On Monday 6 October 2025, Capital City Partnership (CCP) hosted Stories of Change at the National Library of Scotland, as part of the DataKirk Scottish Ethnic Minority Talent Summit.
The event formed part of CCP’s Employer Engagement Project for Ethnic Minorities (EEPEM), a citywide initiative supporting fair recruitment, progression, and inclusive workforce development.
This inspiring afternoon brought together voices from across Edinburgh’s diverse communities for networking, storytelling, and reflection. Attendees included representatives from the third, public, and private sectors from HR professionals and line managers to community service providers, all gathered to listen, learn, and share experiences.
Opening remarks were delivered by Amina Shah, CEO of the National Library of Scotland, and Fash Fasoro, CEO of DataKirk, who both highlighted Scotland’s multi-ethnic heritage and the role of open public institutions in shaping an inclusive future.
The event featured powerful first-hand stories from Oshuare, Sana, Omar, Ankita, and Olawale – each sharing journeys of perseverance, growth, and belonging. Their reflections illuminated the challenges and triumphs of navigating employability pathways, and their words resonated deeply with everyone in the room.
Audience Reflections
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with a 67% response rate to the event survey. Respondents described the stories as “powerful,” “motivating,” and “a reminder of resilience, intelligence, and capability in the face of barriers.”
Every respondent agreed the stories demonstrated the impact of employability support, and most said the event significantly increased their awareness of barriers faced by minority ethnic communities.
Key themes from the feedback included:
- Equity and Inclusion – the need for fair opportunities across all sectors
- Policy Change – reforming restrictive eligibility and access criteria
- Cross-Sector Collaboration – stronger partnerships between employers, communities, and policymakers
Encouragingly, 80% of attendees said they are likely to take action as a result from rethinking recruitment policies to sharing insights within their organisations.
As one participant noted, “It can help only to the point where progress is stopped by inadequate policies” a reminder of why these conversations must continue.
Acknowledgement
This event summary is adapted with permission from the original article published by Capital City Partnership, which organised and hosted Stories of Change as part of the DataKirk Scottish Ethnic Minority Talent Summit & Festival 2025.
We thank CCP for leading this important initiative and for their continued partnership in promoting equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all.
