Ready to move in
the right circles?
The Global Equality Collective is an award-winning global network of more than 550 organisations and individual experts working together to advance inclusive cultures through wellbeing, social capital and climate justice.
Join the Collective and help create meaningful change.
About the Collective
Founded by Dr Nicole Ponsford in 2018, the Global Equality Collective began as a real-world, participatory research model within her doctorate. It brought together experts, educators and organisations to explore how inclusion, belonging and wellbeing are understood and put into practice across education and beyond.
This collaborative model helped connect research with lived experience and professional expertise, informing the development and evaluation of what is now known as the inclusion intelligence framework.
What began as a doctoral research project grew organically into an award-winning global network. Today, the GEC brings together more than 550 organisations and individual experts who share knowledge, create resources and work collectively to help build more inclusive cultures.
For several years, the Global Equality Collective has curated and delivered dedicated conference strands at some of education’s largest events, including Bett, the Schools & Academies Show and the Festival of Education. These programmes bring GEC experts together to share research, challenge thinking and translate specialist knowledge into practical action for educators and leaders.
Our online events, including Empowering Young People, have created further opportunities for global audiences to engage with new ideas, lived experience and professional expertise. Across live events, digital programmes and partner platforms, GEC content and contributors have achieved a combined global reach of more than two million people.
The Collective also creates connections behind the scenes. We bring members together around research projects, advisory work and collaborative programmes, matching the right expertise to opportunities where it can make a meaningful difference.
Introducing the Collective
A Collective of Experts with
a Unified Purpose
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The GEC is the largest directory of Inclusion and Wellbeing experts in education.
Following member feedback, we have relaunched the Collective with a new tiers and an expanded offer, positioning the GEC as a distinct group of experts prepared to tackle every challenge in inclusion and diversity.
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We deploy the Collective in unique combinations to provide tailored solutions, pairing experienced educators with authors and experts with innovators.
We’ve created opportunities for members of our community to represent the GEC and share their knowledge and experiences through keynotes and panel discussions at events such as BETT, the Schools and Academies Show and the Festival of Education. They have delivered webinars, contributed to research and articles, helped curate our GEC KnowHow collection of resources, been interviewed for podcasts, and supported schools and organisations in person and online ways to get intentional about inclusion.
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This grass-roots community has been growing in scale, reach, influence and ambition and now incorporates over 550 experts working in the fields of inclusion, diversity and well-being.
Among other things, membership benefits include access to a network of professionals, opportunities to share your knowledge at events, contribute to research, and more.
Join our Inner Circle
Choose your tier >
Free
An equitable membership tier open to all, offering access to essential resources and community support.
Paid
Enhanced visibility and opportunities for those who can invest more, with flexible payment options through our Honesty Box.
What’s the difference between the two tiers?
In the name of inclusion, we want the GECto be a true reflection of the world we live in. After all, we champion diversity for a living! Therefore, while our review and subsequently updated offer aim to reflect the true value of membership in the Collective, we are committed to offering a free tier.
Anyone focused on enhancing diversity and inclusion in education can apply to join the Circle of Friends tier.
An equitable membership that won’t cost anything.
For those with the means to invest more directly, you can join the Circle of Influence tier. This will provide additional opportunities to amplify your reach and visibility across our networks and channels, both via digital and real-world engagements. To access this tier we’ve set up a digital Honesty Box so you can pay what you can afford, based on what a 12 month membership at this level is worth to you.
Why charge at all?
We’re a very small team and while our cultural impact and number of member schools are growing globally, the overheads and demands on our time never stop. Outside of the GEC we’re parents, partners, carers, volunteers, and cheerleaders. So many requests and opportunities come across our desks that just replying can sometimes feel like a full-time job, let alone attending and contributing to them. To be able to say yes to more of these opportunities, and in turn, open doors for members of the Collective, requires additional resources. Those resources, more often than not, require funds.
So, that’s why, after six years of finding, nurturing and amplifying our collective of experts, we want to try to commercialise the offer a little so we can give you the time, opportunities and support you deserve.
What you get when you join the GEC Circles >
Circle of Friends
GEC digital badge
For your socials, website, profiles and in presentations where you are speaking for or with the GEC!
GEC Directory listing
Free listing in the main GEC Directory with a link to your website/LinkedIn/ Social Media/Linktree/ chosen page
Our own in-person events
We are looking to create more opportunities for you to network with one another and the sector by hosting our own online and in-person events.
Social media cheerleading
We will look to amplify your work and your insight as far as we can when you tag us in.
Amplifying you!
We are often asked to recommend people, products and services to local authorities, schools and teacher networks. But more recently, we are now being contacted by event and award organisations, the media and press as well. Being in our inner Circle means that we can make the intros so you can make the difference!
Inclusion in GEC KnowHow
As well as having the biggest directory of experts, we also have the biggest directory for bookshelves and playlists! If you are in the GEC and have written a book, speak on a podcast, been in a film or even have an app or game you want in our GEC KnowHow not only will we include you, we will tag in that you are in the Collective and signpost back to your work.
GEC Newsletters
Sent straight to your inbox- with all of our updates and opportunities!
Ready to join the Circle of Friends? It’s FREE!
Circle of Influence
Get everything included within the Circle of Friends plus…
Full GEC Directory listing and profile
Your own live webpage in our NEW searchable GEC Directory of experts - including ‘talent’ tags to make it even easier to showcase your work! This will be personalised to you and be a clear acknowledgement of your expertise to others providing, validation and even support your SEO with a valuable backlink.
GEC Pinboard
For those with products or services for schools and their communities, our Pinboard gives you a place to promote your offers and services.
LinkedIn Testimonial Review
We’ll help add further standout on your LinkedIn profile by writing a testimonial for your work.
NEW for 2026/7 GEC Podcasts
More on this for 2026/27 soon!
Exclusive Mentoring Session with GEC Founder
Want more reach + traction + edtech + EDI landscape, networking suggestions etc? We’ll provide you a 20-minute virtual session with Nic to pick her brains on your impact, reach and opportunities with the GEC.
Direct networking with Collective
Looking for collaborators? We can speed up your roadmap and link you in with those we know are your jam and will help supercharge your work!
Content marketing and social media amplification
We will look to create at least one asset with you upfront and share it with our following of 20,000+ This can be across our platforms or focus on one of your choice! This can include but is not limited to:
Publishing a blog or thought-piece
Add to our GEC Pinboard with socials
Involvement in a GEC event - panel, webinar etc
Sharing one of your events, research or news
Ready to join the Circle of Influence? Pay what you can and we will deliver the magic within a year!
Ready to Join the GEC?
Together we can take the Inclusion Revolution up a notch. We’d be delighted to have you. Just sign up to the tier of your choice below, or reach out to set a time to talk if you’ve got questions.
Hear from those who already roll with us!
“I love being part of the GEC, because I think it's a kind of organisation that is very true to itself, and I think that's what people like about it.”
“I have got my program and all these workshops and everything, but I was working by myself - and I wanted to be part of a team.”
“Because I have confidence in the GEC's ability to look after me. Thank you.”