LGBT History Month Events


This month (February) is LGBT History Month!

To celebrate, the rainbow flag will fly on Newcastle University’s flagpoles throughout the month.

There is also a variety of exciting events for you to get involved in.

What is LGBT History Month?

“LGBT History month is an opportunity for those who identify as LGBTQ+ and their allies to engage and support the importance of our collective and individual histories. It is also a way to inform, educate and share the often invisible and forgotten histories of LGBTQ+ struggle, oppression and discrimination as well as creating a month long space where we can all celebrate and affirm our similarities and differences.”
– Gareth Longstaff, Chair of The Rainbow Network

You can read more about LGBT History Month and what it means here.

That sounds great! How can I get involved?

There’s a whole selection of events going on throughout February to celebrate and raise awareness.

More information and sign up details below:

  • 5th. 12pm. Location TBC: “Women and LBT intersections: creating an inclusive culture”
    Joint event between NU Women’s Network and The Rainbow Network to consider challenges and opportunities for LBT women and how best to create an inclusive culture.
    More information & registration here.
  • 8th.12.30-1.30pm. Medicinema, New Victoria Wing, RVI: “A Day in the Life of a Hospital Chaplain”
    Talk by Katie Watson (Trust Chaplain) focussing on understanding other’s experiences from a broad range of backgrounds and with various protected characteristics and who may be religious/spiritual or not, and how the Chaplaincy support those staff and patients regardless.
    Contact the NHS LGBT Staff Network or Victoria Usher to book your place.
  • 14th. 1-2pm. Classroom 2, Freeman Education Centre.
    OR 22nd. 12.30-1.30pm. Boardroom, Peacock Hall, RVI: “Count Your Losses”
    Smaller session run by Mark Ellerby-Hedley centred around a person’s experience of coming out, and how this may affect them. The session aims to aid understanding and provide knowledge.
    Contact the NHS LGBT Staff Network or Victoria Usher to book your place.
  • 15th. 9am-2pm. Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union: Trans clothes swap
     For Trans, Non-binary & gender non-conforming students to swap clothes to offset some of the costs of transitioning. Allies can also donate clothes for the swap.
    More information on where/what to donate here.
  • 18th. 5.30pm. Tyneside Cinema: “Prick Up Your Ears”
    Screening about the life of queer playwright, Joe Orton, followed by panel discussion with Gareth Longstaff (Chair of Newcastle University’s Rainbow Network), Leonie Orton (Orton’s sister) and Emma Parker (Orton scholar).
    More information & tickets here.
  • 19th. 5.30pm. Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building: “Seeing homosexuality in Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw
    Insight Lecture by Dr Emma Parker on the underlying homosexual themes of Joe Orton’s play “What the Butler Saw” (1969). Orton’s sister Leonie will also read from her memoir.
    More information here, seats are first-come first-served.
  • 27th. 4-6pm. G.13, Percy Building: “Celebrating LGBT+ Research at NU”
    Panel with researchers from across the University to learn about and ask questions regarding their LGBT-themed research.
    More information & sign up here.
  • 28th. 3-4pm. Leech Building, Room 2.8, Medical School: “LGBT+ at work and the Rainbow Network: A bitesize session”
    Session with members of staff from the Rainbow Network to hear about their work and how you can support their activities.
    Sign up here.

You can also get involved with the Rainbow staff network – hear more about it from Network Chair, Gareth Longstaff, here.

Or, if you’re a student, you can join the LGBT+ Society.

We hope you enjoy the events!

New Strategic Planning Workshop!

We are excited to announce two new strategic planning workshops delivered by Rachel Tobbell, to help staff think about their career plans:

“Am I adrift, or do I have a plan? A workshop to help busy people to think strategically about their career.”

This interactive workshop provides ‘time out’ for busy people to focus on their own situation and develop some goals for the future, taking a strategic approach. In a mutually supportive environment, we start by discussing ourselves – mapping our own strengths and preferences and how these fit against our current work situation. We then envision our ideal job, distilling from this vision aspects and features of work make us happy and provide a sense of fulfilment. The workshop finishes by asking delegates to think where they would like to be in 2 years’ time and to set some achievable goals. The session combines individual reflection, pair work and group discussion.

Lunch will be provided.

There are two separate workshops for professional staff and academic staff. Signup links below:

  • Professional Staff: 13th February, 2019. 12-2pm. RIDB1.2.04A, Ridley Building 1, 2nd Floor, Faculty of Medical Sciences.
    Sign up here.
  • Academic Staff: 28th February, 2019. 12-2pm. Seminar Room L2.8, Leech Building, Faculty of Medical Sciences.
    Sign up here.

Places are limited, so be sure to sign up quickly!

FMS EDI Week Programme: 21st-25th January 2019

FMS is holding its very first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Week – why not come along and get involved?

We are holding the Faculty’s first EDI Week for our staff and students to celebrate our recent Athena SWAN Silver Award for our work towards gender equality. There will be a range of activities and events that not only reflect on our recent achievement, but consider where we go from here in order to provide more inclusive work and study environments that give everyone equal opportunity to succeed.

Take a look at what is on, and book early! We hope to see you at one of our events!

#FMSEDIWeek19


21st January:

  • Why does EDI matter? – 12-1pm, The Boardroom
    We launch the week by hearing from members of the senior leadership team about why EDI is important to our Faculty and the people who work and study here. Read more and register.
    X
  • EDI and TechNET – 1-2pm, The Boardroom
    Members of our technicians network talk about how EDI is central to the work that they do both in the Faculty and across the University. Read more and register.
    X
  • How to embed EDI in the Professional Pathway? – 2-3pm, The Boardroom
    Our Director of Faculty Operations, Katharine Rogers, will talk about the new professional pathway and how EDI is being embedded into its development. Read more and register.

22nd January:

  • EDI at NUMed Malaysia – 10-11am, Leech L2.9
    Come and meet Chris Baldwin, CEO and Provost at NUMed, to find out more about their approach to EDI in Malaysia. Read more and register.
    X
  • Mindfulness – 12.30-1.30pm, Leech L2.8
    An introductory session led by our very own Michael Atkinson. Read more and register.
    X
  • EDI Bites: What is Athena SWAN? – 12-1pm, The Boardroom
    Our EDI Team explains what Athena SWAN is, what our Silver Award means, and what our plans are for progressing gender equality over the next four years. Read more and register.
  • Athena SWAN: An institutional perspective – 3-4pm, The Boardroom
    Judith Rankin, the Dean of EDI, will talk about the university’s application for a Silver Award renewal, which will be submitted in April. Read more and register.

23rd January:

  • EDI design principles for FMS  – 12-2pm, Colin Ingram Seminar Room (IoN)
    Jane Richards and the Good to Great (G2G) Team hold an interactive session to hear your views about how EDI should guide FMS in the future. Read more and register.
    X
  • Why should we become conscious of our Unconscious Biases? – 2-3pm, Leech L2.2
    Tom Smulders and the IoN EDI Team run an introductory session about unconscious bias and how to combat it. Read more and register.

24th January:

  • EDI Lunchtime Fair – 12-2pm, the Atrium/Entrance to the Medical School
    For staff and postgraduates to find out more about different networks, mentoring schemes, support for wellbeing, and get a chance to speak to EDI representatives. Light bites provided. Please register your interest for catering purposes.
    X
  • Athena SWAN Celebration & Unveiling – 12.45, Entrance to the Medical School
    The Pro-Vice Chancellor of FMS, David Burn, will unveil the Faculty’s Athena SWAN Silver Award to mark the achievement that the award represents.

25th January:

  • ‘For Families’ Launch Event  – 10.30am-12pm, David Shaw Lecture Theatre
    Event jointly hosted by NU Women and NU Parents to launch NU’s new family-friendly initiative, update on its progress, set out plans for the future and take feedback and questions. Read more and register.
    X
  • Friday Fizz and Feedback – 4-5pm, The Atrium
    Join the Faculty EDI team for a glass of celebratory fizz and tell us what you thought of our first EDI Week, or what you’d like to see next year at EDI Week 2020! Bucks fizz and non-alcoholic sparkling provided. Register your interest for catering purposes here.

Take our Unconscious Bias Survey and win a £50 Amazon voucher!

Calling all FMS staff!

All staff in FMS are invited to take a survey designed by one of our undergraduates as part of their final year research project. Please take the time to fill it in – the survey only takes around 5 minutes, and you have the chance to win an Amazon voucher in a prize draw as well as contribute to the success of a student project!

The survey will ask you about unconscious biases, and about any training you may have received. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never heard of unconscious bias is, or if you’ve been on several training courses – we want to hear from you! Your responses are totally anonymous – we just want to hear your views.

The survey is open until 25th January 2019, but don’t wait – click here to fill it in now!

FMS EDI Week 21st-25th January – save the date!

FMS will be holding its very first EDI Week from the 21st – 25th of January – why not get involved?

The week is firstly to celebrate our successes so far, with the unveiling of our Athena SWAN silver award, which recognises our achievements in promoting and progressing gender equality for all staff and students. However, as well as reflecting how far we have come, we will also be thinking about what we would like to achieve, and will be running a number of events and activities that staff and students can get involved with.

Although we are still confirming some events (final programme to be announced early January), we have some already pencilled in and you can get the times into your diary now!


21st January:

  • Launch Event – 12-1pm,
    “Why does EDI matter?” – hear from staff about why EDI matters to them.
    X
  • EDI and the Professional Pathway – 2-3pm,
    Katherine Rogers, Director of Faculty Operations

22nd January:

  • EDI Bitesize: “What is Athena SWAN?” – 2-3pm
    Candy Rowe, Director of EDI for FMS will explain what Athena SWAN is and what it means for the Faculty.
    X
  • Athena SWAN Silver for Newcastle University – 3-4pm
    Judith Rankin, Dean of Diversity will talk about the work currently going on to renew the University’s institutional Silver Athena SWAN Award.
    X
  • Wellbeing Session – lunchtime (TBC)
    Session hosted by Michael Atkinson on mindfulness.

23rd January:

  • EDI Design Principles for FMS  – 12-2pm
    Jane Richards and the Good to Great (G2G) Team will run a session about embedding EDI into faculty working in the future.

24th January:

  • EDI Fair – 12-2pm
    A fair to showcase information and get a chance to speak to the EDI Team, representatives from different staff/PGR networks, and the ECR Mentoring Scheme.
    X
  • Athena SWAN Celebration & Unveiling – lunchtime (TBC)
    PVC of FMS, David Burn, will unveil the Faculty’s Athena SWAN Silver Award and celebrate the incredible work and achievement the award symbolises.

25th January:

  • ‘For Families’ Launch Event  – 10am – 12pm
    Event jointly hosted by NU Women and NU Parents. It will provide information on NU’s new family-friendly initiative, update on progress, set out plans for the future and take feedback and questions.

Talking Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in the Faculty of Medical Sciences and at Newcastle University.