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Dr Scott Gaule Liverpool John Moores University

Pilot scheme to create a regional network of staff advisory groups: HEFCE LGM-030 Workshop with Chester University E&D Committee (18 th October 2006). Dr Scott Gaule Liverpool John Moores University. Overview. 2 year project (began Dec 06) Supporting BME, LGBT, Disabled & Women employees

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Dr Scott Gaule Liverpool John Moores University

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  1. Pilot scheme to create a regional network of staff advisory groups: HEFCE LGM-030Workshop with Chester University E&D Committee (18th October 2006) Dr Scott Gaule Liverpool John Moores University

  2. Overview • 2 year project (began Dec 06) • Supporting BME, LGBT, Disabled & Women employees • Partnership approach: a. North-West HEIs (+ W.Yorks) b. Public Sector (Local Gov, Police, Probation, NHS) • Guidance & advice from public sectors • Supporting HEIs in setting-up • Opportunities for collaboration between HEIs

  3. Project Consortium University of Central Lancashire(6-8) University of Chester (19,20) Edge Hill University (9) The University of Liverpool (16) Liverpool John Moores University (18) The University of Manchester (13) University of Salford (15) St. Martin’s College (2-4) Royal Northern College of Music (11) +Bradford, Leeds U & Leeds Metropolitan

  4. Today Aim Raise awareness of the potentials of AGs (reference to public sector consultation) Objectives Get you to think about how AGs could add value Groundwork considerations - Sustainable - Effective

  5. Rationales… • Think about the possible reasons & rationales for setting up employee groups? • What are the potential benefits?

  6. Legislation… * Specific legal obligations (e.g. Race & Disability) - Positive duty - Demonstrating consultation / co-authorship * e.g. DES (December 2006) SES (2007) * Temporary ‘advisory groups’ = Focus groups * Cynical end of spectrum - one way / means to an end

  7. Staff outlet… * Peer support – touchstone * Affirmation of shared experiences * Sharing silenced narratives * Where else would these energies / voices end up? * Integral but not the be all and end all… * Numerous groups keen to stress the strategic focus

  8. Room for improvement… * Acknowledge at strategic level, not as representative * Norm culture accommodates some people more than others * Sounding boards -cheaper than external consultants? -more local knowledge than external consultants? -knowledge of service users? * “Minding the gaps” - cultural competence - mainstreaming

  9. Professional Development * Positive action Acquisition of additional skills & roles Networking Mentoring Empowerment ?? * Capacity building two-way = helping individuals / helping organisation e.g. contribute to staff awareness training contribute to the performance management framework - continual improvement - inclusive work and service environments

  10. Building confidence Establishing needs Developing partnership Groundwork considerations… Setting the tone

  11. Building confidence & establishing needs Under-representation Develop capacity to listen and respond accordingly Appealing to people who experience worklife outside of ‘norm’ culture: Why could not want to step forward? Why could feel vulnerable? Why could feel suspicious? Requires working on issues of trust and confidence Requires working of developing participatory culture Willingness to show people that the organisation is serious Strong-leadership to counter ‘backlash’ and establish as a priority Divisions of labour issues - who can really attend?

  12. “So there is that whole issue of timing and ultimately the only way to deal with it is if we as senior officers give it importance and say “Yeah we are prepared to let you go and work on issue X and Y.” If we think it is important we should be making time available.” (Assistant Chief Executive, Local Government)

  13. Establishing needs and developing partnership Principles of diversity and partnership TOR - should reflect differential needs A. Sets precedent for partnership and B. Enables realistic expectations to be negotiated Mutual learning and capacity building A. Organisational culture functions like this... B. Sometimes need to use alternative platforms / processes / voices

  14. “…it’s about seeing it from both sides, a willingness from senior management to engage, and a willingness from the groups to meet half way or to be moving in that direction. I think within the organisation of senior management and leadershipisn’t happy about organisations like this (group) then it would end up with people banging on their doors.” (BME Chair, Local Government)

  15. “Well yeah, it was a 2 way process. We wanted to prove to them that we had something to deliver and that they wanted to show that [name of organisation] take these issues seriously and have done for the last 20 years, for sure. Erm and they have worked with us to deliver a solution, a mechanism in which they can ensure that they get those results.” (LGBT member, Local Government)

  16. Sustainable Partnerships:Setting up to succeed or fail? • Provision of: Resources - so can act as SOG Capacity / confidence building / Action Planning Administrative support - linking with HR/ SD/ E&D = support, credibility & m-streaming agents - vitally important at the start • Senior management feedback conduits - place on the top table - working with people at the top table Aim has to be to develop credible & effective networks, if not… Why bother?

  17. “It’s absolutely vital. You only get out what you put in. If you want quality you have to put quality (resources) into it. So some of that is recognising this. You can’t expect people to take on this massive support remit. It’s not just two hours at a meeting, it will leap back into their paid job time. They’ve got to have time. Like what time will it take to draft a consultation response and then a re-draft? You know, it shouldn’t be difficult to make the admin case. It’s the glue that makes the thing work.

  18. (Quote continued from previous slide) We are talking about TEAMS and you need to take that same structural mindset into these groups, and if you don’t, then you have to question why you are really doing this? You have to ask that question, because by not doing that these groups will not work. And the accusation will be made that you knew this, and you didn’t really want to do it and you have set them up to fail!” (Senior Diversity Officer, Local Government)

  19. What next? Possible pointers and considerations… • Necessary to establish needs & justification at strategic level - potential value to organisation / individuals? • Why does it needs to engage and hook in SMT from outset? - primary drivers of change - clear support and financial provision to back up words • Fostering partnership and co-ownership? - another organisational mechanism of review/change • Also think about groups as organisational learning tools / communities

  20. Scott Gaule Centre for Staff Development Liverpool John Moores University JMU Tower, Norton Street, L3 8PY s.g.gaule@ljmu.ac.uk 0151 231 5611

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