In my shoes | Campaigns | Chartered Institute of Housing

Advocating racial and ethnic diversity in housing boardrooms

In my shoes is a CIH presidential campaign, by Lara Oyedele, that seeks to raise awareness of the importance of racial diversity in the housing sector, drawing on Lara’s lived experience of the housing sector and racial adversity. The campaign will challenge the lack of ethnic and racial diversity in the boardrooms of housing organisations, providing a catalyst to galvanise positive change.

The campaign will amplify conversations and awareness, by sharing resources, engaging in conversations and sharing a wide variety of lived experiences, #inmyshoes, to create a momentum where racial and ethnic diversity are consistently on the agenda to drive forward positive change.

The campaign will run throughout Lara's presidency from October 2022 to September 2023.

CIH EDI census

CIH are committed to improving equality, diversity and inclusion in our organisation, throughout our membership and across the housing sector. In order to do this, we’re asking all our members to complete our EDI census so we can capture data and discover what our membership, and in turn, the housing profession looks like across the UK. This will help us identify where the sector may be underrepresented in different areas across the UK.

Complete the census

CIH EDI framework

The CIH EDI framework can be used by individuals or landlords/housing organisations to make positive changes across the sector. It features self-assessment tools so you can think about where you are currently with regards to EDI and consider how you can make further improvements to working practice

Download the EDI framework

Shoe Aid

During Lara’s presidential term she will be fundraising for her chosen presidential charity, Shoe Aid, which speaks to Lara’s lived experience of homelessness as a young woman, as well as her love of shoes. There will be donation points at events and we will be encouraging members to look in their wardrobes and find a pair of shoes to donate. This provides an interactive and equitable way to make charitable donations that will provide vital resources to families and individuals in need, especially during the current cost of living crisis.

Find out more about Shoe Aid

Diversity resource library

The resource library has been curated by Lara to highlighting the best research and resources on board room diversity, good practice and guidance to support diverse recruitment.

Research and statistics

Useful guides and resources

Must watch conversations and clips

#In my shoes: sharing people's lived experiences of racial and ethnic diversity to raise awareness

In my shoes podcasts

CIH Podcast #10: In my shoes with Lara Oyedele
The Scottish Housing News Podcast 26: Racial diversity in the housing profession with Lara Oyedele, Callum Chomczuk and Fash Fasoro

In my shoes blogs

New blogs coming soon

Published EDI blogs from the CIH library

Lara Oyedele | CIH president

It’s my motivation to inspire change and champion the importance of racial and ethnic diversity in the housing sector, especially in our boardrooms. We all know more needs to be done in this space and I want to work with CIH, its members, and the wider sector to highlight why it’s important to create a fair and inclusive environment where every individual feels confident not only that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional harm but also that they and their life experiences will be valued.