Network Meetings

Meetings are FREE and provide opportunity for practitioners and sector colleagues to share ideas, discuss EDI issues and plans, learn from each other and enhance their expertise.

October Meetings

In October we will discuss EDI in a changing climate and work together to develop strategies for sustaining and developing the agenda. We will also be reviewing our new video rich resource on Challenging and Addressing inappropriate behaviours in the learning environment. Our aim is to design materials to help you and your colleagues build internal expertise in dealing with these issues. Click for October dates and details of how to register.

November/December Meetings

We will be running 2 hour Train the Trainer taster sessions on all our online EDI resources, Visible and Valued – Sexual Orientation Equality, Implementing Disability Equality, 7th Strand – promoting transgender Equality and the EDI and community cohesion resource. Our aim is to provide you with a rich set of materials which can be used in training your staff in-house. The train the trainer sessions can also be delivered in-house to relevant leads, CPD, HR leads, EDI practitioners, quality and curriculum leads. Open sessions are also being planned.
We will have brief discussions about the new Specific Duties under the Equality Act 2010 and identify some actions necessary for legal compliance. Detailed half day workshops have been organised in December and January and dates are available online now.

February 2012 Meetings

There will be themed discussions on Community Development and Equalities and a discussion on how to develop EDI skills/enhance the expertise of governing bodies. If there are any governors in your organisation willing to lead on or support discussions, please contact Margaret Adjaye.
Network Meeting Dates: Dates and details of how to book can be found here: LSIS website

EDI Grants

Further information about our next funding for EDI projects will be available in early October.

EDI Events, Workshops & Seminars

Equality Act Specific Duties, Inspection and Equalities, EDI and the Curriculum and many more – select for further information and details of how to register for an event.

Bespoke Services, Tailored Training & Consultancy Support

LSIS continue to provide bespoke training and consultancy services in EDI to a wide range of providers. Our specialists in EDI have empowered and developed the expertise, experience and confidence of a number of practitioners, sector colleagues, senior managers and their organisations.
We offer a menu of services and support from critical friends to help you to improve your EDI practices. There is something for everyone:- support for organisations struggling with EDI or with low inspection grades, those with limited resources and looking to develop internal capacity and expertise and for organisations who are looking to build on the brilliant work already started.
We run in-house sessions in EDI and the Curriculum, in Inspection, Race Equality, Transgender Equality, Sexual Orientation Equality, the Equality Act and the Specific Duties, Managing the Default Retirement Age, Managing Conflict and many more. Contact Sarika Dewitt or ring Sarika on 02476 627738 for further information.

Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Equality Network

The Midlands sexual orientation and gender identity equality network meeting will be on Monday 3rd October 1pm – 3pm at Northampton College. We will discuss how to take action in these equality areas post Equality Act 2010 including work around the prevalence of homophobia and transphobia survey. The network is open to all who are committed to advancing work in the equality areas of sexual orientation and gender identity. Please email satkin@ucu.org.uk if you wish to find out more, or to confirm your attendance.

Black History Month

October is Black History Month, when many learners will make a special effort to study the historical contributions of Black people to the world’s political, economic, social and cultural life. The Agency is on the lookout for Black History Month events and celebrations within the FE sector, and we will promote the best examples on the intranet. Please send examples of good practice - either planned for this year or undertaken in previous years - to equality@skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk

Publications & Resources

- Briefing on the Equality Act 2010 and a briefing on the Specific Duties
- Age Equality - Provider case studies, Older Workers, Resources, Default Retirement Age
- Publications on Leading Inclusion, the Equality Act 2010, EDI Briefing for Governors, BSL and d/Deaf and many more available
- Managing Equality Tensions – a resource paper exploring sexual orientation and religion and belief
- Our EDI online resources can be found on our VLE
- Excellent EDI resources and materials developed by the sector for the sector

Visit the Excellence Gateway for our latest edition of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Network Brief, our bi-monthly Newsletter. For further information, please contact Margaret Adjaye