Thought Leadership and Advocacy
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At PEP, our advocacy is rooted in lived experience.
We know that real change begins at the top, and our goal is to shape how organisations work with GEM communities by ensuring that leadership and decisions come from those who truly understand the challenges. That’s why we’re led by GEM individuals, people who not only have the expertise but have lived through the very issues they’re addressing.
Our leadership is authentic, and our advocacy is driven by the voices that are often missing from the conversation.
Through impactful collaborations, we’ve been able to make a real difference. With Lancashire County Council (LCC), we identified barriers to providing ongoing advocacy right within the community. This led to us becoming a key voice for refugees and those seeking asylum, offering referral routes in legal support, immigration advice, and working alongside housing authorities, police, and women’s support groups. Over the years, we’ve helped more than 300 individuals navigate these critical services.
Our partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) allowed us to pilot employability skills sessions tailored specifically to GEM communities. This has been so successful that it’s now in the evaluation phase for a broader rollout. If expanded, this programme could offer much-needed employment support to GEM individuals on a regional and even national scale, addressing gaps in the current system.
Through our work with the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), we tackled educational barriers that many GEM individuals face. After evaluating a cohort of refugees who had completed three years of ESOL courses, we found that nearly half were still not qualified to move to the next level. This was particularly true for the elderly and those with literacy challenges. In response, we launched new classes to bridge these gaps, and in the first year alone, over 100 individuals benefited. Due to high demand, we’re set to double the number of courses.
We’ve also developed driving theory classes, initially launched on our own, to address the significant barrier that the theory test poses for those whose first language isn’t English. This impacts mobility and limits opportunities for work and family support. So far, we’ve helped over 150 GEM individuals with this programme, and through our collaboration with WEA, it’s continuing to grow, with 60 participants supported in the first year alone.
Our CEO embodies the values of PEP and continues to lead by example. She completed her degree and Mini MBA, undertook diverse leadership training with the NHS, and secured a non-executive director role with the NHS Trust. Her work in strategic leadership spaces not only champions GEM representation but also helps shape better leadership practices, ensuring that the knowledge from lived experiences is integrated into decision-making.
At PEP, we believe change starts at the top. By sitting at these tables and contributing to strategy change we are elevating GEM voices and leading from lived experience, we’re reshaping how organisations work with our communities, creating a future where GEM individuals are not only heard but empowered to lead.
