Over the next few weeks we are going to be sharing a series of blogs from the winners and runners up at the National Societies and Volunteering Awards 2023. This series is giving a platform for the students themselves to share more about what they have achieved in 2023, their motivations, and the lessons they learned. Today we’re spotlighting, the winners for the Committee Excellence Award: Sheffield Professional LGBT+ and Allies Network (PLAN) from the University of Sheffield.
We feel incredibly honoured and beyond excited to have received the Committee Excellence Award. Sheffield Professional LGBT+ and Allies Network (PLAN) was created just a couple of months ago in September 2022. For us to have come this far and even be nominated means the world to the entire committee.
This prestigious award is a testament to our outstanding teamwork and remarkable achievements as a committee. We feel incredibly grateful to have won this award out of over 340 nominations across UK higher education institutions.
Throughout the year we have worked towards our goal to bridge the gap between university and the workspace for queer students. Stonewall research suggests that 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ job searchers felt discriminated against. As such it is paramount for us to encourage our members to be able to be themselves and ask important questions surrounding diversity and inclusion at work.
All ten committee members have worked hard to provide members with opportunities and events to upskill themselves and help them to feel more confident in their identity. In the past academic year we have held 8 career events and 5 social events, including 2 visits to Sheffield based companies. We have held various discussions about how workplaces can be LGBT+ inclusive and aimed to provide students with a platform to build a professional network, and connect with the wider Sheffield community. Throughout our events we aimed to provide insights into various sectors, reflecting the diversity of our members.
For example, PLAN held a discussion with Building Equality on LGBT+ D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) in the workplace and creating safe spaces in the built environment. It was the first of its kind bringing together employees of the University of Sheffield and industry experts to raise LGBT+ awareness. The feedback of a final year student studying Urban Planning, was that:
“This is the first time in my studies where I am sitting in a room with people in my industry that work for
companies I want to work for who look and are like me.”
We were fortunate to have been able to organise an LGBTQ+ Career Summit in May, which featured two different panel discussions and a workshop hosted by TargetJobs. This highlighted inclusivity and diversity through various lenses, including authenticity, support, and intersectionality at work.
Sheffield PLAN has, most importantly, tried to create an inclusive and safe space, in which everyone feels welcomed. Witnessing our collective growth and the magnitude of what we have accomplished through determination and hard work is truly amazing. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey. Together, we are making a positive impact and shaping a better future for LGBTQIA+ students.