The Search for Lewisham Leaders

Operation Black Vote in partnership with Lewisham Council is launching the Lewisham Civic Leadership Programme to nurture Lewisham’s future leaders.  The aim of the project is to increase the level of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) participation in all areas of civic and public life. 

We are looking for 40 dynamic BME Individuals aged 18 years upwards who live or work in Lewisham with a keen interest in positively contributing to their community.  Individuals will participate in a mixture of observation and training sessions across five broad areas of public life:

-          Health

-          Education

-          Politics

-          The Criminal Justice System and

-          Voluntary and Community Sector

The programme will focus on giving participants firsthand knowledge of the role and responsibilities associated with these areas of public life.  The aim is that upon completion this leadership programme will equip and motivate participants to become more involved in Lewisham.

Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, said; “Lewisham is a vibrant and diverse borough and it’s important that this is reflected in civic life. This unique scheme gives individuals from under-represented parts of the community the opportunity to develop the skills that will enable them to take up key roles in public life. We’ve already seen some extremely talented individuals emerge from the scheme and I encourage others who also want to help build even stronger communities to get involved.”

Head of Shadowing Schemes Francine Fernandes said; 'Lewisham continues to be a beacon for active citizenship. The success of the last scheme have untapped a wealth of BME talent. If you have the conviction and passion to make a difference to your community, apply today".

The launch will take place on Tuesday 1st February 2011 at 7pm, if you are interested in attending for want to find out more about the programme please contact Jyoti Bhojani on civicleaders@obv.org.ukor on 020 8983 5426.