Hi, I'm Shaz, solutions architect at Derbyshire County Council and also the BME network's co-chair.
I came into Derbyshire County Council on September 2018 on the Technical Graduate Scheme and was presented with the opportunity to co-chair and assist with the BME network activities by my mentor. I saw this as a perfect development opportunity to balance my daily graduate responsibilities, in addition to get involved with my passion of making a difference to a cause that I care strongly about. As someone from a BAME background myself I wanted to share my experience and learn from a wider perspective, from a diverse range of colleagues of their experiences and see if there was anything, I can do to help them with the challenges they have faced. The experiences of those around me has motivated me and made me wiser.
Achieving equal opportunities
Derbyshire County Council as an employer still has a long way to go in achieving equal opportunities and employing high minority ethnics in a wide variety of roles and at different levels. I hope during my time as co-chair I can help improve this for the BME colleagues while also working closely with other network groups with strong causes, as together we're stronger and can make a difference for those working in Derbyshire.
National figures for race related hate crime in 2020/2021 were up 12% on previous year, while in Derbyshire the same figures increased by 25% in the same period, showing a real need for promoting awareness, understanding and continuously supporting others at work and in the community.
Hard work
It has been a lot of hard work doing the network role and balancing daily job, but it is rewarding, and I am truly thankful for it. The accomplishments that I have achieved with BME network is co-hosting the first ever virtual Black History Month event during the pandemic. This allowed me to utilise my IT skill set and knowledge to coordinate with colleagues to help ensure the smooth transition and running the event, It gives me great pride that my skills I gained from the technical graduate scheme helps the running of the BME and supports colleagues with their daily concerns.
The network is open to everyone who is interested in learning about black history, religion, cultural practices and those who are experiencing issues at work in terms of equality and fairness.