book has been partly funded by DMU’s Sustainability team, contributing to the graphic designer and printing costs.
Jane said: “The scope of that project is small, but I am treating it as a pilot to something much bigger and I am very excited for the future of this book.
“Our graphic designer, Sandamini Pallepitiya, has been incredible in steering this book to be even better than I had imagined within the restrictions we have."
She added: “I can’t believe I am finally getting the opportunity to do this; it is like a dream come true, I have wanted to do it for so long.
“I hope it gives children a sense of don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t, because you can.”
The book in the first instance will be distributed freely to selected Leicestershire schools later this year, where parent feedback will be welcomed.
Posted on Thursday 15 April 2021