Equity on the Horizon: Driving Systemic Change

Are you passionate about tackling racial inequality and creating lasting positive change for Black and Minoritised Ethnic communities across London? Join us to launch the Horizons London Programme, a bold movement to transform the systems shaping health, housing, education, and the environment.

Help Change Health, Housing, Education, and the Environment for BME Communities

The Horizons London Programme is committed to addressing entrenched racial inequalities by building a united movement, fostering strategic collaborations, and empowering the BME voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector.

Co-Design Real-World Solutions

Work alongside BME communities, grassroots VCSE organisations, and system stakeholders to codesign solutions that directly address the challenges facing BME Londoners. Together, we’ll create meaningful equity indicators, set ambitious goals, and develop actionable strategies.

This launch event brings together people and partners who want to move from awareness to action. Network, share ideas, and help build resilience within the BME VCSE sector—because real change needs all of us.

There will be presentations from all four workstreams—Health, Housing, Education, and Environment—followed by an engaging, in-depth table discussion. This will provide everyone with an opportunity to share insights on the systemic work they’re involved in and collaboratively explore co-designed solutions.

About the panel

🌟Neena Samota, Associate Head of Criminology and Sociology, St Mary’s University

Neena is Associate Professor for Criminology and Criminal Justice at St Mary’s University. She has worked in criminal justice research, evaluation and policy development for 25 years. An affiliate member of the Bakhita Centre, a research hub focused on slavery, exploitation and abuse, Neena has researched and published on diversity, inclusion and racial disparities. Neena maintains extensive engagement with the voluntary sector through research, governance and campaigning work. She is a founding member and trustee of StopWatch and also serves as the Chair of Voice4Change England, championing equity and inclusion across the voluntary sector.

🌟Dr. Sharmin Shajahan, Deputy Director at Voice4Change England

Sharmin brings 30 years of experience across the voluntary, public, and academic sectors. Her work focuses on tackling inequality affecting Black and Minoritised Ethnic (BME) communities and other disadvantaged groups. As Deputy Director at V4CE, Sharmin leads initiatives to strengthen BME organisational infrastructure and drive campaigns that empower these communities. With a strong background in public health and research, including a PhD on access to health services, she is deeply aligned with V4CE’s mission to dismantle structural and systemic barriers, enhance political literacy, and advocate for equity across society.

🌟Kunle Olulode MBE, Director at Voice4Change England

Kunle is the director at Voice4Change England, a BME charity and infrastructure support body. With over 500 members, its aim is to strengthen the BME voluntary sector to meet the needs of disadvantaged communities. The members are from Black community organisations and charities and range from criminal justice to migrant rights.

🌟Jennifer Wat, Environmental Strategy Officer at Voice4Change England

Jennifer has been working with V4CE to develop an environmental strategy that sees our communities better supported, resourced, and empowered to bring about climate solutions of their own. Her work is centred around community engagement, policy, and advocacy, where she looks to understand and address how the climate crisis affects Black and racialised communities deeply and disproportionately. Her hope is to secure consensus, commitment, and a networked approach to achieving a just transition within and beyond the Sector, and further amplify the message that climate justice cannot be delivered without racial justice and equity.

🌟Christabelle Quaynor, Policy and Influence Officer at Voice4Change England

Christabelle has led initiatives highlighting housing as a fundamental human right and driving reform. She previously contributed to the #ItStartsWithHousing campaign and wrote to the Labour Government calling for a national programme of affordable, energy-efficient homes. Christabelle has published blogs and articles on the long history of women in housing activism and on how housing shapes nearly every aspect of society, from work and family to debt and social inequality. She has also advocated for Awaab’s Law and is undergoing training to deliver advice on social housing. Through Brick by Brick, co-signed a letter to Baroness Janke on centring racial experiences in housing policy. Most recently, Christabelle organised the Room for All Roundtable, bringing together researchers, community leaders, and advocates to explore structural inequalities in housing and inform ongoing reform.

Who Should Attend?

• VCSEs
• System stakeholders
• CVSs
• Community individuals
• Academics
• Anyone interested in systemic change

Register for the launch event by 5pm on 15th September.

About Voice4Change England (V4CE)

Voice4Change England is a national membership organisation dedicated to the Black and Minoritised Ethnic (BME) voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. Our aim is to build a stronger and inclusive civil society to improve the life outcomes for BME and other disadvantaged populations who are subjected to disadvantage and discrimination. Our expertise lies in offering them infrastructure and capacity building, resilience and influence development. This specialised expertise is foundational for our dedication to deliver impactful services.

Membership is free. Become a member by signing up here: https://www.voice4change-england.org/membership

Visit our website to find out more: www.voice4change-england.org