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Black Leaders Conference 2015

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  • Black Leaders Conference 2015 Holiday Inn Royal Victoria, Victoria Station Road, Sheffield, S4 7YE Wednesday 11-11-2015 - 10:00 until Wednesday 11-11-2015 - 17:30

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Black Leaders Conference 2015

“I am really concerned that there are very few Black senior managers and leaders in the movement. What is more concerning is that nobody seems to be willing to say it and do anything about it.” Race Matters respondent

Please note we have now reached event capacity and extended number of places. However delegates who register late won't receive a delegate bag and resources will be emailed instead.

#NUSBlackLeaders

NUS recognises that there is a lack of ethnic diversity amongst staff and officers in the student movement and this requires attention. Our Race Matters report on the experiences of Black staff has shown that Black staff are not only underrepresented at all levels, especially management and senior management roles, but are also facing a range of barriers. The report found:

  • 18 per cent of Black staff have experienced racism whilst working in a union.
  • 35 per cent of Black staff disagreed or strongly disagreed that they had access to career opportunities
  • Only half of respondents thought their union had taken action to consider the needs of Black staff

The 2011-2012 Diversity Survey further highlighted both Black staff and officers were more negative about how they felt their students’ union handled discrimination and equality and diversity, in comparison to white respondents. This highlights that there are still issues to be dealt with in terms of how inclusive students’ union are for Black staff and officers.

As a part of NUS’ programme of work to increase Black representation and support Black leadership, the first ever Black Leaders Conference will take place on 11 November. The aim of the conference is to provide delegates with the opportunity to:

  • Network with other Black staff and officers;
  • Develop their leadership skills through a range of workshops;
  • Hear about the latest research on Black leadership in higher education; and
  • Hear from inspiring speakers on the importance of Black leadership in the student movement

Who can attend?
The event is for Black* staff and sabbatical officers

*Black is used an inclusive term to represent those from African, Arab, Asian, Caribbean and South American communities.

Delegation Entitlement
Each union is entitled to send a maximum of five delegates made up of

  • Full time officers
  • Part time officers
  • Student representatives (course reps, clubs and societies, union council, etc.)
  • Permanent staff
  • Any Black student who is aspiring to pursue leadership roles in the student movement

If you are interested in placing others on a waiting list for available places, please contact: events@nus.org.uk

Conference agenda:

Keynote speaker Linda Bellos OBE

Linda Bellos has a long track record of championing equality and human rights across the UK. She worked in the public sector for many years. She has held positions as chair of many voluntary sector bodies. Now she runs her own company, which specialises in equality, diversity and human rights training and online learning, consultancy, conflict resolution and much more. Clients include government departments, police services, HM Inspectorates, NHS bodies, local authorities and social landlords.

As a guest contributor on television and radio programmes, she speaks regularly on equality, diversity and human rights topics. In 2009, Linda was elected chair of the Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners. In 2007, she was awarded an OBE for her services to diversity.

In 1986, Linda was elected Leader of Lambeth Council, one of the first Black women to gain such a position. In the mid-1980s, she introduced Black History Month during her tenure as chair of the London Strategic Policy Unit. In 1981, Linda was the first Black woman to join the Spare Rib feminist collective. She was vice-chair of the 1980s campaign to select Black candidates within the Labour Party.

Plenary – How can we make not break black and minority ethnic leaders in higher education?

Delegates will have the opportunity to hear from Dr Gurnam Singh and Dr Josephine Kwhali, authors of the Leadership Foundation’s stimulus paper on Black leadership - How can we make not break black and minority ethnic leaders in higher education?

The stimulus paper focuses on leadership issues in relation to UK higher education and HEIs and draws on a wide range of research and staff experiences in the UK, as well as research and insights from the US, to offer a critical analysis of the issues.

Workshops

Delegates will have the opportunity to attend three of the following four workshops:

  • How to successfully mobilise Black students in elections 
  • Developing your leader identity
  • Conflict resilience
  • Advancing your career in the student movement  

Plenary - Increasing and supporting Black Leadership in the student movement 

The conference will end with a plenary exploring key questions on the theme of increasing and supporting Black Leadership in the student movement. Panellists will have the opportunity to explore topics such as     

  • the structural barriers to Black representation in unions; 
  • strategies to overcome barriers; and 
  • what can delegates do to create change?

 

Click here to view a Workshops Guide

Click here to view Speaker Biographies.

 

Venue/Timing

Venue : Holiday Inn Royal Victoria, Victoria Station Road, Sheffield, S4 7YE

Type: Campaigns

Start Date: Wednesday 11-11-2015 - 10:00

End date: Wednesday 11-11-2015 - 17:30

Contact Details

mandeep@nus.org.uk