Getting Involved

When did the forum start?
What work has the forum done?
The uniqueness of the forum
What can you bring to the forum?
How do I get involved with the forum?
Forum minutes

When did the forum start?

Following a consultation with BME workers around a race equality scheme, HLG wanted to support the work of a forum for BME workers in the housing and homelessness sector. A consultation event took place at the Vine community centre in Hyson Green which led to the establishment of the Forum. The Forum began meeting in Spring 2007.

In order to promote the Forum, HLG employed a facilitator whose role has been key to both recruiting members and ensuring that they are kept aware of what is happening in the sector around BME issues. HLG also provide administrative support for the Forum.

The purpose of the Forum was established intitially through the discussions of an enthusiastic and committed core group of people around how meetings should be organised and how the Forum could promote itself. The terms of reference for the meetings evolved out of these discussions.

Each Forum meeting consists of two parts; a business section and a confidential space. Meetings take place every 6 weeks either at HLG or the central offices of Tuntum Housing Association.

What work has the Forum done?

Here are just a few of the pieces of work that the Forum has contributed to:

Conducting research on the recruitment, retention and development of BME staff.
Consulting with the City Council on the BME Housing Needs Research and the BME Housing Needs Inquiry.
Feeding into the Supporting People consultation concerning the core training needs for support workers and managers.
Contributing to the City Council's consultation on the needs of BME women fleeing domestic violence.
Providing feedback on documents such as HLG's recruitment pack as well as leaflets from other organisations.

The Uniqueness of the Forum

The Confidential Space that takes place at each Forum allows workers to share their concerns within a supportive and respectful atmosphere. This space is unique in the sector, has been invaluable to workers and provides an opportunity for workers to seek solutions from others who may have had similar concerns in the past. It is sensitively facilitated to allow those who attend to have space, safety and support.

What can you bring to the Forum?

Your knowledge of good practice in providing services for all the diverse communities.
Your personal insights to support other workers.
Your professional understanding of how service users can be consulted on the development of services for BME communities.
Your commitment to promoting equality and challenging discrimination.
Any service development ideas you would like the Forum to feed back on.

How do I get involved in the Forum?

If you are interested in becoming involved in the forum and would like to have a chat, please contact Shuguftah Quddoos, the forum facilitator on: 07973 624639 or email Shuguftah at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it