GSEF Steering Committee Member Ms. Karin Woodley (Chief Executive, Cambridge House / Board member, Locality) wins Lifetime Achiever Award at Excellence in Diversity Awards. Karin has devoted over 30 years of her leadershipp career for the diversity and equality movement in the UK.

The Excellence in Diversity Awards celebrate organisations and individuals that excel in their commitment to equality and inclusion across all strands of diversity. The Lifetime Achiever Award honours an individual who has devoted a major portion of their professional life to enhancing the practice of equality and diversity, making significant, innovative, and cumulatively outstanding contributions to the cause.

Karin’s contribution to Arts Diversity and Equality

During the 1980’s Karin’s voluntary and professional roles helped to significantly:

• Dismantle the barriers to arts participation by black Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) artists
• Support mainstream arts organisations and government agencies to develop ‘Ethnic Arts’ policies
• Tackle the multiple exclusions faced by BAME people who are disabled and/or are LGBT

Karin’s contribution to Diversity and Equality in the Criminal Justice System

In 2000, Karin became the founding chair of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Police’s first Independent Advisory Group on Race (2000-2005). Her dynamic leadership and mediation skills helped to build bridges between the Black community and the police.

This success in Kensington Chelsea led to the Home Offices in England and Wales engaging her to delivery anti-racist and partnership training.

Karin’s contribution to Diversity and Equality in Education

Karin’s visionary and inspiring leadership of the Tabernacle Centre was acknowledged by her being awarded the 2004 London Development Agency award for Black Business Excellence, Achievement & Mentoring; the 2002 highest achieving Adult Learning Inspectorate report nationally; and the 2001 European Social Fund /NIACE New Learning Opportunities Award in the category Young BME Adult Learners.

You can read full article at the Cambridge House website.