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- Archive 2019
- 2015 Elections: 11 new BME MP’s make history
- 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
- Black Church Manifesto Questionnaire
- Brett Bailey: Exhibit B
- Briefing Paper: Ethnic Minorities in Politics and Public Life
- Civil Rights Leader Ratna Lachman dies
- ELLE Magazine: Young, Gifted, and Black
- External Jobs
- FeaturedVideo
- FeaturedVideo
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- Gary Younge Book Sale
- George Osborne's budget increases racial disadvantage
- Goldsmiths Students' Union External Trustee
- International Commissioners condemn the appalling murder of Tyre Nichols
- Iqbal Wahhab OBE empowers Togo prisoners
- Job Vacancy: Head of Campaigns and Communications
- Media and Public Relations Officer for Jean Lambert MEP (full-time)
- Number 10 statement - race disparity unit
- Pathway to Success 2022
- Please donate £10 or more
- Rashan Charles had no Illegal Drugs
- Serena Williams: Black women should demand equal pay
- Thank you for your donation
- The Colour of Power 2021
- The Power of Poetry
- The UK election voter registration countdown begins now
- Volunteering roles at Community Alliance Lewisham (CAL)
Lewisham future leaders! Programme launched.
Civic Leadership Programme
The Civic Leadership Programme is designed to help more people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds get active in civic and political life.
The Civic Leadership Programme is a partnership between Lewisham Council and Operation Black Vote.
The programme
The programme looks at six different areas of public life:
- education – school governors
- health – health board of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
- local government – councillors
- policing – safer neighbourhood panels
- criminal justice system – magistrates
- the voluntary sector – trustees.
It involves a mixture of observation and training sessions, designed to give you the confidence, knowledge and capacity to become more active within public life, including:
- how each area of public life works
- roles and responsibilities of being a public appointee
- the process and procedures of each area of public life
- benefit to the community of each area of public life
- how public appointments are made.
The scheme also includes a learning seminar looking at areas such as:
- developing leadership techniques
- presentation and public speaking skills
- importance of civic activism
- issues regarding race, equality and BME representation.
All applicants must:
- be 18 years or over and come from a BME background
- live and/or work in the borough of Lewisham
- be able to demonstrate a genuine interest in community affairs
- be able to commit between 6–10 working days to complete the programme (number of days will vary from a minimum of 6 days to a maximum of 10 days dependent upon the number of areas of public life you wish to observe).
What happens after the scheme has finished?
Many graduates have become councillors, magistrates and school governors, with many others taking roles in public office. Our aim is that upon completion, this leadership programme will give participants the skills and motivation to engage in public life.
Everyone who successfully completes the programme will be invited to a graduation event and awarded with a certificate. In addition, participants will join the OBV alumni programme, which will provide assistance, support and networking opportunities.
What is the next step?
Please read the full programme outline below and if you are interested in becoming a future civic leader of Lewisham, complete the application form below and return it to OBV by Friday 21 Aug 2015.
If you have any questions about the programme please email us.