What we're planning to do
Sharing some of what we're hoping to achieve over the next two years, and how you can help us do it.
It’s been just over a month since I took over as Chair of the Civil Service LGBT+ Network, and it’s been a busy one! I’ve been working with our volunteer team to put together a new plan for the Network, through to December 2023.
You can read the plan in full on our website. We’ll be adding to the plan over time, and using the same document to report on our progress.
I wanted to use this post to explain the focus of the plan and to ask for your help in making it happen.
A plan that’s focused and ambitious
The Civil Service LGBT+ Network engages more than 2,000 civil servants in its work. We reach you through simple things like our newsletters, or more involved things like our events or programmes. In line with our mission statement and objectives, our plan for the next couple of years is focused on three things:
- building inclusive communities of LGBT+ civil servants across the country
- helping LGBT+ civil servants develop in their career
- acting as a centre of expertise about the experiences of LGBT+ civil servants
The plan includes commitments to develop bespoke programmes for under-represented groups, engage allies, hold an annual workplace conference, reboot our social and networking opportunities and more.
A plan that’s realistic
With an ambitious plan and 2,000 members, it’s easy to lose sight of the most important thing about us: we’re all doing this as volunteers, on top of our day jobs.
We don’t have paid staff. We don’t have a budget. Everything we do is, to a large extent, a lucky confluence of skills and timing.
What you’ll see in this plan is people coming forward to own things they know they can deliver. It is ambitious in what we are setting out to achieve but it is also realistic about how much we can take on at once.
That also means we’re likely to say “no” to things more often, especially when we know that we don’t have a volunteer to take on the work. And that’s where you come in!
Help us to make this happen
This plan is not an exhaustive list of everything we intend to do. It’s the things we want to try to do today based on the volunteer capacity we have.
If you’re reading the plan and thinking to yourself: “why doesn’t it include that thing I care about?”, the answer is simple. No one has volunteered to do it yet!
Everything we do is volunteer led – so if someone doesn’t volunteer, it doesn’t get done.
If you’d like to help with a project we’ve listed in our plan or you’ve got your own idea you’d like to take forward, contact one of the vice-chairs or contact me directly.
If you’re not sure what you’d like to get involved with, we’ve also created a page where you can see specific roles we need help with.
So get involved! This is your Network, and things will only get done if we all pitch in.
Related documents
Our work and programmes
Business plan for the Civil Service LGBT+ Network
Volunteer opportunities
Join the Civil Service LGBT+ Network team