The survey
This survey[1] explores the experiences of Black and Minoritised Ethnic individuals who currently work or have recently worked (since 2018) in mainstream civil society in paid and voluntary positions, including as trustees, interns, employees or associates/freelancers.
We use the term ‘Black and Minoritised Ethnic’ throughout the report: ‘minoritised’ points to the active processes of marginalisation of certain populations in relation to power, resources and status as part of racist practice.
The category of ‘Black and Minoritised Ethnic’ can include people identifying as Asian/Asian British, Black/African/Caribbean/Black British, Jewish, white Irish, Arab, Latinx, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or Gypsy or Irish Traveller, as well as those of multiple ethnic backgrounds. This definition covers both groups that may be viewed as ‘people of colour’ and ‘white-passing’ populations, because both may be identified as distinct ‘races’ and located lower down in a racial hierarchy than white British people.
By ‘mainstream’ civil society we mean organisations that are not explicitly led by marginalised and/or minoritised populations, e.g. disabled people, queer people, women, non-binary people, Black and Minoritised Ethnic people, and so on. Mainstream organisations can also be called white-led in the same way that counterpart organisations may be called Black and Minoritised Ethnic-led.
By ‘civil society’ we mean voluntary and community organisations – including those with charitable status – and social enterprises.
The survey questions were designed to understand instances of racism faced by respondents but also to uncover experiences of anti-racism in action, especially that undertaken by civil society leaders and mainstream organisations.
Survey approach
The cohort of survey participants was self-selecting rather than drawn up based on a ‘representative’ sample. In part this is because the latter is a complex and expensive undertaking.
The nature of the sample means that we cannot and do not assume that the experiences, perspectives and insights contained in the survey are representative of those of wider Black and Minoritised Ethnic populations in mainstream civil society organisations. The sampling method also means that we cannot and do not compare current results with the original Home Truths survey (2019) as we have no like-for-like basis of comparison.
In our survey design we centre and trust the personal insights and experiences of respondents, whether they point to promising or problematic developments.[2] Not everyone supports this approach, but while the findings are qualitative and indicative, this does not mean that they are not valid: indeed, we are wary that some critics may use methodological points as a pretext to deny problems of racism and discredit voices of those experiencing harm.
Our position is different. We take each respondent’s account of life in civil society as real and truthful testimony that is vital to building a broader understanding of racism and the sector. We consider each response part of a process of knowledge production about the workings of racism and anti-racism in civil society. We accept that knowledge generation is, by its nature, incomplete. And we commit to learning continuously.
[1] The online survey was launched on 17 July 2023 and closed on 12 October 2023.
[2] Our belief in the testimony of Black and Minoritised Ethnic people follows on from what we have seen elsewhere. For example, stories of sexual aggression, harassment and abuse of women catalogued by the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements were for far too long suppressed, and such stories are still too often disbelieved and refuted.
The respondents
A total of 170 people responded to the survey. Of these, 139 were counted as valid in that they fell under the umbrella term ‘Black and Minoritised Ethnic’ and had worked in mainstream civil society at some point since 2018.
At the time of survey completion, 129 out of the 139 contributors were working in civil society – the vast majority as employees.[3] This confirms that the data generated by the survey is informed by current insights and experience.
The largest representation in the survey[4] was of people working in organisations with annual income of between £1 million and £5 million. Other respondents were fairly evenly distributed, including between organisations with annual income of £100,000 or less[5] and £50 million or more.[6]
We recognise that discrimination faced by Black and Minoritised Ethnic people may be compounded by multiple factors in addition to their ‘race.’ And we note that most survey respondents fell into intersectional categories, as a result of which they may be subject to discrimination on multiple grounds.
Seventy-five per cent[7] of respondents were female. More than a quarter[8] of those who provided details identified as living with physical or mental disability or impairment, while 16%[9] identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual. A significant proportion of respondents were in non-managerial positions – which may (but does not necessarily) reflect a difference in social class.[10]
Though the survey cannot apportion the experiences of survey participants to factors other than ‘race’ and racism, these overlapping categories act as a reminder that anti-racism and race equity cannot stand alone and must be connected to (but not supplanted by) wider efforts for justice.
[3] 120 of 128 responses to the question.
[4] 40 of 128 responses to the question.
[5] 16 of 128 responses to the question.
[6] 17 of 128 responses to the question.
[7] 72 of 96 responses were female; one respondent was non-binary.
[8] 26 of 95 responses to the question.
[9] 15 of 93 respondents to the question.
[10] 41 of 121 responses to the question.
Number of respondents
As a programme team, we were disappointed at the numbers of people completing the questionnaire. Our 2019 survey achieved 500 responses – boosted by #CharitySoWhite sharing it with their community. Back in 2019 and then 2020, when the report was launched, there was a vibrant energy behind efforts to ensure mainstream progress towards anti-racism.
Today the context is different. Fatigue, burnout and even cynicism about mainstream commitment to change may have taken hold among Black and Minoritised Ethnic people within the sector and among advocates and campaigners. Living with racism is hard work, but so is the effort to overthrow it.
And despite all the warm words in civil society, for inclusion and against racism, progress can feel painfully slow. Black and Minoritised Ethnic people and advocates and campaigners for anti-racism and race equity might reasonably be looking for ways other than survey-filling to contribute to change.
Given this difficult context, the survey that we produced may have been too long (taking around 15 minutes to complete). Something shorter and sharper may have generated higher levels of participation, albeit at the cost of texture and detail.
Outlining the findings
The survey itself was divided into several different but related aspects of civil society and ‘race.’ We asked respondents to provide their answers based on what they have experienced and seen in the sector, in order to root the findings in the everyday realities of being in civil society.
In the report, we first explore experiences and dimensions of racism in civil society. This is the starting point because it is the stampeding elephant in the room.
Next, we move to the harms associated with racism as well as acts of resistance from Black and Minoritised Ethnic people. This is followed by how organisations and leaders are seeking to respond to racism and embed anti-racist practices.
Finally, we draw on the survey data to explore how mainstream civil society leaders and organisations are responding (or not) to racism.
