Cultural Humility and Safety (CHS) - Case Study

Overview

Commissioned in response to the Birmingham and Lewisham African and Caribbean Health Inequalities Review (BLACHIR), the Cultural Humility and Safety (CHS) programme was developed by Strawberry Words Ltd. for Birmingham City Council to help address structural racism and inequality in health and social care. The initiative sought to create inclusive, trauma-informed, and culturally respectful workplaces across the Council and NHS partners.

Over the 12-month pilot, Strawberry Words delivered 15 CHS training sessions and 8 Train-the-Trainer (TTT) programmes, reaching 246 participants from multiple Council departments and NHS bodies including Public Health, Adult Social Care, Housing, Education, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Trust. The programme built on the Birmingham CHS Pathway, focusing on self-awareness, systemic understanding, relationships, practice commitment, and accountability.

Key Achievements

1. Meaningful Learning and Behavioural Change
   Feedback from 179 evaluations (70 percent of attendees) demonstrated major learning gains. Participants reported increased awareness of bias, systemic racism, and cultural humility as a lifelong discipline. Many described feeling more confident initiating sensitive conversations about race and culture, improved listening skills, and stronger empathy in daily interactions. Case-study interviews confirmed real behavioural change—staff were able to de-escalate conflict through listening and curiosity, demonstrating the move from awareness to applied practice.
   
   
2. Innovative, Experiential Training Design
   The CHS programme replaced didactic training with immersive and reflective learning. Participants engaged in exercises such as the Wheel of Privilege, Lifecycle of Racism, and ADDRESSING Frameworkto examine personal identity, power, and bias. Role-plays using real workplace scenarios built capacity for culturally safe communication. Learners created personal pledges outlining how they would embed CHS values in their roles. Many cited the sessions as “transformative,” praising the safe, honest space created by Strawberry Words’ facilitators—Rebbecca Hemmings, Dr Naomi Alormele, and Sipho Ndlovu.
   
   
3. Establishing a Skilled Facilitator Network
   The Train-the-Trainer (TTT) programmetrained 52 potential facilitatorsthrough eight two-day courses. It combined theoretical grounding with experiential practice, developing both knowledge and the emotional intelligence required to lead cultural humility sessions. Trainees explored how to navigate resistance using the “5 Ds of Resistance” (Deflect, Deny, Discredit, Downplay, Defence) and practised inclusive training design through VARK and adult-learning principles.
   
   Participants valued the focus on psychological safety, vulnerability, and self-reflection—learning to “lead without ego.” Each trainee delivered a 45-minute assessed session before certification. While readiness varied, the programme created a core group of confident facilitators able to extend CHS learning across Birmingham’s public sector, establishing the foundations of a self-sustaining model.
   
   

4. Launch of the CHS Online Learning Hub
   To maintain momentum and foster continuous learning, Strawberry Words built a dedicated online platformin January 2025. It includes a Learning Lounge with videos and blogs, a Resource Library, and access to the CPD-accredited Time to Talk About Racecourse. A separate Trainers’ Hub provides assessment materials and peer-support spaces. Although early engagement was low due to lack of protected learning time, the infrastructure offers strong potential for long-term cultural development and could become a central digital community for reflection, discussion, and professional growth.
   
   
5. Robust Evaluation and Evidence of Impact
   Quantitative data confirmed consistent increases in self-awareness, recognition of privilege, and understanding of systemic racism. Qualitative feedback emphasised the quality of facilitation, the empathy of trainers, and the safety of the learning environment—conditions rarely achieved in equity-related training. The recurring insight, “Cultural humility is a lifelong journey,”reflected a deep shift in mindset among participants.
   
   
6. Cross-Sector Collaboration
   The programme’s success lay in its collaboration across Council departments, NHS partners, and community stakeholders, aligning directly with BLACHIR’s call for trust and transparency. Strawberry Words participated in all CHS Steering Group meetings and shared findings with Equalital, the independent evaluator. This multi-agency model positioned Birmingham as an emerging national leader in culturally humble practice.
   
   

Recommendations and Forward Strategy

The report proposes several actions to consolidate and extend impact:

1.  Embed CHS principles across policies, inductions, and daily operations so cultural humility becomes an organisational norm rather than a training event.
2.  Expand and support the TTT model with mentoring, refresher workshops, and peer forums to sustain facilitator confidence and consistency.
3.  Create structured reflective spaces—such as CHS cafés and drop-in circles—to nurture ongoing dialogue and psychological safety.
4.  Maximise the Online Learning Hub’s potential by allocating protected time, integrating it into professional development plans, and adding live monthly sessions and community-of-practice discussions.
5.  Integrate CHS into policy and systems, using audit tools to review recruitment, wellbeing, safeguarding, and community engagement through a cultural humility lens.
6.  Engage senior leadership through bespoke workshops focusing on modelling humility, embedding equity in strategy, and tackling structural bias.
7.  Formalise a CHS Community of Practice bringing together Council, NHS, academic, and community partners to share tools, reflect, and innovate collectively.
8.  Scale the programme across other local authorities, schools, and voluntary organisations to establish Birmingham as a national exemplar of cultural humility and safety in action.
   
   

Overall Achievement

The CHS Pilot has achieved far more than a training rollout; it has catalysed cultural and behavioural transformation. Participants moved from apprehension to confident, empathetic engagement with issues of race and identity. Trainers built trust, compassion, and accountability within learning environments that model the very principles of cultural humility. The Train-the-Trainer component created a pipeline of future facilitators, and the Learning Hub laid the groundwork for continuous development.

By embedding reflection, self-awareness, and compassion at every level, the CHS initiative has strengthened Birmingham’s capacity to deliver equitable, inclusive services. The report concludes that with sustained commitment, investment, and leadership engagement, Birmingham City Council and its partners can become national leaders in Cultural Humility and Safety—turning learning into systemic change that truly improves lives.