PROGRAMME Time
Item
10:00
Opening and Race Champion Dialogue A conversation to reflect the progress toward race equality and upcoming priorities with Race Champions from the UK Civil Service and Scottish Government. •
Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary, Home Office and UK Civil Service Race and Faith Champion
•
Nanjika Nasiiro, Race Equalities Champion, Scottish Government
•
Justin Placide, Head of Home Retrofit Enablers and Co-Chair, Civil Service Race Forum (moderator)
10:30
Network Leaders Roundtable Reflections from co-chairs of the MHCLG, DWP and Food Standards Agency networks on how their networks have supported and empowered race networks, and where they think race equality in the Civil Service should go next. •
Yvonne Brown, Co-Chair, BAMENet, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
•
Solomon Okoruwa, Incidents Handling and Engagement Advisor, Food Standards Agency and Chair, Race and Ethnicity Network
•
Mohammed Shafiq, Cost-Optimisation Manager, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Co-Chair, DWP National Race Network
•
Sharon Lo, Head of Long-Term International Strategy, Department for Business Energy and industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Co-Chair, Civil Service Race Forum (moderator)
11:00
Leadership Session Interactive discussion of two senior role models in the civil service, sharing their career and leadership journeys •
Dianne Caddle, Director, Social Value and Corporate Social Responsibility, Ministry of Justice
•
Gary Badley, Executive Director at HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and MoJ Race Champion
•
Khalida Inusah, Head of the TWGs Team, Department for International Trade (moderator)
11:40
Break
11:45
Fireside Chat: Climbing High in the Civil Service A discussion with a Deputy Director to hear about their career journey, overcoming barriers, and why we need effective leaders to run staff networks •
Jean King, Deputy Director - Health, Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Co-Chair, Race Equality Matters Network
•
Bonny Chung, Housing Delivery, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (moderator)
12:15
Panel Discussion: Improving Diversity in the Civil Service A panel discussion featuring colleagues from different grades and departments, reflecting on how to improve the representation and lived experiences of Black colleagues in the Civil Service. •
Philip Orumwense, Commercial Director and Chief Procurement Officer for Technology, Crown Commercial Service
•
Grace Moronfolu, Inclusion and Community Engagement Manager, East Midlands Crown Prosecution Service and Chair, National Black Crown Prosecution Network
•
Christianah Olagunju, Criminal Cases Unit Caseworker, Legal Aid Agency
•
Sarah Osondu, Contract Manager, Legal Aid Agency (moderator)
13:00
Break
13:05
Fireside Chat: Black, Gay and Proud A discussion exploring the intersectionality between race and sexual orientation, with a focus on Black Pride. •
David Seivwright, Senior Policy Advisor, Food Standards Agency and Co-Lead, Joint CSRF and LGBT+ Network QTIPOC+ (Queer Trans Intersex People of Colour) Inclusion Working Group
• 13:35
Silvester Aina, Delivery Manager, Ofgem and Chair, Ofgem BAME Network (moderator)
BHM Art Competition Exhibition & Winner Announcement Video exhibition featuring all of the entries into the 2021 BHM Art Competition, with a brief interview with the winner behind their inspiration and art process. •
Winner of the BHM Art Competition
•
Siobhan Lecointe, Presenting Officer, UK Visas and Immigration and General Secretary, The Network (moderator)
13.50
Closing Remarks •
Chad Swaby, Chair, Race and Culture Network, Submarine Delivery Agency & Representative from BHM Steering Group
14.00
End of Event
Message from the Organisers Black History Month is an important month where we get to celebrate and achievements and contributions of the black community, which often may go unrecognised or unnoticed. We chose this year’s theme of “Education, Engagement and Empowerment” to encourage colleagues to educate themselves about the black community’s historical contribution to UK society and learn about the challenges facing our black colleagues in the civil service; to engage with these topics by celebrating inspiring people and taking active steps to make the civil service more inclusive for all; and to empower our black community to flourish and reach their potentials for example by volunteering to mentor or supporting someone with their job applications. We hope you leave the day enriched and inspired, and continue to participate in some of the hundreds of Black History Month activities going on across government for the rest of the month. Sign up to the CSRF Newsletter to receive weekly Black History Month bulletins. We would like to particularly thank the Black History Month Launch Steering Group who have worked tirelessly over the past 6 months to bring this event to reality, with particular thanks to Khalida Inusah, Bonny Chung, Sarah Osondu, Annette Webb, Siobhan Lecointe, Usman Ali, Ruby Keddie, Phophi Khandela, Amna AdamMahmoud, Jasmine A, Silvester Aina, Mohammed Shafique, Vivienne Connell-Hall, Chad Swaby, Justin Placide, Nadiya Rahman, Sharon Lo and the countless other colleagues who made this event possible. The Civil Service Race Forum would also like to thank all of the 12 event partners for their support, including: •
BAMENet (DHLUCH)
•
LAA BeUnique (Legal Aid Agency)
•
DCMS BAME Network (DCMS)
•
•
DIT BAME Network (DIT)
•
DSTL Race and Culture Network (DSCTL)
Race and Culture Network (Submarine Delivery Agency Defence Equipment & Support)
•
DWP National Race Network (DWP)
•
Race Equality Network (Scottish Government)
•
Embrace Network (OFGEM)
•
REACH Network (GCHQ
•
FAME – Faith and Minority Ethnic Network (BEIS)
•
The Network (Home Office)
Joining Details This event will be facilitated via MS Teams Live and you can join the via this link.
10:00 – 10:30
Opening Remarks Matthew Rycroft CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Office and Civil Service Race, Faith & Belief Champion Matthew Rycroft CBE is the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office. He was appointed on 17 March 2020. Matthew was previously Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development from 22 January 2018 to 16 March 2020. From April 2015 to January 2018 Matthew was the British Permanent Representative to the United Nations. From March 2011, Matthew was the FCO’s Chief Operating Officer. In that role he oversaw the running of the FCO and its network of 270 posts around the world, including all the Human Resources, Finance, Estates, Security, Information Technology, Protocol, Procurement and Corporate Services. He deputised for the Permanent Under Secretary in his absence. Matthew was born on 16 June 1968 and brought up in Southampton and Cambridge. He has a degree in maths and philosophy from Merton College, Oxford.
Nanjika Nasiiro, Race Equalities Champion, Scottish Government Nanjika is the Scottish Government’s joint Race Equalities Champion and is leading on Race Equality Strategy (on secondment from the Social Security Programme where she is Deputy Programme Manager). She joined the Scottish Government in 2019 from financial services and has a background of implementing change in banking and consultancy. Of Caribbean and African heritage, Nanjika enjoys being outdoors in the Scottish countryside to make the most of whatever sunshine is available. Nanjika is passionate about making positive changes within the civil service and wider.
Justin Placide - Co-Chair, Civil Service Race Forum (CSRF) Justin is the Head of Home Energy Retrofit Enablers at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). He was previously Assistant Director at BEIS where he was responsible for helping to shape Her Majesty’s Government approach to attract, grow and retain investment particularly inward investment to help improve the UK’s economy. He is the Co-Chair of the Civil Service Race Forum (CSRF), a collaborative group of BAME Staff Networks across the Civil Service (CS), Non-departmental Public Bodies (NDPB), Agencies and ArmsLengths Bodies (ALB) working towards advancing and advocating diversity, inclusion and equality. He is also the Co-Chair of the Faith and Minority Ethnic (FAME), the Network, represents staff from different ethnic backgrounds and faiths. It is an inclusive network, welcoming individuals who would like to learn more even if they do not identify themselves as being from an ethnic background or faith group.
10:30 – 11:00
Network Leaders Roundtable Yvonne Brown, Business Support Officer and Co-Chair, BAMEnet, Department for Levelling Up and Communities Yvonne is currently a Business Support Officer and Personal Assistant to the Director of Analysis and Data in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). She joined the Civil Service in 1992, starting her career at the Home Office working for officials in policy areas dealing with policing, drugs, juvenile offending, procurement management, to fast stream recruitment.
Gaining
promotion at the Cabinet Office, in 1999 and working in the Private Office for the First Civil Service Commissioner, in 2002 she returned to the Home Office to work on Community Cohesion and Faith. In 2006 and following a machinery of government change, the Communities Directorate moved to the former Department for Communities and Local Government. It was her engagement with faith communities that enabled her to receive recognition and be highly commended for her work and led to Yvonne delivering a very successful and well received Faith Engagement event, attended by Ministers, senior officials and many faith community representatives. Her career in the former Ministry of Housing and Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) now DLUHC continues until today. In 2005 Yvonne was awarded MBE for her work at the Home Office – Community Cohesion and for volunteering. Yvonne is currently co-chair of DLUHC’s BAME Network and has been in the role since 2016. Yvonne has led the Network through a period of change, improving its capacity and capability to support BAME colleagues and ensuring that there is equality of opportunity across the Department.
Her role is to support the Department to meet and hopefully
exceed its diversity and inclusion objectives. Yvonne’s leadership has led for three years to BAMEnet being honoured in the department People Awards, winning the honour in 2018 and jointly in 2019.
Mohammed Shafiq, Cost Optimisation Manager; DWP Faith & Belief Champion Support, DWP Mohammed joined the Employment Services in 2001 working in frontline positions in Jobcentres. He was promoted to a personal adviser in December 2003 and worked at Prestwich Jobcentre, his career took a turn to become Diversity Officer for the North West where he was responsible to prepare Districts for implementation of the Race Relations Amendment Act. He then worked as an Outreach Adviser in Oldham and Bolton. He then moved to the CSA where he was responsible for DNA testing for customers and other complex cases for child support. He then moved to Debt Management where he was a Team Leader responsible for benefit recovery from customers. Mohammed was promoted to HEO in May 2018 and moved to become a finance business partner based in Manchester. Since May 2020 he works as Cost Optimisation Manager for Finance Group in the Financial Control, Banking and Reporting Director’s Private Office. In July 2021 he was given additional responsibility for Faith & Belief Champion Support. Mohammed led the group that put together the National Race Network, he was appointed to the Board as Strategy Lead and took on the role of Co-Chair in May 2020.
Solomon Okoruwa: Food Incidents Advisor; Food Standards Agency (FSA) Race & Ethnicity Network Chair. Solomon joined the FSA in 2003 with two academic discipline in Business & Finance and a Science degree and have worked in science and policy areas of the business and currently working as a food incidents adviser, contributing to the work of the FSA to ensure foods placed on the market are safe to consume. He set up the Race & Ethnicity Network (REN) in August 2019; to create a platform to support colleagues from minority background and used as a mechanism for change; through a set of measures. He enjoys doing voluntary / charity work, he has served as a Foundation School Governor for nine years. Solomon is married with two daughters (young ladies) and lives in Middlesex.
Sharon Lo, Head of Long-Term International Strategy and Co-Chair, Civil Service Race Forum Sharon is the Head of Long-Term International Climate Strategy at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), where she leads development and implementation of the Government’s long-term strategy to reducing global emissions. She previously led European engagement for energy and climate change, and oversaw governance for a £300 million sustainable energy project. She has advocated for race equality across government and civil society for the past 4.5 years. As co-chair of the cross-government Civil Service Race Forum and BEIS’ Faith and Minority Ethnic Network, she has worked to tackle racism and address institutional bias across government, and provide solutions to barriers facing Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff. In 2016, she also founded Youth Empact under the Clinton Global University Initiative - an ethnic minority youth empowerment platform in Hong Kong. Prior to joining the Civil Service, she was Manager of The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Global Health, and led international engagement for an academic disaster unit where she established a multistakeholder advisory group to the World Health Organization. As Regional Focal Point for the UN Major Group for Children and Youth, she also led the children and youth constituency’s advocacy within sustainable urban development negotiations, culminating in the adoption of the New Urban Agenda by Member States in 2016. She holds two First Class Masters in International Relations (University of St Andrews) and Public Health (The Chinese University of Hong Kong).
11:00 – 11:40
Leadership Session Diane Caddle, Director of Social Values and Corporate and Social Responsibility at the Ministry of Justice Diane is responsible for a social value strategy focused on MoJ’s contribution to wider public policies across economic, environmental, community and employee agendas. Immediately before this she was Executive Director for prison safety and rehabilitation in Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. Diane started her civil service career as a Government social researcher in the Home Office. She then changed direction and moved to private office in the Home Office leading on parliamentary affairs.
She has
worked in the Cabinet Office on civil service reform, in a cross departmental organisation joining up national and local criminal justice delivery as well as in policy roles in the Ministry of Justice. Diane stepped out of Government for four years to be the lead official for the Macur Review concerned with allegations of historical child sexual abuse in North Wales. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion. She regularly speaks at internal and external events to demystify the senior civil service.
Gary Badley, Executive Director of the Prison Supply Directorate, HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) As a career civil servant with over 30 years’ experience of working in Commercials, Project and Programme Management and Operational roles, Gary began his career in HMRC working in Personal Tax for a few years before moving to the Child Support Agency for several years to work in operational and project management roles. In 2007, Gary moved to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to lead on major welfare reform programmes such as Child Maintenance Options and the Enabling Retirement Savings Programme. During his time in DWP, Gary was also the Department’s Head of Estates and Facilities Management and before joining Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in July 2016, as Head of Project Delivery Capability, was Head of the Health Services commercial category, which was high profile, challenging and required a strong collaborative approach with suppliers and stakeholders. In February 2018, Gary joined the Justice Analysis and Offender Policy (JAOP) Group as Strategic Commercial Adviser. In February 2019, Gary joined HMPPS as the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) Generation 4 Programme. In October 2019, Gary became the Director for HMPPS Prison FM and Estates Maintenance. Gary’s role was further expanded in March 2020 to take on directorial responsibility for the entire HMPPS Prison Estate; including new prison capacity creation, custodial capacity, population management, prison reconfiguration and private prisons and the expiry and transfer of the current contracts. In September 2020, Gary was substantively promoted to Executive Director for Prison Supply. Gary is also one of MoJ’s seven Race Champions. Gary’s passion for equality and diversity stems from his own in-built ‘fairness gene’ that everyone should be treated fairly and given the same opportunities as others regardless of their age, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.
11:45 – 12:15
Fireside Chat: Climbing High in the Civil Service Jean King, Deputy Director - Health (joint DHSC/DWP Work and Health Unit) in the Employers, Health and Inclusive Employers Directorate, DHSC Jean King is Deputy Director for Health Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Work and Pensions joint Work and Health Unit. She is also co-chair of the DHSC Race Equality Matters Network. Jean has worked in areas across health including violence and vulnerabilities, social care, acute care and NHSX, alongside working in central government departments including Cabinet Office, Home Office, Department for Education and Government Digital Service. Prior to joining the civil service Jean worked in the charity sector, parliament and for a private sector SME. She is also a trustee for Jigsaw4u, a children’s charity based in South West London.
Bonny Chung, Policy Advisor, DLUHC Bonny Chung works in the Housing Delivery Directorate at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. She has a strong passion for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and has strived to improve outcomes for black, ethnic minority and female staff in her role as Communications and Events Lead for BAMEnet, MHCLG’s race network. Bonny has undertaken a range of diverse roles across the public sector, including University Hospitals Bristol Trust, North Bristol NHS Trust. More recently, she joined the Civil Service starting off at Driver Vehicle Standards Agency before moving on to MHCLG. Bonny is a trustee for Bristol Women’s Voice, a charity which works to empower women in local communities, and teaches swing dance.
12:15 – 13:00
Panel Discussion: Improving Diversity in the Civil Service Grace Moronfolu MBE, Inclusion and Community Engagement Manager, East Midlands Crown Prosecution Service and Chair, National Black Crown Prosecution Network Grace Moronfolu MBE is the current Chair of the CPS National Black Crown Prosecution Association (NBCPA), and was formerly the Deputy Chair of the Civil Service Race Forum (CSRF) from 2020-2021. Grace joined the CPS London in 1988 and has worked in a variety of roles in the CPS including casework, project management, change management, and business assurance. She has also worked as a casework inspector for HMCPSI. She is currently an Inclusion & Community Engagement Manager for CPS East Midlands. In her current role she works with the community to raise awareness of the criminal justice process and increase confidence, in order to improve the way CPS services are experienced in the community. She facilitates an ongoing dialogue between the CPS and the communities it serves. As part of her job she runs three CPS East Midlands public engagement panels and undertakes a wide range of engagement on issues such as hate crime, violence against women and girls, youth engagement, violent crime, social mobility and other themes. She also designs and delivers a wide range of creative tools to facilitate positive community engagement outcomes, such as the CPS East Midlands schools work experience programme, staff and community lunch time discovery sessions, as well as delivering presentations and designing communication tools etc. In 2018 Grace received an MBE for her services to the CPS and community engagement.
Philip Orumwense, Commercial Director and Chief Procurement Officer for Technology at the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Philip is the Commercial Director and Chief Procurement Officer for Technology at the Crown Commercial Services with responsibility for Common Goods and Services across Technology and Digital Categories of spend and manages £9bn of annual technology and digital spend. Across several categories including Cloud and Digital, Networks, Software Cyber and AI, Digital Futures, and Technology Products and Services across central government, public and third sector (charities and social enterprises) organisations across the UK. Prior to joining CCS, he headed up the Information and Technology Commercial and Procurement Group at Highways England as the Commercial and Procurement Director. He was also the Head of the Digital Platforms, Programmes and Applications Category at the Department for Work and Pensions where he was also the Commercial Director for the Universal Credit Programme. Before joining the UK Public Service, Philip worked for Siemens where he had responsibilities for a multi-site and multi business commercial activities spanning the UK, Germany and elsewhere in Europe, South and North America across several industry sectors including: Automotive, Transportation (Rail, Civils, Communications, Electrification and Signalling) and Financial/Business Services. Philip has an MA in Political Behaviour (Essex), an MBA in Business Strategy and Procurement Management (Birmingham) and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from Aston Business School. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies (FCIPS).
Christianah Olagunju, Criminal Cases Unit Case Worker, Legal Aid Agency Christianah is a case worker in the Criminal Cases Unit of the Legal aid Agency (LAA), where she is responsible for assessments and payments of various Very High Cost Criminal Case contracts work, magistrates and Crown courts claims. She joined the Legal Aid Board a few years back and have worked in variety of roles as a caseworker, notification officer and an auditor producing summary reports and records by analysing and collating information which enabled accurate decision making. She is passionate about social justice, equality, diversity and inclusion and joined the Be Unique Race Network in January 2021, became a member of BeUnique Committee and a member of LAA Shadow Board.
Sarah Osondu, Contract Manager, Legal Aid Agency Sarah is an LLB Law graduate who has also completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC). She have extensive legal experience in both the private and public sectors. She currently works as a Contract Manager for the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) – a senior front-line role where she manages relationships with both contracted solicitors and not-for-profit organisations in addition to key external stakeholders. Here she ensures robust contract management of a portfolio of provider contracts in line with business priorities to ensure correct compliance with contractual requirements and educating providers where appropriate. She is the Business Manager for the LAA BeUnique Race Network where she plans, coordinates and delivers strategic planning and business development for the Network.
13:05 ~ 13:35
Fireside Chat: Black, Gay and Proud David Seivwright, Senior Policy Officer, Food Standard Agency and Co-Lead, Joint CSRF and LGBT+ Network QTIPOC+ Inclusion Working Group David Seivwright is a Senior Policy Officer monitoring EU/UK Divergence and emerging UK regulations for The Food Standards Agency. He has worked within the Civil Service for 10+ years, including BEIS and The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). He graduated from the Metropolitan University in 2006 with a Bachelor's Degree in Art and Media Communications. He has written articles and short stories for LGBT+ Media, as well as readying my first Sci fi Novel Mach Sapiens. He is a Co-Lead for the joint CSRF/LGBT+ Network QTIPOC+ Inclusion Working Group, a newly established group for Queer Trans and Intersex People of Colour.
Silvester Aina, Delivery Manager and Chair, Ofgem BAME Network Silvester is a Delivery Manager at Ofgem. Silvester represents the organisation initiatives on race and ethnicity, attending cross-Whitehall and central government departmental meetings in this space. He is the D&I liaison with other regulators such as Ofcom, Ofqual, Ofwat, the energy sector and provides overall leadership to the Embrace network. He manages its strategic direction and is responsible for overall operations of the network. Silvester also supports young deprived Black, Minority & Ethnic people providing advice & coaching skills. Silvester supports and provide football coaching and refereeing to help support people with Tyrex symptoms.Silvester is a neurodiversity coach and an active leader and care support for MIND charity.
13:35 ~ 13:55
BHM Art Exhibition & Winner Announcement: Siobhan Lecointe, Presenting Officer, UK Visas and Immigration and General Secretary, The Network Siobhan is the General Secretary for The Network, the Home Office’s Race Equality Staff, having been a member since 2010 when she was recruited as a member of the National Executive Committee for London and South East. She has also worked on The Networks policy, events and Learning and Development teams, until she took on the role of General Secretary in 2020. She was Acting Chair of The Network for 5 months in 2021. Siobhan started working for the Home Office in 2001 and hasn’t looked back since! She is currently a central London Presenting Officer, and previously was an immigration representative for a solicitor’s firm. She has worked at regional courts across the country-as far as Scotland and been seconded to the Windrush lessons learnt team and most recently as acting chair of the Network for the last 5 months.
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