Making change, recognising difference

A conference to celebrate success and embrace the challenges of the future

Brighton & Hove City Council was proud to host their first LGBT conference on 25 March 2011.  We held workshops and presentations from council officers and local community organisations, whose work has benefited the city's LGBT community.  We also provided networking opportunities with a market place in the afternoon, made up of leading community organisations that support LGBT people in the city.

Workshops summary

There is information below about each of the nine workshops that we held and details about how you can find out more below.

Civil partnerships - leading the way for the UK

This workshop looked at the history & preparation leading up to the introduction of civil partnerships, the first few days, keeping Brighton & Hove's high profile and the future.  This workshop was presented by Trevor Love, senior ceremonies registrar for Brighton & Hove.

Find out more about Brighton & Hove's civil partnership ceremonies.

Strategy & practice - a joined up way approach to developing and implementing LGBT housing objectives

This workshop presented Brighton & Hove's good practice in bringing partners together to develop and implement LGBT strategic housing objectives using the city's LGBT housing options as a case study.  It was presented by Colin Blanchflower and Andy Staniford from the council's housing strategy team.

You can find further information about the council's LGBT housing strategy.

LGBT staff mentoring - supporting your own community at work, for all staff who identify as LGBT

Brighton & Hove City Council's LGBT staff mentoring scheme has a high profile nationally.  It provides support and helps to develop our LGBT workforce.  This workshop looked at how and why the council produced a mentoring scheme, how the scheme works and the positive outcomes from supporting LGBT staff in this way.  It was presented by Jo Harvey Barringer and Tim Read from the mentoring scheme.

For further information about the scheme, please email lgbtmentoring@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

Engaging with your bi and trans workforce

All too often, people and policies talk about LGBT equality when they actually are only thinking about equality for lesbians and gay men. Unsurprisingly, this means that bi and trans workers have a low profile in the workplace and many LGBT staff networks are dominated by lesbians and gay men. This workshop identified which workplace issues apply to all LGBT people and what the specific issues are for bi and trans people.  The workshop will be delivered by Carola Towle, National Officer (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Equality) of Unison.

For further information, please email c.towle@unison.co.uk.

Creating safe learning environments in Brighton & Hove schools

This workshop provided an overview of the work done in Brighton & Hove to support schools to create safe learning environments in which all children and young people feel safe and valued.  It provided an opportunity to participate in activities used in schools, which aim to promote & value family diversity, challenge gender stereotypes, explore the impact of homophobia, biphobia & transphobia and challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language.  The workshop was delivered by the council's healthy schools team in partnership with Allsorts.

Equalities learning & development

This workshop provided an opportunity to discuss what learning and development means and how accessible it is to all sections of an organisation.  There were discussions around what place equalities learning and development has and about how it can support the wider equalities agenda.  The workshop was delivered by Mags Flanagan from the council's learning & development team.

Celebrating 10 years of the council's LGBT Workers Forum

This workshop provided a history of our council's LGBT Workers Forum.  It reflected on their achievements, engaging with the wider organisation and considered what direction it hopes to take in the future.  The workshop was delivered by Roy Pickard, David Reader & Jo Harvey Barringer, who are existing and former steering group members from the past ten years.

Find out more about the council's LGBT Workers Forum.

Working with community organisations to improve LGBT community safety

The council works with Sussex Police to develop trust and confidence in the city's varied LGBT communities but it is community and voluntary organisations who play a key role in promoting community safety amongst LGBT communities. This workshop explored the challenges around LGBT community safety, drawing on personal experiences, findings from the council's LGBT community organisations and an opportunity to learn about what works, new ideas and influence policy.  The workshop was delivered by Eric Page, the council's LGBT community safety coordinator. 

Equalities - working with our workforce and our community

This workshop reflected on how this council is achieved excellence in the Equality Framework for Local Government and looked at how to engage with non-LGBT people within the LGBT equalities agenda.  The workshop was delivered by Sarah Tighe-Ford from the council's equalities team.

Where can I find out more?

Please email lgbtworkersforum@brighton-hove.gov.uk or phone (01273) 291280 for further information.