February 2011 is UCL Diversity Month

There’s a full programme of free events to celebrate diversity and examine the challenges some groups face in education, work and society more generally. The theme of the programme this year is Making connections, challenging assumptions. Examples of events include: Film screenings every Wednesday 18:30 in the AV Hill LT. Films to include: You live and burn (69′), (Finland – Iiris Härmä, Finland 2007); The Last Summer of La Boyita (93′) (El ultimo verano de La Boyita: Julia Solomonoff, Argentina 2009); Diary of a Times Square Thief (60′) (USA (New York), The Netherlands (Amsterdam) – Klaas Bense, The Netherlands 2008);To the Marriage of True Minds (12′), (Andrew Steggall UK 2009); Eddie and Thea (61′) (Gréta Olafsdóttir and Susan Muska 2009) (Documentary). On 1 February: 13:00-14:00: ‘Pinkstinks: the end of childhood. Why the obsession with femininity is bad for little girls’ by Abi Moore of Pinkstinks, which is a campaign and social enterprise that challenges the culture of pink which invades every aspect of girls’ lives. This talk will look at the boundaries taught to young girls and will discuss the damaging messages about what it is to be a girl. 2 February 18:00-19:30 “White Lies: racism, class and educational inequality”, Professor Gillborn, Institute of Education. The lecture will review how an image of white people as the new race victims has been created and look beneath this facade to explore the continuing significance of racism as a daily reality in education, from primary schools to universities. It will be followed by a panel discussion including Hugh Muir (Guardian Journalist) and Gloria Hyatt MBE (pioneer of the country’s first school independent school for black and minority ethnic students.)  10 February 18:00-19:00 Queer in the time of terro, by Dr. Rahul Rao, School of Oriental and African Studies. This talk will look at recent Western activist initiatives responding to the apparent persecution of homosexuals in Iran. Dr. Rao will look at some of the ways in which LGBT rights activism has become entangled in the security preoccupations and panics of the ongoing ‘war on terror’ and will consider some of the dilemmas of LGBT activists in the Middle East, as well as LGBT activists of colour in the West, in responding to these entanglements. 22 February 18:00-19:30 Leading the way and opening doors Members of Age Concern’s Opening Doors Central London Project will be speaking about their experiences of being gay or lesbian in far less liberal times – examining how society has changed over the decades as a direct result of tireless campaigning for LGBT equality. Full programme and to register here.

Caroline Thomson, chief operating officer at the BBC, on diversity

A short video where the Chief Operating Officer at the BBC talks about diversity.  The BBC’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies include details of workforce schemes (disability, gender and race) and equality targets.

City Law for Ethnic Minorities

Are you interested in a career in law?

Are you a first year law student or second year non-law student?

Are you from an ethnic minority background?

If you answered yes to the above questions,  you may be interested in attending the Target Chances City Law for Ethnic Minorities Event June 2010.

What does the event inlcude?

• Meet with employers and recruiters in a professional settting
• Develop skills that will help when applying for jobs
• Understand what it really means to enter the law profession
• Receive detailed feedback on performance
• Network with Peers from different unviersities

Who will be there?

Sponsors for the event include:

- Allen & Overy

- Baker & McKenzie

- Clifford Chance

- CMS Cameron McKenna

- DLA Piper

- Edwards Angel Palmers & Dodge

- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

- Herbert Smith

- Linklaters

- MacFarlanes

- Mayer Brown

- Norton Rose

- Reed Smith

- Slaughter & May

- Travers Smith

- Wragge & Co.

How do I apply?

Applications for the event are now open. For more information and to apply visit targetchancescitylaw.co.uk.

Opportunities for ethnic minorities at the BBC

The BBC participates in the Cultural Diversity Network (CDN) which seeks to change broadcasting by more accurately reflecting our multicultural society. In line with this initiative Audio & Music are offering Work Experience in different departments. BBC actively encourages people from an ethnic minority background to apply as they are currently under-represented within these areas. Examples of current work placement include:

• A&M Production

• Radio 3

• BBC Concert Orchestra

• BBC Proms

• BBC Singers
  

For further help on locating or applying to work experience opportunities, please visit your university’s careers service.

Interested in a career in financial regulation?

The FSA Insight Programme is a series of six events that cater to different groups of students, including those with disabilities and ethnic minorities. The events will be taking place in both the autumn and spring terms and are designed to give students a real insight into the role and opportunities within the FSA. All events take place at the offices of the FSA in Canary Wharf, London.

The Insight programme will combine a mixture of networking with graduates and business representatives, case studies to give you an insight into the work of the FSA, and skills sessions to help you succeed in their assessment process.

The entrance requirements are 300 UCAS points or more, and a predicted 2:1 or better. For more information and to apply, please click here.

www.fsagraduates.co.uk/fsa-on-campus/insight-days.aspx

Are you an ethnic minority student interested in law?

Legal Launch Pad is a programme aimed at second and third year ethnic minority law and non-law students who wish to enter the legal profession. The Legal Launchpad programme aims to:

• Educate and inform about what the legal profession has to offer and the available wide-ranging opportunities
• Raise aspirations and empower participants
• Assist participants in making informed choices and being open to the many available options
• Provide inclusive recruitment and retention services
• Provide work experience

The 2010 application is now open. Applications are due on 30 November 2010. For more information visit the Legal Launchpad website.

Diversity Roadshow

FRIDAY 22nd OCTOBER 2010   – LONDON – GRAND CONNAUGHT ROOMS

THURSDAY 28th OCTOBER 2010 – MANCHESTER – ARMITAGE CENTRE

TUESDAY 16th NOVEMBER 2010 – EDINBURGH – DYNAMIC EARTH CENTRE

Find more details about exhibitors, seminars events and how to register here

Ethnic minorities perceive professions as closed off

Careers in professions including banking, politics, law and journalism are perceived to be closed off to ethnic minorities living and working in Britain, according to a report from Race for Opportunity, Business in the Community’s race diversity campaign.

The report, which surveyed of the attitudes of 1,500 people from all the main ethnic groups living in the UK, including white Britons, reveals that 60% of white respondents saw no barriers to careers in the professions.

See the full report

Applications made easy!

If you’re a UK/EU student from a Black And Ethnic Minority Background (BAME) and would like to have the graduate application process demystified then look no further.

You can receive top training with the ADAB trust on interviews, assessment centres and psychometric tests that will coach you to the standard expected
by top city firms on their Leadership by Example programme.

At the end of the process the ADAB trust will work with you to secure your first job or internship.

Interested? More information and entry criteria are here www.adab-trust.org/leadership Deadline 5 February 2010

SEO London : Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London is a not-for-profit organisation that every year provides hundreds of outstanding undergraduate students from under-represented ethnic minority backgrounds the opportunity to gain summer internships at prestigious investment banks and corporate law firms in the UK. NB they are accepting applications NOW