About Mindful Equity UK

Mindful Equity UK was founded by Aretha Banton and Youlande Harrowell. We are a brand new service supporting Black and Asian women educators right from the start of their careers – from trainee teacher onwards. Our mission is to ensure that more Black and Asian women educators join the teaching profession, stay in the teaching profession and move into leadership in the teaching profession.

Mindful Equity UK run a peer networking service providing advice, guidance and coaching to Black and Asian women throughout their early teaching careers. We encourage solution focused conversations about representation and inclusion within the education sector with the aim of influencing changes within educational policy and practices. Our consultancy strand supports, ITT providers, employers and leadership teams to implement frameworks that will increase the diversity amongst student teachers, early career teachers and leadership teams. We work with the most amazing allies and are proud to be part of a wide ranging and truly representative network.

Our Founders

Aretha Banton is an Assoc. Vice Principal EYFS- P16 specialising in SEND, Safeguarding and Inclusion.

She is proud to have worked in a range of diverse schools and Academies improving outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged students. She is driven by a passion for social mobility and meaningful change.

Youlande Harrowell is an Assistant Headteacher working in an inner London secondary school and is experienced in leading successful sixth form provisions, CEIAG and developing key stage 5 curriculums. Youlande is a proud champion and advocate for visibly diverse leaderships in education.