Through my Churchill Fellowship, I explored how Black girls are adultified in state care – from their relationships with parents to social work practices and transitions to independent living. Travelling to the USA and Canada, I engaged with researchers and practitioners, uncovering how adultification affects Black girls and identifying potential solutions. My findings highlight the need to move beyond tick-box approaches in social work and recognise the strengths Black girls develop despite these challenges. I’m now sharing these insights through CPD sessions, campaigns, and my ongoing PhD, with the hope of driving meaningful change for children affected.
Nicole Devlin (CF 2023) shared her perspectives on addressing misogyny and gender-based violence through sports as part of #16DaysofActivism with Reclaim the Agenda.
My Fellowship explored how mosque architecture in the UK influences the identity of young British Muslims, focusing on design and diversity. I examined the challenges of blending traditional Islamic architecture with British styles and the impact of mosque politics on community building. Through my research, which involved studying best practices in Canada, South Africa, and the USA, I developed key recommendations with the aim of inspiring a new approach to mosque spaces that reflects a 21st-century Western context.
Disability campaigner and Founder and CEO of the Music Man Project, David Stanley (CF 2019), saw his organisation receive the 2024 King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Nicole Devlin’s (CF 2023) Churchill Fellowship research into Futures Without Violence's Coaching Boys into Men programme was recently highlighted at the Northern Ireland Assembly by Cara Hunter, Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Shaista Aziz will present her research from Pakistan to UK Sport staff in an online forum early next year. She has also been invited by the Football Association, in her role as co-Director of the Three Hijabis, to join their Faith and Football Working Group.
We spoke to Churchill Fellow Dr Mark Brookes, advocacy lead at Dimensions, who will soon travel to the USA for his Fellowship, where he will share his insights on hate crime reporting and its connection to learning disabilities. With over 20 years of advocacy experience, Mark emphasises the challenges individuals with learning disabilities face when reporting hate crimes and highlights the significant achievements his work has led to, as well as his hopes for improving hate crime reporting and outcomes for disabled individuals in the UK.
Rachael Mole (CF 2023) has been appointed to the Department for Transport's Disabled People Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) and looks forward to amplifying the importance of a reliable and accessible transport network for disabled entrepreneurs.
We spoke to Churchill Fellow Pete Donnelly about his journey from a life-changing accident to empowering disabled communities. Pete shared insights from his Fellowship travels to Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, where he learned how the disabled community there use their lived experience to drive social impact. He reflects on the barriers disabled innovators face and the need to give them control over the products and services they use, while highlighting his mission to influence system change in the UK.
