Seizing the Moment: How the Latest IFS Report Amplifies the Call for Equity in STEM

The UK is grappling with a concerning decline in social mobility, a trend highlighted in the latest Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report. This report paints a grim picture, indicating that children from less affluent backgrounds find it increasingly difficult to move into higher income brackets compared to their counterparts 40 years ago. The disparities are stark, with individuals in the north of England, the Midlands, and those from minority ethnic backgrounds facing significant barriers to achieving financial stability. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need to address these disparities.

As the UK aims to reshape its economy around high-value, knowledge-intensive activities within an increasingly competitive global landscape, there is a growing demand for individuals with higher-level, economically valuable skills, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These skills are critical in developing innovative products and services that compete effectively in world markets. However, numerous reports and investigations reveal that the UK can only achieve this by addressing the inequities described in the IFS report.

One such initiative that shines a light on the transformative power of equity-led approaches is the YESTEM project.

The YESTEM project, spearheaded by UCL, is a beacon of robust, evidence-led innovation, fostering equity and inclusivity in STEM education. Through research and community engagement initiatives, YESTEM demonstrated pathways that nurture 'engineering habits of mind' and science capital among young people, especially those from minoritised groups.

At the core of YESTEM's approach is the belief in the power of informal learning environments. These spaces foster personal agency, a sense of control through choice and belonging from social connectedness inherent in groups coming together around similar decisions. Through their research, YESTEM has illuminated these informal learning spaces' profound impact in nurturing a sense of belonging and fostering a genuine interest in STEM fields.

Despite such impactful projects, we find ourselves in a paradox where things seem to be getting worse, not better, as highlighted by the IFS report. With so many amazing and impactful projects, why are we not seeing a substantial shift in the landscape?

Collaborative Ecosystems: The Catalyst for Sustainable Change

The answer lies in the insights provided by thought leaders like Charles Leadbeater and Jennie Winhall. In their profound piece, "The Power to Shift a System", they beckon us to rethink our strategies and forge a new path.

As we delve deeper into the nuances of driving systemic change, it becomes increasingly evident that the journey towards a more inclusive future is not solitary. Leadbeater sheds light on the critical need for fostering collaborative ecosystems, a sentiment that resonates profoundly in the current landscape.

This entails fostering environments that encourage experimentation and learning, where ventures can adapt and evolve in response to the changing dynamics of the community and the world at large.

Although groundbreaking, ventures like RC Vision and those highlighted in the YESTEM research find themselves in a competitive landscape, vying for funding and survival. This 'winner takes all' marketplace not only stifles innovation but also perpetuates the existing disparities, as organisations find themselves pitted against each other rather than working together, amplifying each other, to foster change.

In this context, it is vital to foster a culture of collaboration and mutual growth, where ventures like RC Vision can thrive, not in isolation, but as part of a vibrant ecosystem that is geared towards fostering equity and inclusivity in STEM.

Bridging the Digital Divide: A Lesson from the Pandemic

As we navigate the complexities of fostering equity in STEM, it is crucial to acknowledge the lessons learned from the recent global pandemic. A report by UNESCO, highlighted by the New York Times, sheds light on the “staggering” educational inequality exacerbated by an overreliance on remote learning technology during the pandemic. This "ed-tech tragedy" has widened the educational gap, with hundreds of millions of students around the world experiencing learning loss and increased disparities, particularly in the UK.

The report criticizes the promotion of remote online learning as the primary solution during the pandemic, which hindered the exploration of more equitable, lower-tech alternatives. These alternatives could have included distributing schoolwork packets, delivering lessons via radio or television, and reopening schools sooner for in-person classes. The researchers emphasized the importance of in-person instruction and urged educational institutions to ensure that emerging technologies, such as AI chatbots, concretely benefit students before being introduced for educational use.

This revelation aligns with the ethos of ventures like RC Vision, which prioritize hands-on, community-centric approaches over isolated digital interventions. The pandemic has underscored the urgent need to foster collaborative ecosystems that encourage innovation and inclusivity, moving away from a competitive, winner-takes-all marketplace.

It is imperative that we heed the lessons from the pandemic, and it is clear that the path to addressing the crisis in social mobility and the disparities highlighted in the IFS report lies in fostering collaborative ecosystems. It is high time to foster and support collectives of ventures, each contributing uniquely and significantly towards the overarching mission to drive transformative change. By encouraging collaboration over competition, we can catalyse the creation of new systems, reversing the current crisis in social mobility. Let us envision and work towards a future where a diverse new generation stands at the forefront, leading the way with empowerment rooted in STEM education and building communities that are not only resilient but also inclusive and progressive.

Who’s with us?