Paige Connect
Big Change funded Sergio Gosalvez as a finalist in 2023 and as a winner in our Big Education Challenge in 2024. Big Change’s funding and tailored support…
Funded projects
Not So Micro
Not So Micro, creates anti-racism and microaggression training for educators, and campaigns for policy reform to ensure that schools are held accountable for promoting racial inclusion.
What we did:
- Big Change funded Melvin Riley as a finalist in our Big Education Challenge in 2023.
- With Big Change's support, Not So Micro will create an anti-racism and microaggression training programme for educators.
The Spark
Melvin Riley faced a school system that didn’t understand the unique challenges of racism.
A racial microaggression is defined as a ‘daily racial bias against people of colour because they are members of a racialised group’. Research has consistently shown that exposure to racism and microaggressions damages young people’s mental health.
The safety and mental health of minority students is at risk as there is a lack of awareness and training around microaggressions and racism in schools.
Many teachers do not have the necessary tools to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
The inspiration behind Not So Micro originated from our lived experiences of racism, microaggressions, and the gaps in the infrastructure during our school days. Our vision is to establish inclusive environments where racially competent teachers are the norm.
Melvin Riley
Risk
Safety and mental health of minority students is at risk due to lack of awareness and training around microaggressions and racism in schools
Inclusive
Many teachers do not have the necessary tools to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students
The impact
Not So Micro is a youth-led organisation that takes a multi-faceted approach, including campaigning for policy reform so that anti-racism and microaggression become mandatory components in teacher training and that schools are held more accountable for promoting racial inclusion.
With Big Change's support, Not So Micro will create an anti-racism and microaggression training programme for educators, using technology to make a tailored programme that is accessible and engaging, and raising awareness about the negative impact of racism in schools on the mental health of young people and the urgent need for change.
The Big Changemaker
Melvin Riley
Melvin, co-founder of Not So Micro, is a social-tech entrepreneur, public speaker, and youth advocate, grew up in the UK as a child of Zambian and Jamaican immigrants, shaping his experience of school and the education system through his cultural background and personal challenges.
He is part of the Young Changemakers, a collaboration between UK Youth, the Centre for Mental Health, and The Diana Award, where he developed his project Not So Micro.
Ashleigh Onabajo
Ashleigh is the co-founder and current director of Not So Micro. Ashleigh works to improve the mental health of children and young people and build awareness of racial discrimination in teachers through racial microaggression training led by lived experiences. Ashleigh is also a peer researcher with Centre for Mental Health, where she assists in collecting and analysing data for the Young Changemakers programme (Centre for Mental Health, The Diana Award, UK Youth).
