Ethnic minority staff network

About the network

We recognise that we're all different. With a diverse workforce the Council has established 3 staff networks for Disabled staff, staff who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) and members of staff who consider themselves to be from an Ethnic Minority community.

These groups aim to provide opportunities for support, networking and contributions to council policy. Membership of the network is open to all employees of Warwickshire County Council and it’s partner agencies who consider themselves to be from an ethnic minority community.

Some of the aims of the network are:

To create a support network for employees who are from an ethnic minority community and act as a point of contact for ethnic minority staff.
To support WCC and its partner agencies in identifying the needs of the ethnic minority communities who use their services.
To act as a consultative group to influence policy and procedures of WCC and partner agencies.
To act as a signposting resource for managers on issues of race, and racial discrimination and help identify where channels of support are available in WCC and elsewhere.
To fully engage with, and support the diversity and equality agenda of WCC and its partner agencies for the benefit of all parties concerned.

We aim to achieve the above is by holding regular members meetings, mutual support, emails, newsletters and other communications, contributions to consultations and County Council publications.

Our vision

To create an extended network that fully represents the minority ethnic groups employed across Warwickshire’s public sector. To build on our commitment to promote equality of opportunity and value diversity.

Objectives

Establish core group
Engage with Strategic Equality and Diversity Group (SEDG)
Engage with Directorate Equality and Diversity Groups (DEDG)
Instigate a campaign to contact/engage with staff to join network
Look at impact on Ethnic Minority staff as a result of savings proposals.
Organise an annual conference
Create and regularly update our web presence

If you would like further information please contact Shearon Williams, our Interim chairperson on 01926 742358 or email bmenetwork@warwickshire.gov.uk and we will be pleased to answer any questions or queries you have about the network.

Conference 15 November 2011

The Ethnic Minority Staff Network hosted a conference in November during diversity week. The conference intended to engage staff and other professionals in issues that can affect ethnic minority communities. The topics chosen were, Trafficked Children, Forced Marriages and End Violence against Women and Girls. The conference started with the three areas giving presentations outlining the issues. The audience then had the opportunity to explore one topic in more detail, this was by attending a facilitated workshop.

The overall comments were that the afternoon was both interesting and informative. Many delegates wanted the event to be longer saying that a whole day would give more opportunity to explore the issues in even greater detail.

End violence against women and girls presentation (msppoint, 279Kb)

Forced marriage presentation (msppoint, 606Kb)

Child Trafficking, the Problem and how we can ‘COMBAT’ it (msppoint, 1.8Mb)