3. Dr Prospera Tedam Today to mark @afruca Black History Month we are shining the light on Associate Professor @ProsperaTedam , Academic and Author who developed the Mandela Cycle Model #BHM #BlackHistoryMonth #charity #SocialWork #Blackexcellence #BHM2022 #childsafeguarding
Prospera is an Associate Professor in Social Work at the United Arab Emirates University. Prior to this, Prospera was a Principal Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University and a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Northampton.
Prospera’s practice background is in Children and Families (specifically in Child Protection, Children Looked After, Fostering and Adoption.)
Prospera was the Children Safeguarding Advisor to the Home Office between 2011 and 2018 and her research interests are around culturally sensitive practice, anti-racist social work and anti-oppressive practice learning. Her preferred theoretical lens is Critical Race Theory.
Prospera’s doctoral research examined the placement experiences of Black African Social Work students in England. Prospera is the author of a number of published book including 'Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice' published by Learning Matters.
As a result, Prospera developed The Mandela Practice Framework to support practice educators to engage more effectively with black African students, however it is a model that can be used to explore similarities and differences between any practice educator and student.
The Mandela Model M -Make Time AN-Acknowledge Need D - Differences E - Educational Experiences L - Life Experiences A - Age
Prospera writes that the acronym sends a positive message to students, as 'MANDELA' is more than a name “it symbolises values that may be important to African students of social work”. She goes on to note that “MANDELA conjures up words such as ‘determination’ and ‘success’”.
Currently based in United Arab Emirates, Prospera still trains UK Social Workers about culturally sensitive approaches to assessment and intervention with hope that in longer term, we can address over representation of Black and ethnic children in various areas of social care.
Since the murder of George Floyd, @ProsperaTedam training and services have been even more sought after.