DCMS’s Ethnic Diversity Network - celebrating Black History Month

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Ethnic Diversity Network are highly valued and respected by the department. All networks at DCMS have an active voice and are consulted and invited to comment on all key departmental decisions. 

The Ethnic Diversity Network’s key objectives and priorities are: 

• To provide ethnic minority staff with a sense of community and belonging - by organising events and activities that reflect the diversity of all network members and enable them to connect

• To advocate for the interests and needs of ethnic minority staff - by representing views to senior leadership and HR

• Provide safe spaces for network members - by creating safe space network meetings 

• Advocate for the interests of ethnic minority citizens in policy making - by using internal channels to feed in network views and advocate for ethnic minority citizens

• Support the learning and development of ethnic minority staff - by feeding network views into the dedicated HR L&D team and by creating, collating and sharing opportunities for ethnic minority staff members.

The Ethnic Diversity Network are leading many interesting events for Black History Month this October. Under the theme of ‘Time for Change: Action Not Words’, the network is spotlighting those who have taken action and created spaces that Black people have so often been excluded from.

They are hosting a range of events including talks from staff members on their history and their experiences. They also have two guest speakers hosting events including Jenine Baptiste, founder of the Black Culture Market which seeks to support entrepreneurs of African and Caribbean descent by providing the opportunity to showcase and sell their products in the retail industry. Comfort Etim, founder of Comfort Angels - a football club for women who are seeking asylum will be speaking at DCMS towards the end of the month. Comfort has since won a Points of Light award and will be joining us to discuss her background, her journey with Comfort Angels and how it connects people of multiple nationalities who have fled conflicts, political regimes and persecution, and what Black History Month means to her.

If the network’s objectives and priorities interest you, and you would be interested in joining a department who celebrate Black History Month, then take a look at the current opportunities available at DCMS.