Over the summer, three members of Great! Ebe Group and the Step Change EbE Co-ordinator attended an anti-racist bootcamp by brap, an organisation that helps organisations develop anti-racist practice. Ebe members share their reflections on the conference.
What was it about?
The brap bootcamp focused on the work of James Baldwin to explore racism, identity, power, organisational culture and what meaningful allyship looks like in practice.
Participants spent time reflecting on their own experiences, assumptions and biases, while discussing the ongoing impact of racism in workplaces and wider society. They explored the challenges of speaking up, particularly when there may be personal or professional risks, and questioned whether allyship is genuine when people only engage when it benefits them.
The sessions highlighted the need to move beyond organisational statements and superficial changes towards honest reflection, challenging systemic racism, supporting others and taking collective responsibility.
There was also a strong focus on wellbeing, recognising that this work can be demanding and needs to be shared and sustained. Overall, the message was that meaningful change requires courage, honesty, consistent action, mutual support and a willingness to keep having difficult conversations.
Ebe members’ reflections
“It was a very good session It’s a learning process - We learned a lot about things we did not know before, and we also input our own experience. I think it went well because we managed to establish new friendships and relationships with other charities, also what we said was valued. Overall, I would say it was a very, very good session.”
“The boot camp provided a valuable opportunity to step back from the day-to-day demands of anti-racist work and engage in deeper reflection alongside individuals with a wide range of professional and lived experience, rather than adopting a traditional training or conference format. The programme encouraged us to explore complex issues through dialogue, reflection, experimentation and critical self-examination. Overall, the bootcamp was a powerful reminder that anti-racist work is both collective and ongoing. It strengthened my understanding that meaningful change requires courage, critical reflection, collaboration, and a willingness to continuously learn and adapt.”
“One of the key discussions was about allyship, and making sure that when we talk about anti-racism, we have the right allies on our side. That is why we came together from every sector, the voluntary sector was there, the NHS and education, to make sure we are all together talking about these issues and know we have allies to back us up when needed. We also talked about wellbeing, recognising that talking about anti-racism can sometimes be tiring and the conversations burdening. We sometimes need to rest, and pass the baton to somebody else to go further. We talked about courage, being honest in our conversations, and most importantly, consistent action — not doing something today and then leaving it, but always being there, raising our voices and trying to find solutions. It was a wonderful two days and a really good experience for the group.”
“This was my first experience of attending the two-day boot camp. The programme brought together participants from different sectors, including education, charities and the private sector. The programme was grounded in the work of James Baldwin. This was my first experience and a good experience, and I learned a lot.”
Key themes and looking forward
Allyship: Moving beyond good intentions to consistent, meaningful action to build a collective movement where people share responsibility and support each other.
Wellbeing: Recognising that anti-racism work can be demanding and needs rest, reflection and support.
Courage: Speaking up, even when conversations feel difficult or uncomfortable.
Shared learning: Listening to different lived and professional experiences and reflecting honestly on our own assumptions.
Action: Taking learning back into organisations and continuing the work collectively.
We'll continue to work with Brap to implement what we've learned, support one another, and embed anti-racist thinking and action into Step Change.
> If you’d like to find out more about the work of brap you can visit their website.
