Our networks:
- Disabled Employee Network
- embRACE (Global Majority Employees Network)
- Generation CCC (Young Employees Network)
- Pride Employee Network
- Women's Employee Network
- Working (unpaid) Carers Network
Women's Employee Network
We're here to motivate, encourage, and inspire women across every level of our organisation, ensuring they feel valued, supported, and empowered in their roles. Whether you're starting out as an apprentice or preparing for retirement, our network is designed to support you throughout your entire career journey.
Our goal is to create a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible space where members can connect, share experiences, and discuss the issues that matter most to them. From professional development opportunities like our popular Learn, Grow, Thrive programme to mentoring and shadowing, we’re here to help you grow and achieve your goals.
We also care about your health and wellbeing—that’s why we’re proud of initiatives like our award-winning Period Poverty campaign and Menopause campaign, which ensure no one feels left behind.
Our network doesn’t just stop there! We're driving positive change within the Council, influencing policies and attitudes around talent management, recruitment, and retention to ensure women have every opportunity to succeed.
Want to get involved or learn more? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us at: womensnetwork@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:womensnetwork@coventry.gov.uk].
Lots of love Amber and Maija the Co-Chairs of the Women’s Network.
Don’t just take our word for it ...
Julie Newman Women’s Network Sponsor, City Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, Director of Law and Governance:
I have been lucky enough to be the sponsor of the Women’s Network since its inception and I have been able to watch it grow from strength to strength.
The dedication of all the fantastic Chairs and the enthusiasm of its members have made the network a great space for all women employees to connect, learn and empower each other.
Employee networks aim to foster diversity and provide a platform for employees to connect, collaborate, and address common issues or concerns and this is why I think the Women’s Network is so important to us in Coventry City Council.
Julie
Generation CCC (Young Employees Network)
Image above is four coloured boxes and inside the boxes states Generation CCC Values.
The Values are :
- Connect: (Yellow Box)
- Bringing young people together.
- Creating an open and inclusive community.
- Exchanging knowledge and experiences.
- Grow: (Purple box)
- Supporting the professional development of young people.
- Providing opportunities to encourage the personal growth of our members.
- Challenge: (Blue Box)
- Providing a platform for young people to voice their ideas and opinions.
- Inspiring change by challenging issues faced by young people in the workplace.
- Thrive: (Green Box)
- Championing personal and professional progression through continuous learning and further development.
- Maintaining newfound skills by using them to support other young employees.
About Generation CCC
Generation CCC is Coventry City Council’s young employee network. We were set up by young employees from various service areas around the Council with the intention of improving cross-council learning, providing support and professional development opportunities, and to promote the recruitment and retention of young employees council-wide.
What do we do?
- Online events and podcasts, which in the past have covered topics such as apprenticeship journeys, wellbeing, World Youth Skills Day, and the career journeys of several council colleagues
- Professional opportunities, such as our peer-to-peer mentoring pilot
- Social catch-ups and quizzes
- Advise internal teams on how to make recruitment more accessible to young people and attract talent around the region
Disabled Employee Network (DEN)
The Disabled Employee Network is a group run by and for Council employees. The Network sets out to discuss topics and put forward ideas to help shape Council services, and consider issues affecting all disabled employees. We positively embrace a “can do attitude”, seek to promote the abilities and qualities of people that society classifies as “disabled”, challenge stereotypical attitudes and support those that wish to enable that change.
If you live with a physical, cognitive or sensory impairment, or simply wish to know more, then this group is for you!
Working (unpaid) Carers Network
An unpaid carer is a person of any age who cares, unpaid, for a family member or friend who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without your support.
We recognise that there is a wide range of people that colleagues could be caring for. This network is a non-judgemental space where a diverse range of experiences are welcome. This includes those with a range of different family/social set-ups including chosen family. Recognising the importance of chosen family can be particularly important for LGBT+ colleagues, as well as benefitting many others too.
The Working (unpaid) Carers Network is a group run by and for Council employees who care for a family member or friend and identify as an unpaid carer. The network sets out to discuss and share relevant topics and put forward ideas to help shape Council services and consider issues affecting all working carer employees.
It aims to provide a safe and supportive space for employees to share their experiences.
The network is here to build a community for working carer employees through advice, discussion and where appropriate feedback to the Council and wider community.
The network will provide up-to-date information on community support and any changes in legislation for working carers.
Pride Employee Network
Do you self-identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, or another part of the LGBT+ Community? If so, Join the Pride Employee Network.
Welcome message from the Chair
We welcome all individuals working for the Council, who identify as other sexual orientation and gender identities (also known as LGBT+). The "+" sign is an umbrella term to represent minority gender identities and sexual orientations not included explicitly in the term LGBT.
The network is here to build a community for LGBT+ employees through advice, social events, discuss diversity issues and where appropriate feedback to the Council and wider community.
We are keen for members to become more involved to help grow and shape the future of the network.
I joined the council back in 2012 and shortly after becoming co-chair of the network. Prior to this I worked and studied at Coventry University, where I was the President of their Student LGBT+ Society and a member of their LGBT+ employee networks. Outside of work I one of the founding trustees of Coventry Pride, a charity that continues to grow providing community support groups and organises the annual pride weekend.
Adam Simmonds, Co-Chair
Aim of the network
The purpose of the LGBT+ Employees Network is:
To enable members to feedback on matters of LGBT+, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity equality, policy, practice, and culture.
To provide members with safe and accessible opportunities to share information, network and socialise.
Network activities
Engage network members in influencing and informing policy, strategy, and awareness campaigns.
Encourage and champion improvements in services for LGBT+ Service users.
- Reviewing, advise and input into training and policy that impacts upon LGBT+ individuals and communities.
- Support and work in partnership with LGBT Community groups and charities such as Coventry Pride on regional issues and events such as: World Aids Day, LGBT+ History Month, Coventry Pride, and International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHoT).
- The Network will meet for social opportunities/activities to increase confidence in LGBT+ staff to come forward and meet with others.
embRACE (Global Majority Employees Network)
At embRACE, we are committed to building a culture where colleagues from the global majority feel respected, supported and able to be themselves. We recognise that identity, background and experiences all shape how people feel and are treated at work. embRACE exists to create space for honest conversation, to listen, and to push for better where things are not working. Whether you are looking to progress in your career or simply want to feel more connected and understood at work, embRACE is here to support you. Note: (The term Global Majority includes those people who identify as Black, African, Asian, Brown, Arab and mixed heritage, are indigenous to the global south and/or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’. Globally these groups currently represent approximately 85% of the world’s population (Cambell-Stephens, 2021. P7).
Our mission
Our purpose is to create a safe, inclusive and accessible space where members can connect, speak openly and raise the issues that matter most to them. We maintain regular dialogue with our network to understand where people feel supported and where barriers still exist. When concerns are raised about recruitment, progression, racism, bullying or discrimination, we can share them directly with the Leadership Board and push for change where standards of equity, inclusion and fairness are not being met.
The role of the Steering Group
The embRACE Steering Group plays a pivotal role in advocating for the interests of under-represented groups within the organisation. It strives to promote equity by ensuring everyone has fair access to opportunities and that concerns are addressed, especially when standard procedures have not been effective. By identifying and resolving these issues, the Steering Group supports the organisation’s commitment to fairness, transparency and inclusion.
Driving cultural and systemic change
embRACE’s impact extends beyond being a support network, it actively works to challenge and address cultural and systemic inadequacies across the Council.
Through initiatives like Inclusive Recruitment, we challenge bias in how people are hired, retained and supported in their roles. But recruitment is only one part of the picture. Once in post, colleagues should have fair access to the resources and opportunities they need to progress. That’s why we also focus on how people are treated once they are here, speaking up when systems, processes or behaviours aren’t fair or inclusive. By working with HR, managers and the Leadership Board, we push for improvements that help create a more equitable workplace for all.
Connect with us
embRACE is built on the strength of its community. We welcome anyone who is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion to join our network. Whether you’d like to become an active member, share your experiences, or simply learn more about our work, we would love to hear from you. Together, we can continue to build a more inclusive and equitable future within our organisation.
To get involved or to learn more about embRACE, please contact us at:
embRACE@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:embRACE@coventry.gov.uk]
Chair
- Asraf Kassam – Operation Delivery Manager (Digital Services)
Co-chairs
- Manjeet Pangli – Prevent Co-ordinator (Regulatory Services)
- Sunairah Miraj – Interim Head of Service (Planning and Performance)
Steering Group members
- Grace Ibuka - Talent & Culture Officer (People & Culture)
- Geetanjali Sembi – Therapist (Children & Education)
- Junior Campbell – Approved MH Professional (Adults & Housing)
- Sandeep Dhadday – Management Information & Project Officer (Human Resources)
Words from our Sponsor – Sukriti Sen
I arrived in Coventry as the new Director of Children’s and Education Services in August 2024, and I must say that I have felt very much at home in such a multi-cultural and diverse place. It is genuinely an honour and privilege to be the sponsor for embRACE, and I am looking forward to working with you all to make Coventry a place where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, where our voices are listened to and heard, where there is equity and race is not a barrier to progress in the organisation. I hope you will all join me in driving the changes we want to see.
Sukriti’s message aligns perfectly with embRACE’s mission to empower colleagues, amplify voices, and break down barriers. We are thrilled to have a senior advocate who will champion the network’s goals and activities.
No matter your role, background, or experience, everyone has a part to play in shaping the future of embRACE. Whether you are a new member or have been with us from the start, your voice and contributions are essential in helping us create a culture where diversity is celebrated, fairness is embedded, and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.