Black Academics
At LVC Trust, with a team of black female consultants and board of directors, we are deeply passionate about championing the work of Black leaders—particularly Black female researchers—whose contributions are vital yet often underrepresented and undervalued.
Did you know that Black women make up only a small fraction of academic researchers in the UK, with significant disparities in funding, representation at senior levels, and access to wellbeing support? Studies have consistently shown that Black female academics are among the least represented groups in higher education leadership, and are more likely to face barriers that impact both their professional progression and mental wellbeing.
How We Support Black Female Researchers in Academia
We support Black female researchers in three key ways:
01
Project Jael & Co.
In 2022, we launched a project called Jael & Co.—a female leadership platform dedicated to supporting Black female researchers. The initiative provides consistent, monthly support, bringing members together on the first Wednesday of each month to focus on wellbeing, mental health, and leadership development. With an active telegram group our women communicate with another through the months, sharing insights and opportunities for personal growth, leadership and wellbeing.
Jael & Co. serves as a supportive community for women at different stages of their academic journeys—from those just beginning their PhD applications to those preparing to defend their viva. It offers guidance for interview preparation through leadership coaching, alongside wellbeing support during what can often be a highly demanding and stressful period.
The community also hosts regular guest speakers and in-person brunches, creating opportunities to explore important aspects of life that extend beyond academic study. These include topics such as leadership and character development, healthy living, and holistic wellbeing. In addition, quarterly mental health and wellbeing reviews help members reflect, reset, and manage their lives in structured phases throughout the year.
Recognising the complexities of life during doctoral studies, the platform also supports members through significant personal experiences, such as managing the stress of childbirth and navigating seasonal changes—both of which are crucial to maintaining mental wellness.
Today, the community includes over 50 Black women researching across diverse fields, across diverse fields but particularly psychology, educational psychology and child to parent abuse. After more than 50 monthly sessions, Jael & Co. has become a vital space for Black women who aspire to make meaningful contributions to academia and society—without losing themselves in the process.
Anu's Testimonial
I am Dr Anu Adebogun, and I recently completed my doctorate at the University of Oxford, where I led the first in-depth study of Child-to-Parent Violence and Abuse (CPVA) as experienced by Black mothers in the UK. Spearheading this research project was both academically and emotionally demanding, not least because CPVA is highly stigmatised, Black communities are often excluded from empirical research, and Black motherhood is frequently racialised and misrepresented.
As a Black female doctoral researcher working in a University where women like me remain underrepresented, the research journey was often strenuous and isolating. In that context, being part of the Jael & Co. Community Powered by LVC Trust was deeply sustaining. Through the monthly ‘On the Table’ sessions, I found encouragement, inspiration, and honest conversations that challenged imposter syndrome, disrupted self-silencing, and strengthened my confidence in the value of my research and voice.
I also attended two Pure Hearts residential retreats during my doctorate. These provided vital space to step back from the demands of research, motherhood, and everyday life in order to rest, reconnect, and realign alongside other women in leadership.
What makes the Jael & Co. Community via LVC Trust especially powerful is that they are not only spaces of support, but also of affirmation and expansion. While completing my PhD, I also began writing books for young people focused on self-esteem, safety, and advocacy. Recently my second book, It’s A Brave Young World, was shortlisted for two national awards. I have also spoken about the book at International Book Festivals. Being able to share these milestones with the Jael community and experience their genuine celebration has been deeply meaningful.
Seeing other women in the Jael & Co. Community build movements and consultancies has strengthened my own resolve to translate my research and lived experience into meaningful work that improves systems and services for young people and their families. Jael and Pure Hearts have been a source of community, courage, and renewal throughout a demanding season of my life. Their impact on my journey has been both personal and profound. ❤️
Lesley's Testimonial
Entry into Childhood Psychology at UCL (2025)
Being part of this monthly women’s group has been a deeply meaningful source of support for my wellbeing and mental health, especially as I continue on my Doctorate journey. What makes it even more special is that the support began before I had even secured my place. After one of my interviews, I remember feeling overwhelmed with self-doubt and questioning my worth. That meeting came at exactly the right time. The encouragement I received lifted something in me – I left feeling seen, held, and reminded that I was capable. The personal messages I received afterwards meant more than I can put into words; they helped me begin to believe that what I was stepping into was possible, and that I was worthy of it.
When I later got onto the course, the way the group celebrated me was so genuine and heartfelt. It didn’t feel like my win alone – it felt shared, affirmed, and deeply valued.
Now, as I continue on this journey, the group remains a constant source of encouragement, grounding, and accountability. It is a space where I am surrounded by like-minded women who are striving, growing, and showing up for themselves and each other. There is something powerful about being in a space that doesn’t just inspire you, but gently stretches you – encouraging you to reflect, to keep going, and to not settle. Even in moments where I haven’t yet reached my goals, I feel encouraged rather than discouraged.
What I value most is the spirit of the group – it builds you up without ever tearing you down. It feels like a safe and empowering space where we are all growing together. Each session invites honest reflection while also pushing us forward, never allowing us to remain stuck. The guest speakers bring wisdom, lived experience, and encouragement that continues to fuel my purpose and vision.
This group has become more than just a monthly meeting for me – it has been an anchor, supporting me as I grow into the person I want to become, and a space that continues to pour into my confidence, mindset, and overall wellbeing during this journey.
02
Pro Bono Support Through Partner Charities
We offer pro bono services to charities that directly support these individuals. Our work includes delivering leadership training which falls under Mentoring and Coaching and mental health and wellbeing sessions as part of their ongoing initiatives. Through partnerships with organisations such as Pure Hearts Charity, we contribute as consultants during weekend retreats and monthly leadership sessions.
Our focus is on leadership coaching and wellbeing for leaders, ensuring they are equipped to thrive during the demands of research and leadership.
We believe these researchers have immense potential to contribute to future charitable and community work. As part of our wider mission to support and strengthen the charity sector, we are committed to investing in their development.
Kanayo's Testimonial
Kanayo's Testimony via our Partner Organisation Pure Hearts where we deliver leadership coaching and Mentoring to Black Women in Academia
My journey with Pure Hearts via began in 2016. Having just completed my PGCE teaching qualification, I was stepping into a demanding academic and professional path that would eventually lead me through a Master’s degree and, most recently, the completion of my Doctorate in Education, all at the UCL Institute of Education. Throughout this 10-year journey, the Pure Hearts retreat experience was a constant source of strength and grounding as I attended several retreats throughout.
What sets Pure Hearts apart is their ability to minister to the whole person. In the midst of academic pressure, deadlines, and the pursuit of excellence, the retreats provided sacred space to recalibrate my identity, and prioritise my wellbeing. They reminded me that my worth is not defined solely by academic achievement, but by a deeper foundation.
During some of the most challenging seasons of my life, Pure Hearts became more than a retreat; it became a place of refuge. In 2019, as I battled Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, and again in 2024, as I navigated the grief of miscarriages, the retreats offered a space to be restored, refreshed, and renewed. The support, community, and intentional care I experienced during these times were invaluable. Not to mention the lifelong friendships that emerged from attending these retreats.
As a doctoral graduate, I can confidently say that Pure Hearts has been instrumental not only in sustaining me through the demands of academia but in shaping who I have become throughout the process. It has nurtured resilience and provided a consistent anchor through both triumphs and trials.
I am truly a beneficiary of the Pure Hearts organisation, and I remain deeply grateful for the role it has played in my journey.
Kanayo Dike-Oduah Situ,
Doctor of Education (EdD)
UCL Institute of Education
03
Direct Support for Individual Initiatives
We also provide direct support to Black female researchers in developing their own mental health and wellbeing initiatives. This includes helping them establish charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs) that serve both themselves and others within their research communities.
Testimonial
Imisi's Testimonial
We supported the work of Imisi O, a PhD student at the University of Manchester, who had a vision to create a charity supporting others in their leadership and research journeys—helping them to maintain both their faith and physical health, two areas that can often be neglected during intense research years.
Through our pro bono support, we worked with Imisi to develop this initiative from concept to delivery. She has launched a charity and hosted mental health and wellness events, including “Move Your Body for God’s Sake”, an initiative designed to support researchers in Manchester in building physical strength and holistic wellbeing.
Dr Anu Adebogun
I am Dr Anu Adebogun, and I recently completed my doctorate at the University of Oxford, where I led the first in-depth study of Child-to-Parent Violence and Abuse (CPVA) as experienced by Black mothers in the UK. Spearheading this research project was both academically and emotionally demanding, not least because CPVA is highly stigmatised, Black communities are often excluded from empirical research, and Black motherhood is frequently racialised and misrepresented.
As a Black female doctoral researcher working in a University where women like me remain underrepresented, the research journey was often strenuous and isolating. In that context, being part of the Jael & Co. Community Powered by LVC Trust was deeply sustaining. Through the monthly ‘On the Table’ sessions, I found encouragement, inspiration, and honest conversations that challenged imposter syndrome, disrupted self-silencing, and strengthened my confidence in the value of my research and voice.
I also attended two Pure Hearts residential retreats during my doctorate. These provided vital space to step back from the demands of research, motherhood, and everyday life in order to rest, reconnect, and realign alongside other women in leadership.
What makes the Jael & Co. Community via LVC Trust especially powerful is that they are not only spaces of support, but also of affirmation and expansion. While completing my PhD, I also began writing books for young people focused on self-esteem, safety, and advocacy. Recently my second book, It’s A Brave Young World, was shortlisted for two national awards. I have also spoken about the book at International Book Festivals. Being able to share these milestones with the Jael community and experience their genuine celebration has been deeply meaningful.
Seeing other women in the Jael & Co. Community build movements and consultancies has strengthened my own resolve to translate my research and lived experience into meaningful work that improves systems and services for young people and their families. Jael and Pure Hearts have been a source of community, courage, and renewal throughout a demanding season of my life. Their impact on my journey has been both personal and profound. ❤️
Dr Kanayo Dike-Oduah Situ
My journey with Pure Hearts via began in 2016. Having just completed my PGCE teaching qualification, I was stepping into a demanding academic and professional path that would eventually lead me through a Master’s degree and, most recently, the completion of my Doctorate in Education, all at the UCL Institute of Education. Throughout this 10-year journey, the Pure Hearts retreat experience was a constant source of strength and grounding as I attended several retreats throughout.
What sets Pure Hearts apart is their ability to minister to the whole person. In the midst of academic pressure, deadlines, and the pursuit of excellence, the retreats provided sacred space to recalibrate my identity, and prioritise my wellbeing. They reminded me that my worth is not defined solely by academic achievement, but by a deeper foundation.
During some of the most challenging seasons of my life, Pure Hearts became more than a retreat; it became a place of refuge. In 2019, as I battled Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, and again in 2024, as I navigated the grief of miscarriages, the retreats offered a space to be restored, refreshed, and renewed. The support, community, and intentional care I experienced during these times were invaluable. Not to mention the lifelong friendships that emerged from attending these retreats.
As a doctoral graduate, I can confidently say that Pure Hearts has been instrumental not only in sustaining me through the demands of academia but in shaping who I have become throughout the process. It has nurtured resilience and provided a consistent anchor through both triumphs and trials.
I am truly a beneficiary of the Pure Hearts organisation, and I remain deeply grateful for the role it has played in my journey.
Kanayo Dike-Oduah Situ,
Doctor of Education (EdD)
UCL Institute of Education
Dr Imisi O.
We supported the work of Imisi O, a PhD student at the University of Manchester, who had a vision to create a charity supporting others in their leadership and research journeys—helping them to maintain both their faith and physical health, two areas that can often be neglected during intense research years.
Through our pro bono support, we worked with Imisi to develop this initiative from concept to delivery. She has launched a charity and hosted mental health and wellness events, including “Move Your Body for God’s Sake”, an initiative designed to support researchers in Manchester in building physical strength and holistic wellbeing.
Adhoc Services
We have a range of adhoc services that may be of benefit to your charity or community initiative.
Opening Organisation Bank Account
If you’re a community organisation or charity seeking guidance on opening a bank account, our consultants can assist you with this process. Our service ensures a smooth and hassle-free experience.
Cost: £450
Project Structure
Are you in need of assistance with structuring your project? Our consultants can provide guidance to ensure your project is organised and efficient. Our consultants create your project to be attractive to funders and place you in the right positioning for funding and financial support.
The cost for this service is £750 per project.
Please let us know your specific requirements, and we’ll tailor our support accordingly.
Gift Aid Collection
Are you a charity looking to maximize your fundraising efforts through Gift Aid? Our consultants specialise in registering charities for Gift Aid and managing the collection of funds.
The registration cost is £1850.00 to become Gift Aid eligible with ourselves for medium-sized charities with an annual turn-over of more than £25,000 in their last financial year. Larger charities of more than £60,000 in their last financial year will be priced according to their individual financial reporting.
This service streamlines the process, allowing you to focus on your charitable endeavours while maximising your fundraising potential.
Are you a black female researcher or soon will be?
Please email us at jaelandco.intl@gmail.com to get involved in our community and learn more about our work.
If you would like to support the work we do with Black female researchers, please do let us know. Your support would enable us to expand our community-building efforts and extend this important work to many more individuals.