Group consultation

LOGOM promoting racial equality workshops

Tuesday 12th July 2005 Barnsgate Manor Vineyard East Sussex.

The Beacon Team were invited by LOGOM, the local Government Marketing Group (South East), to run a learning exchange session at their Summer Seminar entitled "meeting the communications challenge" on diversity. LOGOM are a group aiming to share best practice and knowledge on specific areas of interest, and run three events per year around key themes decided by the group themselves. Their membership spans a wide geographical area, from Surrey and Mid-Sussex to Shepway and Canterbury in Kent.

The session involved a brief presentation on the Gravesham’s Promoting Racial Equality Beacon Journey and an overview of the Authority. In addition there were workshops run on two of Gravesham’s five themes, effective partnerships and consultation.

The workshops demonstrated Gravesham’s innovative approaches to working with others and sharing good practice and consultation. As a group in the main from the communications and marketing service areas this was also exhibited a practical way of working that communication professionals would be able to transfer into their own environment.

The workshops were lively and gave the opportunity for others to share experiences and practical solutions to some of the problems they faced within their own organisations particularly in the areas of consultation and partnership working in relation to promoting racial equality.

As a result of the sessions the Beacon Team have since been contacted regarding future working and mentoring with Arun council. Arun Council were particularly interested in the successful working relationship between Gravesham Borough Council and the North West Kent Racial Equality Council, and are keen to work with Gravesham on developing an REC in their area. Both organisations are in the process of making arrangements to progress with this work.

In addition Crawley District Council were particularly interested in some of the discussions and suggestions that came out of the workshops in relation to consultation and peer research and the team have been able to furnish them with some further information in this field.

Both organisations are intending to attend our open day in October.