The LeaderBoard academy is delivered by UK Race Equality charity Sporting Equals and consists of a three-day training programme aiming to empower those from an ethnic diverse background by providing them with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding of boardrooms of sport.
The LeaderBoard academy is delivered by UK Race Equality charity Sporting Equals and consists of a three-day training programme aiming to empower those from an ethnic diverse background by providing them with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding of boardrooms of sport. This cohort of candidates marks the second intake for LeaderBoard Scotland.
LeaderBoard gives participants the toolkit, language and expertise to represent ethnically diverse communities through their lived experiences. By fostering an inclusive environment, the aim is to reshape the governance landscape of sports, ensuring that decision-making bodies reflect the rich diversity of our communities.
Over the course of the leadership programme, the candidates will learn about the Scottish Sporting Landscape, the current affairs of Race and Sport and will hear from current board members across different organisations. This year’s cohort is 15 strong and represents a spectrum of Scotland’s sporting communities, as well as those from other public sector organisations and industries. Their ethnic heritage includes Indian, Pakistani, Black African, Mixed, Arab and Asian and are based wide across Scotland coming from Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dunfermline.
The delivery of LeaderBoard by sportscotland and Sporting Equals is part of the journey for Scottish sport to be more racially inclusive and through a strategic plan, the partnership is delivering systemic change.
Nik Trivedi, Acting CEO of Sporting Equals, said, “Leaderboard Scotland is about unlocking leadership potential, championing diversity, and preparing talented individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds to make a lasting impact in sport governance. This is the second year we’re running leaderboard here in Scotland, and the results speak for themselves and we’re starting to see real outcomes coming from the programme which is really exciting.”
Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland told us; “We are delighted to once again be working with Sporting Equals to deliver the second cohort of the LeaderBoard Academy here in Scotland. With the success of the programme last year, we are really excited to welcome a new and exciting group of enthusiastic individuals and community leaders who are passionate about making change in the sporting sector.
The LeaderBoard programme is a significant milestone in the journey of Scottish sport becoming more racially inclusive and is an example of the steps we are taking to deliver meaningful change.”
Kaleem Barreto, from Dundee, joined LeaderBoard to serve as a relatable role model for ethnically diverse youth in rugby, inspired by the power of representation he experienced growing up.
He said, “As captain of the Great Britain Rugby 7s team and a Muslim athlete, I’m aware of the limited presence from ethnically diverse communities in my sport and want to help improve inclusivity, including understanding cultural needs like Ramadan. My aim to broaden my understanding of different faiths and communities and use this platform to influence sporting organisations positively.”
Full list of Leaderboard Academy participants
Chukwuka Ododo (Edinburgh)
Amara Ishraq (Dundee)
Ammara Abid (Glasgow)
Kaleem Barreto (Dundee)
Dr Aljawharah Alsubaie (Edinburgh)
Zenab Ali (Edinburgh)
Savannah Antoine (Greenock)
Sewa Singh (Glasgow)
Ishan Babel (Glasgow)
Navid Forouton (Glasgow)
Eniola Olotu (Edinburgh)
Dorian Ogunru (Livingston)
Krishna Kaur (Edinburgh)
Maleeha Khaliq (Glasgow)
Salman Tahir (Dunfermline)
