Alyson Malach

Director of Equality and Diversity UK

Career Impact at a Glance

• Post-16 education career dating from 1985, including senior management roles at Loreto Sixth Form College and Further Education colleges in Bolton, Preston, and Liverpool.
• Former Head of Lifelong Learning in Manchester, with responsibility spanning community learning, prison education, compulsory education, student grants, and adult/community learning.
• Appointed in 2001 as one of Manchester City Council's first Black managers, as recorded by the National Diversity Awards.
• Undertook research into prison education across 22 UK prisons, highlighting access, participation, and learning experiences of ethnically diverse prisoners.
• Author of NIACE publication Colour Blind: A Practical Guide to Teaching Black Adult Learners (2001).
• Contributor to Lifelong Learning: Education Across the Lifespan, edited by John Field and Mal Leicester.
• National Learning and Skills Council Equality and Diversity Committee member, 2001–2010.
• Member of the Manchester Advisory Committee involved in recruitment and selection of Magistrates.
• Current Chair of Cartwheel Arts and Board Safeguarding Lead.
• 2022 National Diversity Awards shortlisted nominee – Positive Role Model Award: Race, Religion & Faith.
• Invited to the King's Garden Party in 2024 with Cartwheel Arts.

Core Professional Expertise

Professional Leadership & Career

Founder & Director | Inclusive Learning Development Services / Equality and Diversity UK (EDUK) | 1997–present

• Founded Inclusive Learning Development Services in 1997; later renamed Equality and Diversity UK.
• Worked freelance for the Department for Education embedding equality into mainstream learning materials.
• Designs and facilitates learning on anti-racism, equality, inclusive leadership, microaggressions, organisational culture, safeguarding, neurodiversity, and related issues.
• Creates toolkits, briefings, pocketbooks, learning resources and professional-development materials.
• Supports organisations to translate equality commitments into practical behaviours and accountable action.
• Promotes mentoring, inclusive recruitment, progression, and leadership pathways for ethnically diverse employees.

Head of Lifelong Learning | Manchester City Council

• Senior leadership role covering student grants, community learning, prison education, compulsory education, adult learning.
• Collaborated with police, social services, health services, prisons, and voluntary/community organisations.
• Recognised as one of Manchester City Council’s first Black managers (National Diversity Awards).

Further Education & Sixth Form Leadership | from 1985

• Senior management roles across Loreto Sixth Form College and FE colleges in Bolton, Preston, and Liverpool.
• Earlier career included residential social work management and safeguarding leadership.
• Lead writer for Northwest colleges partnership Inclusive Learning materials.
• Specialisms in SEND, teacher education, disadvantaged learners, community cohesion and EDI.

Research, Prison Education & Publications

Prison Education Research

• Conducted research across 22 UK prisons examining access, participation and learning experiences.
• Connected research evidence with practitioner development and policy discussion.

Selected Publications

• Colour Blind: A Practical Guide to Teaching Black Adult Learners (NIACE, 2001).
• Contribution to Lifelong Learning: Education Across the Lifespan.
• Guidance on the Gender Equality Duty for the FE Sector (LSC/LSN, 2007).
• Numerous equality and education publications, articles, pocketbooks and resources.

National, Regional & Public-Service Leadership

• National Learning and Skills Council Equality and Diversity Committee member (2001–2010).
• Manchester Advisory Committee – recruitment and selection of Magistrates.
• Greater Manchester Race Equality Panel – member.
• Bury Police Scrutiny Panel – member.
• School governor roles across multiple institutions.
• Former Director, Royal Exchange Theatre Company, Manchester.

Arts, Charity Governance & Safeguarding

Chair of the Board of Trustees | Cartwheel Arts

• Provides strategic governance leadership to a community arts charity.
• Board Safeguarding Lead.
• Promotes diversity and inclusion within arts and voluntary sectors.
• Attended the King's Garden Party in 2024 representing arts and equality networks.

Qualifications & Continuing Professional Development

• Cert Ed teaching qualification; Social Work qualification; SEND specialist development.
• Professional learning in anti-racism, domestic abuse, inclusive leadership, MHFA, microaggressions, neurodiversity.
• BA Human Resource Management, University of Manchester (2009).

Entrepreneurial & Organisational Legacy

• Founded EDUK in 1997 and sustained development across three decades.
• Created an associate model enabling specialist practitioners to deliver funded work.
• EDUK’s 30th anniversary in 2027 marks three decades of equality-focused organisational change.

Professional Philosophy

Equality cannot be delivered through policy, compliance, or one-off training alone. Sustainable change requires organisations to listen to lived experience, understand inequality at individual, structural and institutional levels, scrutinise systems, develop accountable leadership and collaborate with communities.

Contact

Equality and Diversity UK (EDUK)

Email: info@equalityanddiversity.co.uk

Phone: 07540 123 564