Mary Seacole Award for outstanding contribution to diversity and inclusion

This award aims to recognise a student who has made an exceptional contribution to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for their patients and/or other students and staff. They will have shown compassion and understanding of the needs of those from diverse backgrounds, for example, black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) or LGBT+, and demonstrated commitment and creativity to ensuring inclusion.

Stage one of the judging process involves judges shortlisting entries based solely on the information you have provided here, so please make sure your entry includes as much evidence as possible. In stage two, shortlisted entrants will present their entries to a panel of judges for deliberation on Tuesday 21st September. This is currently scheduled to be in-person in our London offices (as it was pre-pandemic). This second stage is subject to change in accordance with official guidance relating to Covid-19. In case the second stage which is in-person cannot take place, your entry will be judged by the information you submit therefore please include as much information as possible.

What are the judges looking for?

An exceptional student who demonstrates an outstanding contribution to diversity and inclusion in one or more of the following:

• Demonstrating enthusiasm for providing compassionate and inclusive nursing
• Shows courage by going the extra mile to help patients navigate through difficulties
• Has made a substantial contribution to the care of patients from diverse backgrounds
• Acts as a role model or ally in championing and building inclusion
• Championing the needs of those from diverse backgrounds and ensuring they are met
• Developed creative solutions to ensure that their work and study environment is diverse and inclusive
• Entries should consider the Equality Act’s protected characteristics, such as race, and use supporting information available such as the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)
• Acting as a role model to build diversity and inclusion

Please attach any supporting evidence to your application that you feel is relevant. This can include testimonials, student feedback or student/university evaluations or any other appropriate evidence.

This award is open to all students who are currently studying a nursing or midwifery course or who successfully completed one during 2020. Entries will be accepted from a trust, supervisors themselves or their students or colleagues, but in all cases the academic institution must support the submission. 

Take a look at what our 2019 winner had to say about winning the award: