July 13: Why Representation Matters
how society shapes the way children and young people see themselves, each other and the world they live in
Over the past few days, we've explored how children are shaped by the world around them. From the attitudes they absorb about race and difference to the experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people and disabled children who don't always see themselves reflected in everyday life. Although these conversations have focused on different experiences, they all outline how much representation matters.
The books our children read, the television programmes they watch, the toys they play with and the stories they hear all help shape their understanding of who belongs, whose voices matter and what they believe is possible for their own future.
Today's blog explores why seeing a wide range of people, families and experiences represented isn't about ticking boxes. It's about helping every child grow up knowing that there is a place for them in the world, while also helping them develop the empathy, understanding and curiosity to celebrate the experiences of others. Because when children can both see themselves reflected and see the richness of lives different from their own, they don't just learn about diversity, they learn about humanity.
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🔔 coming up on The Work Edit:
Rats, carrots and sport!
coming up on Cultural Calendar Club
12 Months of live, inspiring, entertaining talks events, made financially accessible for all organisations
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International Self Care Day: Self‑Care is not negotiable.
Friday 24 July 2026
12:00 13:00
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In this 60‑minute webinar, we’ll dismantle the myth that self‑care is a luxury or an indulgence. Once again, we’ve been sold short-term, capitalist quick fixes—like scented candles and bubble baths—as if they could patch over much deeper, systemic problems.
Real self‑care is far less glamorous and far more powerful. It’s about boundaries. About rest. About tuning into our natural rhythms and creating the space to truly know ourselves.
We often frame self‑care as something we do for others—role‑modelling healthier behaviours, being better colleagues, parents, partners. And yes, that matters. But the deeper truth is this: we don’t need to earn rest or justify our wellbeing. We need to normalise self-love without attaching it to usefulness.
Self‑care is a political act. It's about reclaiming what we all deserve—without guilt—and refusing to burn out while trying to fix the very systems that make it so hard to care for ourselves in the first place. Because access to self-care isn’t equal, and recognising that is part of the work.