Birkbeck's staff diversity networks
Birkbeck has a range of staff diversity networks, created and maintained by members of staff to support their colleagues.
ASTREA
Astrea is Birkbeck's grassroots network for women, transgender and non-binary people in professional and support roles. Astrea's facilitators plan events delivered by external and internal speakers to expand members' professional and personal development and provide opportunities to meet each other.
Astrea was founded in 2015 and offers up to six events per year for the 180-strong network. Each year the events follow a theme voted for by the membership. Past events have included a hypnotherapy session and a send-up of corporate jargon about how wellness work culture is making women ill.
If you are a woman, transgender or non-binary person in a professional or support role at Birkbeck and would like to join the Astrea mailing list, or become a facilitator yourself, email the Astrea facilitators.
If you would like to recommend a speaker or volunteer yourself to deliver an event, please email the Astrea facilitators. You can also follow Astrea on Instagram or follow Astrea on Twitter.
DISABILITY NETWORK
The Staff Disability Network is an inclusive forum for disabled and non-disabled staff members. It provides a supportive environment in which to share experiences, to advocate for disability rights and recognition, and to discuss issues related to disability.
Working closely with the College’s Disability Confident Self-Assessment Team, the network is convened by Dr Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick. The network’s secretary is Lucy Crittenden. Previous discussions have included talks on disability history and health and safety at work.
We welcome new members, who can contact Mark Pimm, our New Members Officer, for a friendly, informal, and confidential discussion about the network.
OUT@BIRKBECK
OUTatBBK is the Birkbeck staff network for those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender as well as other sexual and gender identities.
The network provides a social, supportive and representative function to members of staff at Birkbeck College who identify as LGBT+ (and their allies).
The group networks through events including very successful film screenings in the BBK cinema and during COVID-19 an LGBT+ quiz. There is also an email list for members to communicate virtually and share information about LGBTQ+ related events, publications and news stories. Email OUTatBBK to be added to the mailing list.
PARENTS NETWORK
The Birkbeck Parents Network was set up by and for colleagues from both academic and professional services to support Birkbeck parents through the joys, challenges and complexities of parenting. We welcome all colleagues who identify as parents to join the network. We have an MS Teams group, meet at least once a term and also have guest speakers sharing their expertise and knowledge on topics of specific interest to parents.
If you would like to join or hear about upcoming events, please email the Parents Network.
REACH
The Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) network is open to Birkbeck staff members from underrepresented ethnically diverse (UED) backgrounds, from across professional services and academic schools. REACH has recently relaunched and our mission is to be an influential and effective voice for our communities, and to support diversity and inclusion across the institution.
We host a regular programme of events including a speaker series and fortnightly drop-in sessions. We also have a regular email newsletter, we support the professional development aspirations for our members, and we liaise with teams across the College to support their diversity and inclusion initiatives.
If you're interested in becoming a member of the REACH network and joining our mailing list, please email the REACH network.
If you'd like to take up a role on the REACH steering committee, find out more about our mission, values and themes, or if you have any questions about the network more generally, please email the REACH network.