Ask-a-planorak #8 - Helen Fadipe, founder of BAME Planners Network
Helen Fadipe MRTPI is a very remarkable #planorak of 30 years’ standing in the public and private sectors, both in the UK and abroad. She’s a director of FPP Associates Ltd and has worked on mega schemes like Oak Wharf, a Canal redevelopment site in Hackney, and a Model City Plan for over 4 million people in Lagos Nigeria, along with a range of urban extensions for mixed use schemes comprising housing, schools, healthcare and major infrastructure for more than 6,000 people in the UK.
In a whopping great list of accolades, Helen is a member RTPI General Assembly and its Membership and Ethics Committee and was part of its International Strategy working group. She was a judge in the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence in 2020 and 2021. She is also the founder of BAME Planners Network, as well as an Advisory Board Member for Women in Planning.
Helen very graciously took time away from all of that to answer 10 quick-hit questions on her life in planning, on diversity in the profession and on the critical mission of the BAME Planners Network she founded last year.
1. What was your route into a life of planning?
I was introduced to Urban and Regional planning when I was doing my A-levels and I enrolled to study for the Course at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos, Nigeria. I spent five years including a year out for the Industrial Training. Following my graduation, I did the mandatory National Youth Service Corps. I was fortunate to work at the Owerri Capital Development Authority. After that, in 1987, I came to the UK. Following a brief stint doing non planning related courses, I decided in 1990 to seek a job in Planning and was appointed as a Trainee Planning Assistant at Islington Council. Since, then I have worked in several Local Planning Authorities, set up a Planning consultancy and provided services for both the public and private sectors both here in the UK and abroad.
2. How diverse was the planning profession you joined at the beginning of your career?
At the time I started my career in Islington Council, there were three BAME’s in the department, very few female planners (less than 1 % of the planners), and I was the only BAME female Planner. It was a standing joke that I represented two minority groups in the department.
3. Can you tell us about how it felt entering that world as a young, female, BAME planner?
As previously stated, I studied Urban and Regional Planning at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria and I was one of four females enrolled on the course. I graduated top of the class and won all the academic awards, so I never felt disadvantaged being a female in a male dominated world. I also grew up with five brothers, so underrepresentation was the norm and for the first couple of years I was not bothered by race and gender bias. This was partly due to my upbringing in Nigeria coupled with the great mentors (both male and female) that I had at the start of my career. Everyone went out of their way to help me learn and grow as a Planner. My Planning Course at South Bank was an eye opener, there were more women on the course and suddenly, I felt that the Planning profession was not the preserve of men.
As I moved up the career ladder, it was glaring that in order to progress through the ranks, I had to think outside the box; I worked beyond the level expected of me and attended relevant training, which enabled me to gain a Principal Planner role in Watford, where I was responsible for the local plan and at one point, I was acting Strategic Team Manager. At Watford, I often had County wide meetings where I was the only female and only BAME. I had a difficult time making my voice heard. When I made a point, it is not taken on board, and when a white male made same point or as often is the case, echoes me, he was applauded. There were incidents in my early years as a Planner which I put down to ignorance.
4. What do you think has changed since then? And what hasn’t changed?
There are more women and BAME in the profession and in senior management position than when I started out in 1990. There is more awareness of gender and race related issues, however there is still more to be done in ensuring there is equal access to promotion and opportunities. BAME are still underrepresented in the profession and senior management positions. BAMEs face various forms of discrimination, both covert and overt. BAME Planners take longer to get jobs and promotions as affinity bias abounds in selection and promotion processes, moreso in the private sector.
5. What experiences led you to found the BAME Planners Network?
Due to my work, role in the RTPI (Member of the General Assembly) and profile on LinkedIn, between a short spate of time in 2017 and early 2020, I was told that I am an inspiration because I was the only female black manager the person knew; another person informed me that they have not met another black planner before. More worrisome were the tales of unfair practices and discriminations; the feeling of frustration due to lack of progression in the industry. I understood some of the issues raised as I left the public sector at the start of 2005 as I literally ‘felt’ the brick ceiling, after attending a couple of interviews for Head of Planning. Fast forward to 2017/20; I did what I could linking BAME planners together and helping those I could by offering friendship and mentoring. Following a message I posted on LinkedIn about George Floyd’s death, a planner called me to talk about working within an environment that was not diverse and not being understood and was on the brink of leaving the profession. I felt at that point that I need to act upon the idea I have had for a while regarding setting up a network for BAMEs. The idea was for BAMEs working within the profession to get to know one another, support and help each other to progress within the profession. Key to this was raising the visibility of BAMEs working within the profession and addressing discrimination.
In June 2020, I reached out to those I knew who were BAMEs. I then set up a steering group and over 40 Planners turned up at the 1st inaugural meeting held in August 2020. The network has grown and we now have over 200 committed members drawn from all races and sectors; and over 800 followers on LinkedIn.
6. What do you see as the Network’s key aims?
Our aims are to:
• Raise the profile and visibility of BAME Planners working in the planning profession in the United Kingdom and Ireland;
• Encourage BAMEs to enter the planning profession at all levels;
• Support BAME Planners in achieving career goals in all settings and reaching full potential in the Planning profession through practical support of the network;
• Enabling and supporting BAME communities to influence planning in their locality; and
• Partner and collaborate with relevant organisations on improving perceptions and opportunities for BAME Planners.
7. What about the Network so far has made you particularly proud?
The immense support from individuals and organisations. The selflessness, commitment to make a difference by members of the steering group. The zeal and vigour shown by members in helping one another. Real success stories of individuals making progress in their career. Our involvement in changing perception and making a real difference in policy implementation. The visibility of BAME Planners and raising awareness of diversity and inclusion issues.
Some of our key achievements are:
• Collaborating with 13 other inclusion and diversity organisations within the built environment to prepare the Diversity Pledge;
• Responding to the Government White Paper on Planning;
• Giving evidence in person to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee on the White Paper;
• Our Members have been active as speakers in key events in the planning world;
• Rolling out a Coaching programme for those seeking to gain a senior management position in association with GatenbySanderson;
• Giving career advice and training for those seeking to gain their first jobs and those in the early years of their careers;
• Advising and providing input into Diversity and inclusion strategies of planning organisations etc; and
• Carrying out a Diversity and Inclusion survey.
8. And what are your hopes for what the Network can achieve in the longer run?
Changing hearts and minds to identify and eliminate discrimination resulting in a Planning profession that reflects the community it serves; that is truly inclusive and diverse in all areas. More BAME represented in senior management positions; visibility of our members serving as a beacon and attracting more people especially young BAMEs into the profession.
9. Why do you think diversity within the profession is so important when it comes to planning for our built environment?
Differences exists and culture, race, age, gender, ethnicity, gender, disability often affect how individuals and families etc use and interact with space. Having diverse viewpoint around the table when preparing formulating or implementing planning policies is important. This is to ensure the needs of the community is truly reflected in the development.
10. How would you like your legacy in the our industry to be viewed into the future?
The value I added to planning projects; the contribution I made to the professional careers of those whom I crossed paths with. The courage I displayed in advocating for fairness and equity in the practise, and the changes that occurred as a result.
Thank you so much, Helen. You can get involved with the BAME Planners Network here, and you can follow them on Twitter here.
In the meantime, stay well #planoraks. Enjoy this fleeting dash of late summer sun. And, of course, #keeponplanning.
