Network Buzz Issue 5 by Inclusive Networks

presents

BUZZ ISSUE 5 | JUNE - JULY 2015 www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk FREE

TIPSY TEAS Joanna and Lucinda are adding the buzz factor to events with their ethical tea based cocktails

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

BUZZ The UK’s first magazine for

Network Groups

4| 6-7 |

Welcome to Network Buzz Mela Festival Guide

9-13 | 14 |

Our First Event Awesome Networks

16-17 |

Interview : Lucy Powell MP

18 | 19 |

Awareness raising dates Black History Month

20 | 22-24 |

Molly’s Interview Tips Cover Star Interview : Tipsy Teas

9-13

16-17

27-29 27-29 |

Interview : Employers Stammering Network

22-24 43-45 35-39

30, 32-33 | 31 |

Network Eye Inspiration : Branded Items

35-39 |

Interview : Andy Woodfield

40 | 42 |

Check them out The IN List

43-45 |

Interview : StoneBridge

46 | 47 |

Link Up North Interview : James King

6-7

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST AND KEEP UPDATED ON OUR EVENTS, PUBLICATIONS, NEWS AND COMPETITIONS. REGISTER AT www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

48 |

Competitions

49 |

Coming soon

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 4

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

WEARING OUR NEW BADGE

Welcome to Network Buzz A warm welcome to all of our 'Friends of Inclusive Networks', we're delighted to have you with us. I can’t believe we’re already on issue 5 of Network Buzz. We’ve come a long way in the last seven months and I’m really happy to have met so many network groups and organisations all over the UK since we launched. It’s clear that there is a value in what we’re doing. I hadn’t heard of the work of many of the networks I’ve met, with most of their great work being internally facing. I’m looking forward to helping share their fabulous work with our readers. There is huge value in communicating the internal and external initiatives of your networks and with just over 60% of our readers being under 35 years old, it’s positive for helping attract new talent to your organisations too as people enter the job market or change career paths. As well as promoting your work to our older readers who are looking for new opportunities too. We know organisations who have visible and

active network groups are increasingly more attractive to job hunters and are seen as being more authentic employers and brands. We hosted our very first Inclusive Networks event on 5th May in collaboration with leading children’s charity Action for Children. It was a refreshing event where there was lots of new faces and lots of positive engagement during and after the event. You can read all about the event on pages 9 - 13. Big thanks to Action for Children for hosting the event and to everyone who took the time to attend. Thank you to our awesome panel too. Watch this space for details of our next event. We’ll be releasing more details soon but it will be in Scotland and will be in collaboration with one of the UK’s biggest retailers. It was Mental Health Awareness Week between 11th-17th May and our articles by the wonderful mental health and well-being charity PACE were well received and were shared

WWW | www.facebook.com/inclusivenetworks & /OUTintheUK | @IncNetworks | @OUTintheUK | @NetworkBuzzMag | info@inclusivenetworksuk.co.uk | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk Editor & Chief Executive Thomas Anderson @thomasinmanc thomas@inclusivenetworksuk.co.uk Advertising info@inclusivenetworksuk.co.uk Inclusive Networks & OUT in the UK logos Designers Up North www.designersupnorth.com

Contributors Thank you to everyone that spared the time to contribute to our fifth edition. It wouldn’t have all been possible without this incredible support. Big thanks to my partner Matthew for his continued support.

Meet Rosie, our youngest supporter. Diversity activities teach young children to respect and celebrate our differences hundreds of times across social media. Thank you! Nominations for the Inclusive Networks Awards close at 11.59pm on 17th July with the judging taking place on 22nd and 23rd July in London and Manchester. Don’t miss your opportunity to have your work recognised! As always, please get in touch if you’d like to share your work, or need any support developing or getting your network off the ground. Together we can achieve so much more. I hope you enjoy this issue of Network Buzz.

Thomas Thomas Anderson

Network Buzz Editor & Founder & Chief Executive of Inclusive Networks and George House Trust Ambassador @thomasinmanc

14,500 + followers T H A N K

Y O U

Disclaimer ©2015 OUT in the UK Ltd registered in England and Wales no. 08975724 All rights reserved. Material is strictly copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from OUT in the UK Ltd is forbidden. We’ve taken great care to ensure the accuracy of the information in this magazine but we cannot accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of OUT in the UK Ltd. Images included of people do not indicate their sexuality.

Shining a light on network groups AWARDS 2015

A unique event where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be celebrating and rewarding the network groups, employees, allies and organisations who are making a positive difference in the workplace and beyond.

Nominate at www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk/awards Nominations close on 17th July | Awards reception on 19th November

Presented by

Charity partner

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 6

mela (ˈmiːlə; ˈmɛlə) 1. an Asian cultural or religious fair or festival

Mela Festival Guide Brightening up towns and cities all over the UK At this time of the year there is always lots of attention and coverage of the many great lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) events that take place around the UK. What you may not have come across yet is the many amazing Mela Festivals that brighten up our towns and cities every year. The events are a celebration of Asian culture and offer a great opportunity for our diverse communities to come together and learn more about our traditions and cultures.

The larger melas tend to be in areas with larger ethnic minority populations, but many melas are held in communities with small South Asian diasporas. Community ownership of these melas is important to the south Asian communities who see them as opportunities to share their cultural heritage with the mainstream. Will you be attending or supporting any Mela events?

Melas are for everyone.

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

Edinburgh Mela Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August Leith Links

Manchester Mega Mela Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July Platt Fields Park, Rusholme 12 – 9pm (Both days) Manchester Mega Mela is the largest celebration of South Asian Culture in the North of England. Music, dance, food and traditional arts and crafts bring the sights, sounds and spicy aromas of South Asia to Platt Fields Park each year. The Mela is a two day fun-filled event. Some of the biggest names in the UK and International Asian entertainment scene perform on two stages on both the days. Other attractions include a huge selection of food stalls, free henna painting, rangoli, face painting, dance workshops, fashion show, a fun-fair and Kabbadi. www.manchestermela.co.uk

The Edinburgh Mela seeks to embrace all its diverse communities and cultures. The events aim is to provide a high quality festival of music, dance and the wider arts from around the world, with the express purpose of promoting understanding between people and advancing the cause of community coherence. www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Belfast Mela Sunday 30th August Botanic Gardens 12 – 6pm The Belfast Mela brings together tens of thousands of people to enjoy a show stopping line up featuring music, dance, food, fashion, street theatre, circus and carnival from across the globe. Situated near Queens University Belfast, the Botanic Gardens is an important part of Belfast's Victorian heritage and a popular meeting place for residents, students and tourists. Mela is an artistically led celebration of culture and creativity, inspired by local and international talent and celebrates identity through a unique programme of music, dance, food and visual arts.

Leicester Mela Monday 31st August Leicester City Centre 11 – 6pm The team are inviting the whole of the UK to experience a glittering mix of live music, dance, food, fashion arts and culture at the Leicester Belgrave Mela Festival. Indulge in delicious Indian cuisine from across the Indian subcontinent and shop till you drop in their famous Mela Bazaar. Enjoy a whole host of free South Asian arts and cultural activities throughout the city centre and experience electrifying live entertainment on the main stage. Join them, along with a few celebrity guests, for a free, fun-filled day out for the whole family that’s kindly supported by Leicester City Council. www.leicester-mela.co.uk

A selection of some of the other Mela Festivals taking place around the UK this Summer Southampton Mela Festival : 11th July

Newcastle Mela : 30th and 31st August

Cardiff Multicultural Mela :

September – Date to be announced

www.belfastmela.org.uk

CELEBRATE M u s i c | D a n c e | F o o d | Tr a d i t i o n a l A r t s | C u l t u r e

FAST acial weakness

Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?

rm weakness

Can the person raise both arms?

peech problems Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

ime to call 999

Stroke is a medical emergency.

Item Code: A08FA03

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

OUR FIRST EVENT On 5th May we collaborated with leading children’s charity Action for Children to host a unique networking and best practice sharing event aimed at those involved in coordinating network groups.

The round table event was held at Action for Children’s office in central London and was a sell out, attended by 30 network group representatives. This included representation from EY, John Lewis Partnership, Ogilvy & Mather Group, City Police LGBT network, Employers Stammering network, Fujitsu, Brown Brothers Harriman, Deloitte, Victims Support, PwC, Stonewall and many more.

tape. It was also an opportunity to celebrate their fantastic work. We wanted to break down the barriers between network groups of different diversity strands and we were delighted to have a distinguished panel that included:

The aim of the event was for four diverse network groups to share their journey of creating the branding for their network and the different methods they use to engage with their members all over the UK, and to share the challenges experienced and how these were overcome. We know from our own experience and from speaking to many networks that branding and engagement are two things that are often a challenge for networks with many factors contributing to this including the geographical spread of their members, resources (or lack of), maintaining interest and momentum for older networks and lots of internal red

// Andrew Barratt, Head of Ogilvy Pride UK

// Indy Hothi, Anisha Seth and Lovepreet Samra, Co-leads and Founder of the EY Sikh Network

// Claire Cahill, Chair of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) network at Action for Children, Celebrate // Matt Day, Network Secretary of the LGBT network at the John Lewis Partnership, Pips (Pride in Partnership) Thomas Anderson, Founder and Chief Executive of Inclusive Networks said: “A unique element to the event was that the diverse panel included networks from a variety of different sectors and

diversity strands. We felt this was positive and much needed as it’s important that businesses understand multiple identities amongst staff and that many of their employees will identify with fitting in to more than one minority group and will identify with more than one protected characteristic – and will be members of more than one diversity or professional network. There are many commonalities between different networks and sectors and this really shone through at the event. The benefits of collaborating and sharing knowledge, learnings and resources can only be a positive thing.” The event was opened by Sir Tony Hawkhead, Chief Executive of Action for Children and Senior Champion for the Celebrate network. Guests enjoyed a selection of food and were treated to products by the awesome business The TeaShed and everyone received a goody bag, including branded items from many of our panel and our very own Inclusive Networks badge-packs (see page 31).

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 10

SHARING

SMILING

LOTS OF TIPS AND ADVICE TO CAPTURE

CLAIRE HAS LOTS TO SHARE

Siobhan Corria, Head of Inclusion at Action for Children said:

AN AWESOME PANEL

“Staff networks are really important in the charity sector, because they provide a supportive mechanism for staff who can work in very demanding situations. We want to make sure that Action for Children is an inclusive organisation that improves outcomes for some of the most vulnerable children in the UK. It is great that different sectors and networks can come together to share good practice and raise awareness of the importance of networks and inclusion.”

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

LET’S GET STARTED

On being a part of the panel at the event, Andrew Barratt, Head of Ogilvy Pride said: “It was brilliant to get to speak on a panel with EY, John Lewis and Action for Children and hear about the hard work they have been doing to promote a more inclusive workplace in their respective organisations. Great as well to be speaking with people from a range of different diversity strands to collaborate and learn best practice.”

Indy Hothi, Co-lead of the EY Sikh network added: “The Inclusive Networks and Action for Children event was extremely refreshing for me as a diversity and inclusion (D&I) network leader. It was the first time I got to share ideas and best practice approaches in an intimate environment with a diverse range of network leaders from across the UK.” LOTS TO TAKE AWAY

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 12

View more photos from the event at www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk/ in-out-events/our-first-event/

Sir Tony Hawkhead, Chief Executive of Action for Children and Senior Champion for the Celebrate network said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a strong believer in the value of equality and diversity, it was a pleasure to welcome our guests to Celebrate LGBT and Inclusive Networks best practice sharing event. It was really interesting to hear about how the staff networks were established and how far along their respective journeys they were. I want Action for Children to continue to develop a truly inclusive environment for all staff, volunteers and those who access our services. Supported, motivated and creative staff really can improve outcomes for children and young people and staff networks support working inclusively and bring many benefits to Action for Children.â&#x20AC;? You can follow Tony on Twitter @SirTone

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

Some of what our panel had to say 1 - When new members join, add the personal touch and make them feel special. Send them a welcome email and if resources are available, a welcome lunch for new members is always well received. 2 - It’s ok to work with your competitors on network group initiatives and sharing knowledge and experiences is very valuable to all. 3 - The single most important thing you should aim to do when setting up a network is to get a Senior Sponsor for the network. They’ll help get the business on board and help achieve support and buy in at all levels.

1 - Give your members, and potential members, confidence that their details are kept confidential. Have an open and closed mailing list. 2 - Communication is key and communicate regularly with those members who’ve asked you to keep in touch with them. A bi-monthly newsletter is a great way to share the network successes and get members involved in events and charity/community initiatives. 3 - When you’re arranging events try to arrange a variety of different types of events so you cater for (and attract) your diverse membership.

1 - The network is the only LGBT network in the marketing sector in London so is paving the way for others to follow. 2 - Your HR and Marketing teams should be aligned and fully understand the networks aims and objectives. This will help you achieve more faster. 3 - There is huge value in investing in the brand of your network group, everything from your Twitter logo to your internal communications. 4 - Social media is powerful. Twitter is a very effective engagement tool and a great way to connect and share your work. Create an account!

1 - The network was started by partners (employees), for partners. Rome wasn’t built in a day. The network is developing all of the time and it’s a continuing journey. Always evolve as a network. 2 - Don’t shy away from criticism and not everyone will like everything you do. The network received some negative comments about the network Chair, Abby Chicken, appearing on the front cover of their staff magazine (see photo). Endorsement and support from the top helps respond. 3 - Survey your members. What do they want from the network?

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 14

Matt Day, Network Secretary of the Pips (Pride in the Partnership) network at the John Lewis Partnership.

Indy Hothi, Anisha Seth and Lovepreet Samra, Co-leads and Founder of the EY Sikh Network @EYSikhNetwork

THEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE AWESOME In February we announced our first list of Awesome Networks where we recognised the inspiring and hard work of forty network groups from all over the UK. It was the first list of its kind in the UK. Our awesome panel at our first Inclusive Networks event were all recognised as Awesome Networks and we took the opportunity to present them with their special shiny Awesome Networks certificates and celebrate their achievements with our guests at the event. We invite you to nominate network groups that are close to your heart to be recognised as an Awesome Network. Find out more and nominate at www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk/awards/awesome-networks/

Andrew Barratt, Head of the Ogilvy Pride network at the Ogilvy & Mather Group @OgilvyPrideWW

Claire Cahill, Chair of the Celebrate network at Action for Children @CelebrateLGBT

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 16

LUCY POWELL

INT ERV IEW

Lucy is the Labour and Co-operative MP for Manchester Central and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office. Lucy was elected in a by-election in 2012 and was the first female Labour MP to represent a Manchester constituency. INTERVIEW BY THOMAS ANDERSON

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

Connect with Lucy // www.lucypowell.org.uk // @LucyMPowell

When you were at school, what did you want to do for a career ‘when you got older’? I wanted to be a Doctor or a lawyer.

What was the career advice like at school for you? Do you think the current support in schools is good enough? Does it encourage people to follow more obscure career paths like being a singer, artist, author, magician.... Careers advice was quite limited when I was at school. I was very good at maths and science but as a girl I was not as encouraged as I should have been. Current provision for careers advice falls short of what we should be providing and is failing our young people. Careers advice has been dramatically cut by the Tory led government and reports show that schools are now offering inadequate advice. The reforms that the Government have made to the curriculum have damaged the choices available for young people. Primary school children participating in music fell from over half to a third in the three years to 2013 and the number of arts and culture teachers in schools has fallen. This is a direct consequence of the government’s changes to the curriculum. Children from all backgrounds should get to experience the arts people from my constituency in Manchester Central should have as much right to experience the arts as people from other areas.

Were you encouraged to follow your dreams at school and at home? I was lucky in that I was encouraged by my parents and by teachers at my high school and college and I have always been encouraged to have high aspirations for myself. I have kept in touch with my school and my college and it is a great feeling to revisit them as an MP. My college Xavarien College in Manchester is attended by lots of my constituents and I have returned to visit them many times to talk to students. I hope that I’ll be able to give something back by inspiring a younger generation of people to have aspirations for themselves.

“Politics can still feel too much like a male dominated world but this is changing.” How important is it to have visible diverse role models from all walks of life and backgrounds? Too many of our institutions are dominated by people with very narrow backgrounds and experiences and this is bad for our democracy and our society. Diverse role models can empower younger people by showing them that they can achieve and succeed whatever their background. The Labour Party have used all women shortlists to make sure that we have more women representing us. This certainly has its detractors and is an imperfect tool but has sped up the representation of women in politics enormously. Politics can still feel too much like a male dominated world but this is changing and Labour are leading the way on that. As well as encouraging women we need to be engaging with a wide range of people to make sure that politics looks more like

society. We need more elected representatives from BAME communities as well as more LGBT people.

Did you have any role models growing up and what impact have they had on your life? My main role models growing up were my mum and dad but as I grew up I was inspired by the legacies of female Labour MP’s who have made a difference like Mo Mowlam. Mo is somebody who really inspired me early in my political career by being a principled and determined woman who was able to have a massive impact on UK politics and left a legacy in her work on the Northern Ireland peace process.

As a busy working mother, do you have a successful work / life balance? Recently my life was incredibly busy with the General Election

and I’m not sure that I’m the best person for that advice at the moment! It can be incredibly hard to fit in all of my work commitments alongside all of the usual things that working families do - school runs, parents evenings, sports clubs etc. Luckily I have a very supportive husband and we share responsibilities between us. I also have the support of my family including my mum and dad who both help out a lot. I know how hard it can be to get that work life balance and that is why I am passionate about extending working parents access to free childcare and improving our attitude to flexible working.

“Diverse role models can empower younger people by showing them that they can achieve and succeed whatever their background.” Do you believe there is enough support for single parents who want to get back in to work after taking a career break, and don't have a support network around them and are struggling with childcare costs? It can be incredibly difficult to go back to work after taking time out for your child. It is often a very emotional time for both parent and baby who suddenly find themselves apart. Many people are not fortunate enough to be able to call on family or friends to provide informal childcare and the costs can be extraordinary. I have been a passionate campaigner for more free childcare for working parents and Labour pledged to increase provision to 25 hours per week for parents of 3 and 4 year olds. I also think we need a serious culture change in the way we see flexible working.

What's a typical day like for you? There isn’t really such thing at the moment! My time is mainly taken up with Parliament and then constituency meetings and visits and all of the usual family commitments and time with my children.

Coming soon : Part 2 of our interview with Lucy

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 18

Check out the useful Diversity Calendar on our website at www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk/ diversity-calendar/

RBS

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve brought together a selection of upcoming diversity and celebration dates that may be of interest to you, your employees and your network group members. A great way to engage with your members and beyond! 17th July

International Justice Day Helping protect our human rights

International Justice Day is celebrated throughout the world on 17th July and marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute on 17th July 1998, the founding treaty of the ICC, which seeks to protect people from genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.Â Each year, people around the world use International Justice Day to host events to promote international criminal justice, especially support for the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Getting involved Supporting diversity and inclusion

governments, organisations, and community groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that promote solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation. In 2011, the UN proclaimed the International Day of Friendship with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, and cultures can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The UN wanted for the day to involve young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.

The day is an opportunity to create opportunities to bring friends, old and new, together.

Find out more by typing International Justice Day in to your search engine.

International Day of Friendship

Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave and impossible to forget The International Day of Friendship is a United Nations (UN) day that promotes the role that friendship plays in promoting peace in many cultures. The UN encourages

Any frien ds year mar hip that exceed st k an entire is more than like he 7 ly to last lifetime.

Did you know ?

Fact from love-facts.com

30th July

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

BLACK HISTORY MONTH We need you October is Black History Month. The month recognises and celebrates the inspirational individuals and events that have shaped the black generation. During Black History Month many organisations and network groups remember and celebrate the inspiring and influential people who have shaped the past and contributed to making todays society more inclusive. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to contribute to our editorial and features that we have planned to celebrate the month, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us by emailing info@inclusivenetworksuk.co.uk

Will you be celebrating Black Histor y Month in October?

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 20

it’s Molly E CARES ABOUT

WRITING ABOUT THINGS SH

Molly shares some advice and thoughts on the interviewing process If you are reading this you are probably prepa ring for an important meeting. Or you are just curious ab out HR and the recruitment proce ss… some advice and thoug either way I am here to share hts on the interviewing process. Recently I have had a few interviews for my placement year and have learnt a thing or two that I belie ve may be helpful to someone ou t there. I must point ou t that I am one of those individuals that feels the nerves an quite stressed about sit d can get uations that involve go ing somewhere I have neve r been before and havin my experience and ski g to sell lls to strangers. There fore, I think these tips will really he lp the worry bots out the that you may already be aware of some of tric re! I know ks… but do you always put them int o practice? SO! Here are my 10 tips for interviews.

Before you get ther

1 Research the organisa tion and the role you are applying for: find out elements/projects the y’ve done that interest you. Also identify any flaws or are as for criticism. Negative qu estion types are beco mi ng increasingly popular, for example: “How would improve our Social Me you dia presence?” or “W hat didn’t you like about our we bsite?” 2 Find out where the interview is, how long it takes to get there and how mu ch it will cost you- bring extra money and allow for an y delays, better safe tha 3 Read through your CV n so and application: get fam rry! with all the experience iliar and skills you have ga ined, this can help with your confi dence. Go over your rea sons for wanting to work with the m, they’ll like consisten more importantly, your cy and ability to elaborate on points you made. 4 Pack your bag and pla n this reduces some stres your outfit the night before… s and will make you fee l much more organised and pre pared.

Molly Aldrich-Winc er mollyaldrichwincer .wordpress.com

5 Have something to eat before you leave: it doesn’t have to be a big fry up , but make sure you giv e yourself enough fuel to feel rea dy to take on the day.

When you get there: 6 When you meet your interviewers, be sure to have good posture and shak e their hands confidentl y. That’s a good habit to get into for 7 They will probably off professional environments! er you a drink, if this ha ppens say YES. Even if you’re no t thirsty. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, tap wa ter is fine. It shows yo ur potential employer that you are not afraid to speak up and also comes in handy for bu ying time for tricky qu estions! 8 Take your time. I oft en need to remind my self interviews that it isn’t meant to be an impossi during ble test. Interviews are as much for you as they are for the employer. Give yourself enough time to answer questions properly. the 9 Have your own ques tion. Usually as the int erview comes to a close, they will It’s good practice to ask ask if you have any questions. one or two questions yourself, as it shows you have genu ine interest in working there and is a good opportunity for 10 Be yourself. You wa you to find out more! nt to make sure that if you secure the position, you will en joy it and fit in with the This also covers being team. honest. Don’t lie abou t being brilliant at something if you’re not… it will ma ke things much harder later! To conclude, interview s are scary (for me anyw ay!). But they are also exciting and can be open many doors for you. Try to relax and en joy the process. If you’r e well suited and they like yo u, you will secure the role. If you don’t, it isn’t the end of the world and it can be as experience for future put down interviews.

To get in touch with Molly, follow her on twitter @maldrichw email her at mollyaw incer or @hotmail.co.uk

Inclusion Champions

Celebrate Diversity Day! Wednesday 1st July 2015 #Unique #Different #Awesome #CelebrateDiversity2015 Join us in our celebrations on Twitter @AfC_Inclusion @CelebrateLGBT

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 22

Cover Star Interview

TIPSY TEAS Tipsy Teas was founded by co-conspirators Joanna Lambie and Lucinda Watson, over (of course) a cup of tea or two. They realised that two of the things that Brits most enjoy are a) cups of tea and b) alcoholic beverages. So the only logical next step was to combine the two together.Â With a few secret brewing tricks, and many an enjoyable taste testing session, the final products were created and Tipsy Teas was born. INTERVIEW BY THOMAS ANDERSON

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

IN Business We’d love to know more about how Tipsy Teas got started. How did you two meet? We met while doing our MScs in Sustainable Agriculture. It was a very small course, and in the first week there was a field trip to go and stay on a boat in Cornwall for three days and we shared a bunk bed, from then on we basically spent every day together! We always wanted to do something together from the start, initially we were going down the route of fresh ready meals made from local British ingredients, but we quickly realised neither of us were queens in the kitchen, so we swiftly moved onto what we were good at – hosting parties and making drinks. What services do you provide and how do you add the X factor to events? We don’t only do events. We are aiming towards selling our tea cocktails initially over our website and eventually through retailers. When we had our first few events people kept asking us where they could buy some, so it seemed the logical way to go. We still love doing events though, it is where we can really have fun with our products and see people enjoy them. For any event we do, we like to bring a bit of ‘tipsy-ness’ to it. We can provide anywhere from 1 to 6 different cocktails, all tea based, which we bring ready brewed and ready to serve. We can also bring an array of weird and wonderful accoutrements if the client would like their venue to resemble a tipsy tea party, and of course we will host and serve drinks so that you can relax and enjoy your party.

Joanna and Lucinda developing their delicious Tipsy Teas cocktails. Perfect for adding the buzz factor to your event! friends have been super supportive which has been priceless.

“Do it. Make sure it is passion driven not profit driven and find a partner in crime.”

Were you nervous about setting up your own business and did you have any support doing this?

Have things been all plain sailing for you?

We almost didn’t have time to be nervous, it all happened so fast. It is still slightly hard to believe that we are actually running our own small business, and yes the thought can be terrifying at times! We have been incredibly lucky however to get some advice from some very knowledgeable and experienced business men and women and all of our

Not really. There are always bumps and tricky situations – for example recently we had a last minute order for a very important event involving the cast and crew from Game of Thrones, and our tea supplier had run out of product due to unforeseen circumstances and our wholesale alcohol supplier had run out of the spirit we needed. Cue panicked runs around London looking for a very

Facts about tea

[1] The country where most tea is drunk per person is Turkey.

[2] 1998 was the first year when Brits spent more on coffee than on tea.

specific tea blend, trips to multiple supermarkets buying them out of liquor and several all-night brewing sessions, but we managed to pull it off in the end. We have decided that the only thing you can do when things start to go wrong is to a) have a tea cocktail (or three) to steady the nerves and b) be totally transparent about the situation with your client and give it your best shot. All you can do is be honest and try your hardest, and people tend to respect that. Has there been a key turning point for your business? We recently held an event called Down the Rabbit Hole at the Little Yellow Door in Notting Hill in partnership with a catering start-up called Dinner Ladies (utterly delicious food). We organised the event from start to finish, and it ended up being what we would call a massive success – the teas got drunk, people got tipsy, the atmosphere was wonderful and fun and people wanted to come back and do it again. For us this was when we realised that we really can do this – and people like it!

[3] Official figures reported an estimated 37 people were

injured by tea cosies in 1999 in the UK. Yes, really!

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 24

Tipsy Teas our promotional materials such as business cards, napkins, decorations etc are made by an amazing company called the Deep Ecology Design Club who source natural wild fibre in Nepal and turn it into beautifully designed products. We also host our website on a ‘green’ server, which uses alternative energy sources to power itself. Being ethical doesn’t mean being hippie dippy and using hemp for everything. Our business looks the same as any other, we have just chosen to spend a little extra so that we can run a company with integrity and follows our personal principles and ideals.

Are all your drinks tipsy based or can you cater for the t-total people amongst us? Of course! Any of our cocktails can be made ‘tea-total’. The client/customer can go through the menu and decide which ones they want, then they can specify what they would like alcoholic and what they would like non-alcoholic. Some of our teas are rooibos based as well, which means there are also caffeine free options for those of us that get caffeine jitters! People must say you have the best job ever to you all the time – alcohol and tea. Would you agree? 100%. The best part about this business and working together is that it is amazing fun. The whole reason we came up with the idea was because tea and alcohol are our two favourite things, why not mix them into something super tasty. Starting a business of any kind can be very stressful, because all the pressure is on you. It can be incredibly tough – although there are worse things in life than staying up all night with your best friend getting slightly high on your own supply!

“We almost didn’t have time to be nervous, it all happened so fast.”

Where does the inspiration for your tipsy tea cocktails come from, and do you have a personal favourite?

Your products are ethically sourced. Why is this important to you and how far does this go?

We have regular tasting and brewing sessions where we experiment with different teas and blends and alcohols, and we get inspired by loads of different things. Everyone we speak to has ideas and we love hearing them and testing them out. Somehow we always agree on what is good and what isn’t, even though we actually have different likes/dislikes with food – Lucinda hates tomato juice, Jo loves it, and Jo hates mushrooms which Lucinda adores. But whenever we are testing our tea recipes, it is always the same ones that we are like ‘oh my goodness that is amazing we have to do that one’. My personal favorite (Lucinda) is the Hippie Crack – I just love it and the tequila gives it such a good kick. My favorite (Jo) is Wanderlust. What could better than what is essentially a green tea mojito! We also both just love a cheeky swig of Crooked Cream at just about any time of day – particularly in a good coffee.

Keep connected a n d f i n d o u t m o re

The ethical nature of our business is incredibly important to us. Some people say ‘selling alcohol cant be ethical, can it?’, but we think that every business, whatever they sell be it organic recycled health supplements or alcoholic cocktails can be a socially responsible and ethical enterprise. The global economy and the increase of globalisation is not sustainable for our planet, as we continue to overuse natural resources, produce far too many emissions and produce much too much waste which then has nowhere to go. In our view, if every start up business spent a little extra money in order to make themselves socially and environmentally sustainable, they will find themselves becoming more economically sustainable by default. We accomplish this by always making the ethical choice wherever possible – all of our glasses are made out of recycled wine bottles, our spirits are distilled in the UK to reduce food miles, our teas are all ethically sourced and all of

Are there still things you want to achieve with the business? So many. We cannot even begin to explain! Do you look up to anyone in the world of business? Yes. We source our maté from a company called Guayaki, who are based in South America and the west coast of the US. Their mission is to “steward and restore 200,000 acres of South American Atlantic rainforest and create over 1,000 living wage jobs by 2020”. Essentially they are an economically sustainable business who put their passion for the natural world and their people first. This is the business model that we are aiming to emulate. What advice would you give to someone thinking of setting up their own business? Do it. Make sure it is passion driven not profit driven and find a partner in crime. What do you enjoy doing when you have a day off? Jo lives on a narrow boat. There is nothing better than floating through the London canals on a sunny day sipping a cocktail and conjuring up our next tasty tipple. Do you have any guilty pleasures? Crooked Cream, any hour of the day any day of the week.

www.tipsyteas.co.uk @TipsyTipples www.facebook.com/tipsyteas

| Network Buzz Issue 4 | April - May 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

INFORMATION

WELLBEING

MEETING OTHERS

WELL

HAVING A BABY

COUNSELLING

LIVING

WHO TO TELL

HEALTH

SUPPORT SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS

LIVING WELL WITH HIV MYTHS AND FACTS

STARTING

VIRAL LOAD

TREATMENT WORKSHOPS

YOUR RIGHTS ADVICE CD4

HIV SERVICES BUILT FOR YOU T: 0161 274 4499 E: info@ght.org.uk GeorgeHouseTrust

@GeorgeHouseTrst

George House Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1143138) and a Registered Company Limited by guarantee in England and Wales (No. 07575379) Registered Office: 75-77 Ardwick Green North Manchester M12 6FX

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 26

IN groups : In Issue4 of Network Buzz we highlighted the inspiring and fantastic work of lots of network groups all over the UK. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thrilled that lots of networks continue to respond to our open invitation for news and snippets for future issues. There was lots going on for networks all over the UK in April and May. With many key diversity and awareness raising days falling, including Mental Health Awareness Week and International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) that saw many organisations and networks getting involved, sharing the days with their

employees and members, as well as hosting their own events. Big thanks to everyone that submitted news and updates for this issue. Keep checking our website and follow us on Twitter for lots more network group related content. Well done to all of the active network groups who continue to support inclusion in the workplace and beyond. Great work! Keep them coming! Email us your network news and updates to info@inclusivenetworksuk.co.uk

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

EMPLOYERS STAMMERING NETWORK Norbert Lieckfeldt is the Chief Executive of The British Stammering Association. Here he introduces us to the Employers Stammering Network, the only network of its kind in the world.

INTERVIEW BY THOMAS ANDERSON

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 28

Connect with the network on Twitter // @Stammering4Work

We’d love to know more about the history of the network and how it got started

“There are many barriers for people who stammer when it comes to recruitment – the interview is obviously a significant hurdle.”

The Network was the brainchild of Iain Wilkie, a Senior Partner at EY. Iain’s experience as a person who stammers at EY led him to set up a Stammering Network. This proved more difficult than anticipated. Because of the stigma and negative connotations attached to stammering people who stammer will often try to hide the fact they have a stammer, using tricks and voidance techniques. It’s often very hard for people who stammer to ‘out’ themselves. Iain’s strategic response was to seek to create a Network for people who stammer that went beyond one single employer. He contacted the British Stammering Association, the UK’s national charity for stammering and the rest, as they say, is history.

How did you get involved with the network?

Connect with Norbert on Twitter // @nlieck

As the CEO of the British Stammering Association, the Network is in some sense part of my day job. Supporting people who stammer is what BSA does. But of course as a person who stammers I am passionate about making sure that our talents are used, that every person who stammers is seen as a fully rounded individual and not just as a ‘stammer on legs’ as so often happens – and that stammering is not a bar to professional success and no longer a cause of frequent and blatant discrimination as it all too often still is.

What’s the purpose of the network? The purpose of the Network is to support employees who stammer, and employers, line managers, or colleagues to ensure that stammering is no longer in any sense relevant when it comes to recruitment, employment, or promotion; that the focus becomes what people say, not how they say it, and that every person who stammers has the opportunity to fulfil their potential and make the best contribution to their workplace.

Why is the network needed? We hear you're the only network of this type in the world? Recent (2014) research has demonstrated that there is still widespread prejudice and misconception about people who stammer, leading to daily and blatant discrimination by employers and line managers. Equally, there is evidence of people who stammer suffering from internalised oppression and they often fear to disclose their stammer at work for fear of repercussions. Yes, we’re the only network for employees who stammer – it’s quite exciting and also a wee bit scary. We are making a new path by walking it. We’re keen to learn from those who have started earlier on the journey like LBGT or Dyslexia organisations because as far as communication disabilities are concerned, we’re covering completely new ground.

Who can access the support of the network, and how? What do you do to engage with your members? All ESN members can access our services whether or not they stammer – we offer a

dedicated website with advice and information, we offer oneto-one interaction for people who stammer looking for a way forward but also for line managers seeking advice on any issue around stammering. We also hold network meetings, are developing opportunities for employees who stammer to meet at social gatherings across employers, develop a set of skills development courses and produce a regular newsletter.

How is the network coordinated and resourced? Do you collaborate/work with any other networks or organisations? The Network is hosted by the British Stammering Association and as their CEO I have set aside a number of days each week to support it – I am glad to say our members are willing to pay a membership fee. In addition, we receive a significant amount of pro bono support from Co-Chair Iain Wilkie and we draw on the skills of our Ambassador, Leys Geddes who is invaluable in identifying new members. The support of BSA’s patron, Ed Balls remains absolutely crucial. We work very closely with other networks such as Business Disability Forum, but also specialist providers like the City Lit Speech Therapy Department and the Stammering through University Campaign.

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

Find out more about the network // www.stammering.org/esn

“Verbal communication is such a profound way of interacting with others that it is unsurprising that differences in communication, or unexpected ways of communicating, will influence the way we see others and the way we make decisions.” Do you think organisations could do more to make their support of people who stammer more visible, and ultimately attract more applications when recruiting?

lecturers, priests, air traffic controllers, Regimental Sergeant Majors and even Kings who manage[d] well with their stammer. Role models, every last one of them.

Yes – undoubtedly! There are many barriers for people who stammer when it comes to recruitment – the interview is obviously a significant hurdle. But person specs demanding ‘excellent communication skills’ without outlining what that actually means can be as offputting as the dread phrase “initial telephone interview”. Stammering is a hidden disability and people who wouldn’t dream of holding interviews in a non-accessible venue often do not stop to consider what the barriers might be for us.

What has been your proudest network moment?

How important do you think visible role models are - people who stammer but progress and do well in life and in their career? One of the most important moments in my journey was when I realised, as a young man, that it is quite possible to stammer and have a life like anyone else, have a job, have a family. Role models don’t have to be famous people, but anyone who has a career in a role that at first glance may not be suitable for someone who stammers. At a recent event in Birmingham, a mother of a ten year old girl who stammers asked me to confirm to her little one that, despite what her teacher may have told her, yes, she CAN become a teacher if she wants to – in fact she can become whatever she wants to be, because we know builders, lorry drivers, call centre staff, teachers,

There’s been a few! There’s no prouder moment than when someone tells me “I didn’t think I could go for this promotion – no-one here knew I stammered and I thought I would not be able to cope, but I’m going for it now because I have come out, I get the support, I know it’s ok to be me, it’s ok to stammer, and I can do it”. Holding our second Network event in the House of Commons hosted by Ed Balls and the Rt Hon John Bercow MP addressing a crowded room buzzing with conversations and networking was amazing. And of course external recognition through the Disability Smart Award for our Co-Chair Iain Wilkie and the Awesome Network award also come quite high on the list.

Do you think there is still work to do around unconscious bias training in the workplace and training for those people who recruit? Verbal communication is such a profound way of interacting with others that it is unsurprising that differences in communication, or unexpected ways of communicating, will influence the way we see others and the way we make decisions. In addition, research shows that hearing stammered speech causes a physical stress response in the listener –

Norbert Lieckfeldt at our first Inclusive Networks event in May.

irrespective of whether the listener is a fluent speaker or a person who stammers. So being aware of our reactions, and of our misconceptions, helps make better decisions when it comes to recruitment – especially when we recognise that people who stammer are more likely to have qualities such as resilience or listening skills which could be very valuable in many roles.

Congratulations on being one of our inaugural Awesome Networks. How did you feel when you found out and what does it mean to you? It was such a surprise and we still feel very proud! We’re a young network and to be listed amongst Networks which have clout, experience and significant impact has been a great honour and a great boost.

What’s next for the network? After our first full year of operation, we’re looking at developing our new business plan and reviewing our operations. We are making a new path by walking and, looking back on where we have come from, we can identify areas where we will change the way we work. We’re planning to meet with our members this month for a ‘Review and Overhaul Meeting’ but we have already made further changes like setting up a closed Facebook group, held three pilot development skills courses, planning a social meeting in June and looking at recruiting a dedicated Network Membership Manager – exciting days ahead!

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 30

Network Eye : LGBT Pride Season Special

Proud

IN brief Bank of New York Mellon Employees of the Bank of New York Mellon in Manchester have been volunteering for HIV charity George House Trust through their staff volunteer programme on a regular basis since February.

Congratulations to Martyn Loukes (pictured below), Chair of Transport for London's LGBT network OUTbound who was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June for his services to diversity in the workplace.

The team of volunteers have recently completed a project digitising the archives from the UK AIDS Quilt collection which the charity currently looks after. This work means that important photographs, letters and memories of those we have lost are preserved for generations to come. The charity would never have been able to do this without their support! Find out more about George House Trust at www.ght.org.uk

HSBC Balance Network

The HSBC Balance network were announced as the winner of the Outstanding Diversity Network at the 2015 Excellence In Diversity Awards in May. Well done from us!

together The Co-operative Bank Proud Together The Co-operative Bank launched its employee LBGT network Proud Together on 14th May 2015 to tie in with International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) that took place on 17th May. As the Bank is no longer part of The Co-operative Group, the bank has founded its own LGBT network, which is separate to the Groups Respect network. The network is led by a group of colleague volunteers from across the business.

Following a surge in positive engagement with transgender employees, the lesbian, gay and bisexual network at Fujitsu, Shine, is now fully inclusive and is now a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) network. We’re thrilled to hear about the recent positive trans engagement that allows them to continue to develop the network and support more employees. Staying with the Shine network, the network will be joined in their parade entries at London and Manchester Pride events by employees, friends and family of their Charity of the Year, Action for Children and members of the charities Celebrate network. A great example of networks collaborating and supporting each other. Great work!

The networks vision is ‘To create an environment of equality, support and fairness for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender colleagues (LGBT) at The Co-operative Bank and to promote this both within and outside the organisation’. The network groups aims to represent LGBT colleagues across the Bank and to offer support and information on all things LGBT, to anyone who’s interested As part of the networks launch they held meet and greet sessions across a number of sites, along with flying a rainbow flag outside the famous CIS tower on Miller Street, Manchester - photo above. You can follow the network on Twitter @P2GCoop and like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/proudtogethercoop The Inclusive Networks team wishes the network the best of luck for their future plans.

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

Everyone a freebie

loves

O U R R O U N D U P O F G I V E A W AY S TO ENGAGE WITH EMPLOYEES, CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS There’s no better way to engage with employees, potential new network members and to leave a long lasting memory of your own network event or an event you’re a part of than a branded freebie. Some are definitely more interesting and useful than others. There’s no denying that we all love receiving something for free, it doesn’t happen very often does it! We’ve brought together a selection of network group branded merchandise and giveaways to offer some inspiration. Things that stood out. You don’t need to spend a fortune either. We’ve found we’ve paid a lot more using

previous ‘preferred suppliers’ where we’ve worked in the past and have found cheaper alternatives online. We’d recommend awesomemerchandise.com Quirky and fun giveaways leave a lasting impression. People will remember your network every time they see your magnet on their fridge, the dog playing with the branded stress ball or when they’re taking a sip of tea from your branded mug. Stickers are a really cheap way to get your branding out there and visible and if photos are being taken, they’ll stand out in the pics. Investing in some branded items is something we’d highly recommend.

WHAT ARE NETWORKS DOING?

[1]

Singer Cleo Higgins (of Cleopatra) supporting The Co-operative’s ‘Here for you this Pride’ campaign in 2013. The campaign was coordinated and devised by our very own Founder Thomas Anderson.

[2] [4]

[3] [6]

TOP TIP

For social events like festivals and Pride events we’d avoid giving out leaflets - you’ll see lots of them on the ground. We’d recommend alternative printed items like branded flags, like the above by The Co-operative Food for Pride events in 2013. The crowds will be waving them and they’ll end up in lots of photos too. You can print info, vouchers and coupons on the reverse - adding extra value.

[5] EMAIL US PHOTOS OF YOUR BRANDED ITEMS TO INFO@INCLUSIVENETWORKSUK.CO.UK

[1] The ASDA LGBT network wearing their vibrant network t-shirts at events all over the UK. The banner lets everyone know they’re there too. [2] The Inclusive Networks tote bag. Visible promotion whenever someone uses the bag. [3] We love the GLEE@PwC mug. Adding their Twitter account means they’re very easy to find. [4] Action for Children’s Celebrate Network use promo postcards to great effect. [5] The Shine network at Fujitsu use useful branded lanyards, pens and post-it notes to promote the network. [6] Employees and customers wear OUT at Tesco’s silicone bands with pride. A great item to raise funds for charity too.

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 32

Network Eye : LGBT Pride Season Special The network is supporting Pride in London and their new ‘Taking Pride In Our Community’ t-shirts, produced by F&F Clothing, are now on sale in 15 London Tesco stores and will be available online soon. Priced at only £6, Tesco will donate £1 from the sale of each Pride T-shirt sold in Tesco stores and online between 15th June 2015 and 1st September 2015 to London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard.

Ogilvy & Mather Group Ogilvy Pride A new practice has developed from their existing employee LGBT network and Inclusive Networks Awesome Network, Ogilvy Pride. Ogilvy Pride delivers deep market insight into the LGBT community, a consumer group valued in excess of $3 trillion dollars globally. Working alongside Ogilvy’s existing practices and specialisms, Ogilvy Pride will enable new and current clients to harness the consumer spending power of LGBT individuals in brand marketing and communication programmes. The inclusion of minority groups, such as the LGBT community, in mainstream marketing content allows their clients to reach consumer groups that have previously gone unrecognised and position their brand as progressive. Ogilvy Pride is the first global Agency partner of Stonewall and has already integrated the offering into a number of client accounts across parts of Europe and to win business such as Turner Broadcasting’s truTV in the UK. Ogilvy Pride’s strategic capabilities, audience expertise and creative approach offered the perfect partnership for truTV to ensure the UK launch of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ had the maximum impact on all its target audiences. Andrew Barratt (pictured above), Head of Ogilvy Pride, said: “Shifts in social attitudes and the considerable spending power of LGBT people provides huge opportunity for brands to harness Ogilvy Pride’s specialist expertise. By 2020 it is estimated that in London alone the traditional mainstream majority will be outnumbered by minority groups. For a global brand campaign to be truly strategic in its communications, consideration of minority consumer audiences such as LGBT is now key.”

Tesco OUT at Tesco Founded in early 2010 OUT at Tesco, the LGBT network for the UKs biggest retailer Tesco, have supported many Pride events over the years. The networks Chair, John Dickinson, has been in the role for the last two Pride seasons and under his leadership, and with strong senior support, the network is going from strength to strength. 2015 is shaping up to be their biggest and

most active year to date with some amazing community focused initiatives already launched, and thousands of likes and shares across social media. You can read more about the network in our special OUT at Tesco feature in the next issue of Network Buzz. You can follow the network on Twitter @OUTatTesco and like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/outattesco/

Get connected Networks to follow on Twitter

T h e s e a re n e t w o r k s w e h a v e n ’t f e a t u re d i n N e t w o r k B u z z b e f o re .

@HouseProud_LGBT HouseProud is the national network for LGBT professionals in the housing sector.

@WomenOgilvy A professional network of Ogilvy women, working to inspire, empower and share experiences across the Ogilvy group.

@UoMDSN The Disabled Staff Network at The University of Manchester. The

network is for all staff who are disabled (in the broadest sense), or have interests in disability equality.

@ABCNetwork2 The ABC Network is a Tesco network. It aims to bring people together, helping to support and encourage colleagues of African, Black British or Caribbean background.

Check out our website for regular network group features www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

Celebrating Network Groups

The Power of Staff Networks

Snow in June Lloyds Banking Group Rainbow Network

By Cherron Inko-Tariah MBE Author of The Power of Staff Networks Go and follow Cherron on Twitter @POSNetworks

We’re well and truly in to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Pride season now and it always puts a smile on our face when we see high street stores and banks showing their authentic support for their local events. Staff at one of the branches of Lloyds in Birmingham got in to the spirit and showed their support for Birmingham Pride on 23rd and 24th May. The branch was decorated in Pride coloured balloons and flags and the staff really embraced the event, sharing their support with customers and passers by. Other high street brands who have recently shown their support for Pride events include Tesco, ASDA, Starbucks and Lush. You can follow Lloyds LGBT network, Rainbow, on Twitter @Rainbow_Network

Can you imagine waking up one June morning, looking out of your window only to see snow? SNOW? In June? You ask yourself: "What on earth is going on?" You turn on the news and you hear that 'WINTER REFUSES TO LET GO'. It would be a very strange thing, wouldn't it? Hopefully, we won't ever see that happen with the seasons. Unfortunately, we do see this with staff networks. Leading a staff network is a privilege and an honour but should only be for a season. The role of Chair/Leader can open doors for the incumbent. It's a great position to be in and one that should be enjoyed. However, if we get so wrapped up in the

position and try to hold on to it, there is a real danger that our focus may become a little blurry. Instead of keeping an eye on the purpose of the position, we've concentrated on the position itself. So when our season is at an end, instead of winding down and getting ready to move on, we find it difficult to let go. We become the snow in June. There is nothing wrong with snow (in the Winter season) - it's expected. We know it's coming so we prepare for it and make the most of it. But when it overstays its welcome, it can lead to restlessness, annoyance, a desire for it to just go and a yearning for a new season. The same applies to staff network leadership. A Chair that

PwC DAWN Network

We love the new name for the disability network at PwC. Now called DAWN, the name better represents the disability, ability and wellbeing network. Their new banner lets everyone know they’ve entered a new dawn.

AWARDS 2015

overstays their welcome leads to restlessness and a desire for change from the members. So while you're in the position - in your season - maximise the opportunity, exploit the resources at hand, and take advantage of all it has to offer. However, be conscious of indications that your season is coming to an end, do all that you can to help usher in the next season, and then bow out gracefully. Your season as Chair may have ended but the experience, connections, and skills gleaned during your tenure, will equip you for a new and fresh beginning. "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.” (Seneca)

Don’t miss out on the chance for your network group to be recognised. Nominations close on 17th July.

WWW.INCLUSIVENETWORKS.CO.UK/AWARDS

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.

Worried? Got questions? Whateverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on your mind, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here. Call the Macmillan team free on 0808 808 0000 (Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm) or visit our website www.macmillan.org.uk

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

IN Role Model INTERVIEW BY THOMAS ANDERSON

ANDY WOODFIELD Andy is the Lead Partner for the International Aid Development Consulting at PwC. He’s also the sponsoring Partner for PwC’s inclusive business network, GLEE@PwC. This is an inclusive business network for gays, lesbians and everyone else. He is also a School Governor and Trustee for Diversity Role Models and Action Break Silence. For anyone not too familiar with who PwC are. Could you give us a little introduction? PwC UK is part of the PwC Global network of firms, we focus on creating value for our clients, people and communities in a changing world. Our purpose is clear – to build trust in society and solve important problems. With offices in 157 countries and more than 195,000 people, we are among the leading professional services networks in the world. We help organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for, by delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. As a Partner within the organisation, what does your role involve? As a Partner at PwC I have many day jobs, and also a bunch of things I’m deeply passionate about that I wrap around my day job. My main ‘day job’ is that I’m the lead Partner for our International Aid Development Consulting business, this is a fantastic role where I get to lead a passionate team who really do focus on trying to change the world for the better – we work with international donors and NGO’s to deliver aid more

effectively and deliver results and outcomes faster. It’s a very exciting business and my role takes me mostly across Africa, leading and developing initiatives to reduce poverty, improve the business environment, get girls into education and provide safer communities and more transparent and accountable governments. It’s a role and a business that I’m very proud of. I also spend quite a bit of time working internally with PwC and externally with clients on the challenges of Diversity, Inclusion, Talent and Strength Based Leadership Development. I’m slightly obsessed with the idea of us all focusing on our ‘strengths’, essentially this means focusing on what’s right with us, rather than obsessing with what’s wrong with us. We’ve made great progress internally and with clients in this space in particular - around the engagement and progression of women and black and minority ethnic individuals. At a nuts and bolts level I spend loads of time bringing people together, asking questions, listening to advice and insight and trying to ensure my team and those I work with have the space to operate, lead and develop. I’m not good at trying to control people or telling people who are experts how to do their jobs, I expect folks to get on with it and I create space for them to make it happen.

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 36

Connect with Andy on Twitter // @Andy_Woodfield

Have you always been able to be yourself in your career? Yes. I’ve never really had the ability or inclination to pretend or ‘act’ like something else. Of course one needs to be one’s best professional self, but I’ve always been Andy first and foremost. What have been the highlights in your work and personal life in the last few years?

The GLEE family supporting Pride In London

5 years ago I moved in to lead our International Development business in Consulting, that was a real highlight for me. I really wanted to get involved in work that for me had more meaning. I wanted my time at work to have more impact. When I look back on my life the projects, programmes and initiatives we’ve delivered in this business are the ones that I’ll be truly proud of. The work we’ve done with GLEE@PwC, our inclusive business network for Gays, Lesbians and Everyone Else is something of a huge highlight in my career, this has transformed the way the LGBTI staff and clients at PwC are valued. According to our most recent people survey of our 17k UK staff, our LGBTI staff are the most comfortable being themselves at work. In my personal life, the big highlight has to be finally getting a dog. My dog, Lukas is a superstar, he gives me such strength for life with his endless positive energy and he loves all of my ideas and suggestions – he’s a real asset for my mental health. Of course my partner, Rodolfo is also a big highlight of my personal life, I love his beautiful Brazilian energy and craziness. He’s a great balance for me and always adds something amazing to my life. You’re a very active supporter of the network groups at PwC. We’d love to know more about the networks and your role within these. I’m the Partner sponsor for GLEE@PwC, which of course I love and I’d encourage everyone out there to join us, you don’t need to be LGBT or to work for PwC join – you just need to respect and appreciate ‘difference as something we all have in common’. If you would like to join just email glee.events@uk.pwc.com

The GLEE network is a regular collaborator with other PwC and external networks. Their panel events are always interesting and well attended.

We have 13 people networks at PwC, these are: PwC Gender Balance The Female Partner and Director Network GLEE @ PwC : The Business Network for Gays, Lesbians & Everyone Else The Disability Network (DAWN) The Parents’ Network The Carers’ Network PwC Hindu Network The Jewish Network PwC Muslims PwC Sikh Network PwC Christians The Military Network Multicultural Business Network. Each network has a Partner sponsor and an Executive Board sponsor. I was delighted last year to help reposition our PwC Women’s network as the new PwC Gender Balance network, and I continue to work closely with the team on the development of that network. I’m also doing what I can to support all of our other networks, in particular our Multicultural Business Network and our Disability Network, both a big passion for me.

Be y our self . Be dif f erent.

Leeds Funopoly Challenge

Brought to you by GLEE@PwC North Test your investigative and team building skills in the GLEE@PwC Leeds Funopoly Challenge. Each team will have to use speed and wit to compete in the outdoor challenge around Leeds city centre – make sure you bring some sensible footwear.

A selection of food and drinks will be provided after the challenge where the winning team will be announced. Please extend this invite to your networks. Make sure that you include your job title and industry sector when replying so that we can allocate you to a team.

Location PwC Leeds, Benson House 33 Wellington Street Leeds, LS1 4JP Date and time Wednesday 8 July – from 6.00pm (sharp) RSVP glee.events@uk.pwc.com by Tuesday 30 June 2015

GLEE@PwC is our inclusive business network. It is open to Gays, Lesbians and Everyone Else, and so is this event; you don’t need to be gay or to work for PwC to join. To find out more and to join GLEE@PwC just follow the link www.pwc.co.uk/glee

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 38

The GLEE network is one of our inaugural Awesome Networks.

Do you find some networks are more active and get more engagement than others? I think it’s clear that the LGBTI folk have been most active and most connected, however our Gender Balance Network and our Disability Network are now giving the GLEE team a run for their money. We love a bit of healthy competition at PwC, however for the last few years we’ve all tried hard to make sure our events are multi-strand events that cover the intersections of our people networks. How important do you think it is that internal networks work with and support each other? It’s absolutely essential. If this doesn’t happen you really are wasting your time. We’ve been to some of the events hosted by your GLEE@PwC network and there is always great representation from other organisations. How important do you think it is that the events are not just open to employees of PwC? The foundation of GLEE is that it’s open to everyone. We are convinced that if you want to effect social change you need to be inclusive. Of course at the heart of GLEE is our deep passion for creating a safe space for PwC LGBTI people, but we always wanted to do more than that. We had to find a way to help everyone else understand the power of difference in the workplace, and to engage people at PwC who wouldn’t come to an LGBTI event we invited their clients, then they come – then they learn, then they connect with each other based on shared values – then we move the agenda forward. We are no longer preaching to the choir, we are using our voice to build diversity confidence, open mindedness with some of the hardest to reach. Going outside of PwC to get attention inside of PwC was a deliberate strategy and one that continues to work for us.

We’d love to know more about the events your disability and GLEE networks recently hosted where the special guests have included Ruby Wax and Dr Christian Jessen Firstly we always want to do something interesting that we feel we can learn from and that will stretch our understanding and open our minds. With that in mind we think about who would be perfect to make that happen, who would have a different or disruptive perspective, we think about who would be an unexpected person to have at a PwC event. We always want to have some fun too and keep things positive and possibilities focused, we like action at PwC so we like things to be pragmatic and action focused. So what we try to do is create an environment where all ideas are great ideas, so people in our networks feel they are make suggestions without having the shot down, we take each idea and work it through and then ask those who created the event idea if they would like to lead on bringing the event to life. We then support them to make it happen. It’s a very simple process based on a culture where ideas and innovation are key. Do you think there’s enough support for people with mental health in the workplace and what more needs to be done? I think we can always do more. This year we’re redoubling our efforts to find new and more practical ways of supporting everyone in the workplace from a mental health perspective. We find that the tools and techniques used to support those who’ve had a serious mental health event in their lives are equally useful for everyone in maintaining good mental health practice every day. The benefit of using these tools for everyone is that those who really rely on them are not stigmatised. As I said, we’re working hard on this and its one of the areas I have on my list to focus on this year, mental health awareness and positive and practical tools for everyone it’s something that I personally want to look back on and be proud that we’ve delivered it for our people.

If there’s an organisation reading this thinking ‘All of our staff are happy. We really have no need for network groups’, what advice would you give them? If someone reading this says that all of their people are happy at work, I’d say well done and go home now before something happens. I think the reality is that we all have good and bad days. The benefit of people networks is that when you have a bad day you have people you can talk to, people you can trust, people who can support you, your own support network. When you’re having a great day you can equally do amazing work through the networks to change the lives of others more positively – this work could be internally within your organisation or outside of your organisation. I’m a big believer in the power of business to effect social change, so if everything is amazing at work, what are you doing to make everything for everyone in the community amazing, regardless of their differences. As Stonewall would say #lotstodo

“We find that the tools and techniques used to support those who’ve had a serious mental health event in their lives are equally useful for everyone in maintaining good mental health practice every day.”

| Network Buzz Issue 5 | June - July 2015 | www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

Connect with GLEE on Twitter // @GLEEPwCUK

“I think the reality is that we all have good and bad days. The benefit of people networks is that when you have a bad day you have people you can talk to, people you can trust, people who can support you, your own support network.” PwC sounds like a great place to work and build a career. How can we find out more about career opportunities and do you need a super degree and brilliant education to have any chance of getting a role? PwC is an amazing place to work, it’s also a complete nightmare sometimes but isn’t every big company? The thing that differentiates us is our people – we don’t make cars or donuts we just have amazing people connecting with each other and their clients to create amazing experiences and deliver fantastic outcomes. You don’t always need a super degree and a brilliant education, but sometimes it helps. I didn’t go to university, I left school and did an engineering and design apprenticeship. We value difference so we need lots of different

people from lots of different backgrounds, otherwise we risk only doing boring things that don’t inspire us or our clients and that’s really not the firm we are. If you want to know more about a career at PwC go to our careers website www.pwc.co.uk/careers follow us on twitter @PwC_UK_Careers and on our PwC Careers YouTube channel. Everything you need, you will find here. Finally, we’ve spotted tweets from you about Genius, Power, Dreams. What’s it all about? Our ‘Genius, Power, Dreams’ workshops are informal, honest, lively, and – unlike many development workshops – they are not instruction manuals, led by a trainer, on how to find your hidden talent. Instead, they gather

WE SHARE WHAT WE’RE TOLD ABOUT Over the last five issues of Network Buzz we’ve featured a diverse range of network groups features and interviews, with lots more on the way too.

momentum and energy from the delegates in the room, who each find their own way of tapping into long forgotten dreams and ambitions, skills and talents and decide their own way of applying these personal attributes to their own organisations. Genius, Power, Dreams is a 3 hour experiential workshop that I developed about 5 years ago to help people start the process of understanding their unique strengths. I created it for our global talent programme, Genesis Park – since then we’ve run them all over the world. In London we run it every other month for anyone to attend, it’s free of charge and you just need to email Sue.Stoner@uk.pwc.com to join the mailing list. You can also find out what the next event is on www.geniuspowerdreams.com/events

There are a few network group strands that have been underrepresented and we’d love to hear from more disability, faith, race, ethnicity and cultural heritage networks. If you know a network group that may be interested in having their work profiled and shared with thousands of people, we’d love to know about them. Drop us a line at info@inclusivenetworksuk.co.uk

SPEAK SOON

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 40

Interviews and features exclusive to

www.inclusivenetworks.co.uk

OMI

Lucy Spraggan

Olly Pike

His infectious single ‘Cheerleader’ is now a huge No1 UK hit. We were one of the first UK sites to interview him!

She’s just released her second album ‘We Are’ and we love it. We chatted to Lucy about voting, role models and lots more.

No stranger to our pages, in our third feature with Olly we find out more about his new storybook and video for children, ‘Prince Henry’.

Janet Devlin

Billie Myers

Thomas Law

We caught up with the X Factor alumni as she’s recording new music and planning her new live dates (and new Christmas tracks).

Her song ‘Kiss The Rain’ was a huge hit. We chat about sexism, racism, homophobia and the media’s coverage of depression.

He played Peter Beale in EastEnders. We chat to Thomas about playing the role of Ste in hit play ‘Beautiful Thing’.

Check them out!

@IncNetworks | June - July 2015 | Network Buzz Issue 5 | 42

things that we’re enjoying

the