A man who was once one of the most senior Asian officers in the 海角视频 police force has launched a business to encourage more people from the black and minority ethnic community into senior positions in the Armed Forces and emergency services.
Former Derby police chief superintendent-turned life coach Kul Mahay has teamed up with army veteran Samuel T Reddy to create the not-for-profit business called TriPotential.
It will launch in early 2021 to help the military, police and emergency services recruit and retain the highest calibre of BAME staff.
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It will also help people leaving the uniformed services transfer their skills into public sector roles.
Mr Mahay cited a 2020 study of prison officers which found that, of the 23,461 officers in England and Wales, just 6.4 per cent came from a BAME background.
Within the Armed Forces, he said, BAME people make up only 2.6 per cent of officers and 10.3 per cent of other ranks, according to a 2020 Government survey.
TriPotential hopes to get backing so it can offer its services for free.
Mr Mahay said: “When I left the police five years ago, after more than 30 years’ service, I had no idea how to move forward in my new life.
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“A programme like TriPotential, where the skills I had learned during my time with the police, could have been identified and adapted to transition into other organisations, would have been perfect.”
He has worked with universities, colleges and NHS Trusts to develop their leadership projects but it is the first time he will have worked with the military – an area in which partner Samuel T Reddy has several years’ expertise.
The pair met in January when Mr Reddy attended Mr Mahay’s Ignite Your Inner Potential leadership conference in Derby.
Born in Mauritius, Mr Reddy left his homeland to become one of the 6,000 Commonwealth personnel who serve the 海角视频 Armed Forces every year.
When he left the Armed Forces he encountered challenges which, ultimately, gave him the idea of setting up a project to support others in a similar situation.
Currently, when Commonwealth personnel leave the Armed Forces and wish to apply to continue to live in the country they have served for years, they face thousands of pounds of fees – typically £10,000 for a service leaver with a partner and two children - to do so.
Mr Reddy said: “It was an honour to serve in the British Armed Forces.
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“However, since leaving the military, I have faced a number of challenges, including paying the Service Charge – of which there is a campaign by the Royal British Legion to change the law.
“I also had to integrate into British society and seek employment after leaving the military. Like Kul, I needed a social enterprise similar to what TriPotential will aim to offer.
“I want to empower cultures and create an environment where people feel valued and appreciated.”
Supporting BAME communities is something Mahay has always been passionate about, having advised the police force following the death of teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993.
He also co-founded the Black Police Association, supporting BAME colleagues and the police service across the 海角视频, and was one of the very first Vice Presidents of the National Black Police Association.
The 54-year-old said: “There are uncomfortable conversations surrounding race and equality which we still need to have.
“Over the past several decades our important uniformed services have worked tirelessly to recruit more candidates from our BAME communities. Yet we still seem to find it challenging in achieving this.
“Very often, the focus has been on the recruitment element and yet little has been done to advance retention and progression within the services so we end up losing staff.
“We are committed to looking at the issue much more holistically, to help these important organisations recruit high calibre staff from BAME communities and to support them to excel in our vital uniformed services.
“Only then can we truly see increased representation of our diverse communities across the 海角视频.
“During my time with the police, as a minority ethnic member of the service, I worked hard on trying to get the best out of the minority staff and to improve the service for BAME communities.
“Race issues transcend across all organisations and societies and we must do whatever we can to create an inclusive and equal platform for everyone to thrive.”