b5: leveraging your network group as an effective … willacy, client account manager- lead for...
TRANSCRIPT
Josh Willacy, Client Account Manager- Lead for Yorkshire
and the Humber, Stonewall
@joshywillacy
B5: Leveraging your network group
as an effective change agent
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What are the incentives?
1. Empowers staff to make a positive change
2. Taps into invaluable knowledge and experience
3. Creates a direct line between network senior decision
makers – leads to informed senior champions and allies
4. Gives a network group a focus
5. Leads to tangible positive results for staff, service users and
customers
Digital Propositions Manager and Deputy Chair of Aviva
Pride, Aviva
@lauren_peel
Lauren Peel
Moving from network
to resource group –
what, why, and how?
Lauren Peel – Deputy Chair Aviva Pride
@avivapride/@lauren_peel
Employee network vs Employee Resource Group6
• Social events
• Fundraising
• Internal learning events
• No dependencies from the business
• Advise on policy
• Develop strategy
• Respond to customer issues
• Challenge the business
• Support on internal staff issues
• Experts in LGBT+
• Still a voluntary group, but don’t try to do everything alone
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Visibility
Engagement
What do networks need to do?
© Aviva PLC Private and confidential
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Challenging the business = Opportunities to add value
Internal communications
Employee assistance programmes
Employee benefits statements
Working with other networks
Transitioning at work policies
All employee training
Staff disputes
Customer complaints
Global networks
Advice on monitoring
Advising on strategy
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a) Recruitment
1. Review current site/process
2. Engage with recruitment teams to see how you can help
3. Look at LGBT specific recruitment events – and share information with HR
4. Find “quick wins”, like mentioning the network or Stonewall in recruitment literature and the Careers site
62% generation Y LGBT graduates at university go back in the closet when they start their first job
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b) Engaging on customer issues
1. Previous engagement/visibility so relevant areas know who to contact
2. Experts on key topics, or knowing Allies in the business to contact
3. Unless trained, network shouldn’t deal directly with customer issues, just advise the business
4. Longer term, network can engage on policies and staff guides
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c) Internal changes
1. All employee training – contact HR with amendments for inclusivity
2. Employee benefits statement – contact benefits team who may need to work with third party provider
3. Transitioning policies – if you don’t have expertise in-house, ask for help
4. Network can act as support for staff grievances, and work with HR and managers to address issues
Don’t try to achieve everything alone – work with the business to drive change
Senior Policy and Performance Officer for Equality,
Leeds City Council @GeoffTEquality
Geoff Turnbull
Senior Contracts Officer,Leeds City Council @RobWilsonLtd and @LeedsCC_LGBT
Rob Wilson
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Working together to:Make Leeds an LGB T* Friendly City
Make Leeds City Council an LGB T* Inclusive EmployerReflect the Diversity of the LGB T* Community in all our work
Leeds City Council LGB T* Staff Network
Leeds LGB T* Consultation and Engagement ‘Hub’
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
LGB T* Staff Network
• The 4th Staff Network within Leeds City Council, formed 8 years ago to sit alongside networks for Women, BME and Disabled staff.
• Recently two new networks have been formed for Carers and for starting their careers within the Council.
• The Network was re-launched one year ago following a period of 18 months where it had not met.
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Staff Network continued…
• The Network meets bi-monthly
• The current committee consists of 20 active members with a total membership of over 200.
• There is one co-ordinator with each of the members of the committee taking on different lead roles to ensure that everyone contributes and the diversity of the community is reflected in the leadership.
• The Network seeks to make Leeds City Council an LGB T* Inclusive Employer and reflect the diversity of the community
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Leeds LGB T* ‘Hub’
• Leeds City Council has consultation and engagement ‘Hubs’ for each of the ‘protected characteristics’.
• The LGB T* Hub was re-launched 18 months ago. It previously had a very low membership which was not reflective of the wider community.
• Main meetings take place quarterly in the LGB T* quarter in Leeds, in a hotel who provide us with a room for free to show support for the LGB T* agenda.
• Managed by the ‘Hub’ co-ordinator who works for the Communities Team within Leeds City Council, alongside 5 ‘Hub Reps’ who represent the community (one of whom chairs each meeting).
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Hub Continued…
• The Hub Reps each take on a lead for various aspects of the agenda/work programme.
• The Hub Reps meet together before each main meeting, as well as meeting with reps from the other equality Hubs on a quarterly basis.
• The meetings regularly have 70 attendees now, who reflect the diversity of the community.
• Meetings are themed around ‘Making Leeds an LGB T* Friendly City’ and reflecting the diversity of the community.
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Branding and Identity
• The Network and Hub share a common branding approach, tailored to each groups individual needs as appropriate.
• There are logos, banners, flyers, templates for reports and PowerPoints.
• The two groups share a common social media platform including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram as well as a presence on the Councils Intranet and website.
• There are 300 people on the mailing list, over 2000 Twitter followers, over 500 Facebook followers and several hundred on Instagram and YouTube.
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Joint Working
• Early on following the re-launch of the two groups both agreed that as they shared common and complimentary aims that they should work closely together.
• Both share a common aim to reflect and champion the diversity within the LGB T* community. The Hub supports the Council in its aim to be an inclusive employer and the Network supports the Hubs aim to help the Council make Leeds and LGB T* Friendly City.
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Joint Working Continued
• The Hub Coordinator sits on the Committee for the Staff Network and the Coordinator of the Staff Network attends all the Hub Meetings.
• The work programmes are closely aligned to make best use of resources.
• Separate budgets but jointly delivered across various projects.
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Work So Far
• Sub Groups around:
• Housing
• Inclusive Sport
• Developing the LGB T* ‘Village’
• Culture
• Young People
• Older People
• BME and Faith
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Work So Far Continued…
• Trans and Gender Identity
• Bi
• LBT Women
• Mental Health
• Disabled People and Access to Buildings
• Community Safety/Police
• LGB T* Refugees and Asylum Seekers
• Monthly Social Events
• Training Staff
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Successes
• Social Media
• Sport
• Young People
• LGB T* History Month
• IDAHOBIT
• Straight Allies
• BME/Faith
• Stonewall Employers Index
• LGB T* Third Sector Capacity
• Leeds Pride 2016
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Allies and Champions
• Cllr James Lewis, LGB T* Champion – Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council
• Cllr Alison Lowe, Lead Member for HR, Chief Executive Touchstone
• James Rogers, Lead ‘Straight Ally’, Assistant Chief Executive, Leeds City Council
• Lorraine Hallam, Trans and Bi Champion, Chief Officer HR, Leeds City Council
• Cross Party ‘Member Champions’
• Cllr Rafique, Executive Board Member for Equality
• Cllr Coupar, Executive Board Member for Communities
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Future Plans
• Business Alliance
• Professional Business Networking
• Community Drop In (Young People, No Alcohol)
• Domestic Violence Sub Group
• Street Angels
• LGB T* Charter Mark
• Reviewing the LGB T* Friendly City Approach
• Bi Day of Visibility, Trans Day of Remembrance
‘Making Leeds a LGB&T* inclusive employer’
Contact Details
• Twitter: @LeedsCC_LGBT
• Instagram: @leedscc_lgbt
• Facebook: The LGB&T Agenda – Leeds
• YouTube: Leeds LGB T* Community Hub
• Email: [email protected]