Our second Inclusion Forum North East (IFNE) was held on November 16th which, in response to feedback at our launch event in July, focussed on diversity data and was entitled ‘What Gets Measured, Gets Done’. As a proud social enterprise, it was a fitting day to hold the event being Social Enterprise Day. We were delighted to be supported by the University of Sunderland, who kindly provided a brilliant venue and and even more brilliant speaker in their EDI Manager, Justine Gillespie and the event was a fantastic opportunity for EDI professionals in our region to network, connect and collaborate.
On the Day…
Following a presentation to set the scene in terms of the what, how and why of data collection, our keynote speaker Justine shared the University’s approach to data collection and analysis – ranging from demographic data in relation to staff and students to feedback from affinity group members and feelings of belonging. Those attending were able to probe and ask questions, benefitting from Justine’s insight first-hand before breaking out into smaller networking discussion groups to:
- reflect on the University’s approach to data collection
- explore the data collection approach within their own organisation and how this compared to others taking into consideration the organisation’s size, sector and stage of their inclusion journey
- consider best practice in this space
- discuss what could be improved upon
Feedback from each group was shared, with lessons learnt along the way being explored and discussed.
Our Exciting Plans for the Future…
At the event, we unveiled our exciting future plans for the development of the Inclusion Forum North East in response to feedback collected:
- In 2024, we will hold four quarterly in-person IFNE events providing the opportunity for attendees to expand their network and hear from inspirational speakers.
- In addition, a number of complementary online events will be available to IFNE members covering topics members would value.
- An exclusive online forum where IFNE members can access EDI resources, collaborate and connect with others to share best practice and find solutions.
Why You Should Join Us…
There are so many reasons why you should join us at our next event:
- 100% said they found the event useful and informative
- 100% said they would come to our next event
And the feedback speaks for itself…
“Really useful event. I have a better understanding of the power of data collection and how Ingeus use and collect it.”
Angela Dyer, Ingeus
“Brilliant event, great discussions. Thanks so much!”
Michelle McCaig, LeoVegas
“This was the first event that I’ve attended but I found it very useful and great networking opportunity.”
Lucy McVeigh, Sunderland City Council
For more information about the Inclusion Forum North East or the services Positive About Inclusion can provide to support you on your inclusion journey, do please get in touch.
