LGBTQ+ Staff Network

LGBTQ+ Staff Network

About Us

The University of Wolverhampton LGBT Staff Network is open to university staff of all identities. Founded in 2005, the LGBT Staff Network has been promoting an inclusive campus environment at Wolverhampton for over a decade. The role of the LGBT Staff Network has also expanded from organising social activities to steering institutional policy change and community engagement with wider LGBT communities and other universities. This is made possible by a milestone in 2014 when the University formalised the officer roles of the three Staff Networks as corporate positions. The core activities of the LGBT Staff Network include: 
  • Providing support, information and advice on LGBT issues or related queries to all staff
  • Delivering a confidential channel for reporting discrimination or harassment in relation to sexual orientation or gender identity
  • Reverse mentoring senior management on LGBT equality & diversity initiatives
  • Developing all staff through training sponsorship and delivering LGBT awareness workshops
  • Coordinating LGBT awareness events and campaigns, such as LGBT History Month, IDAHOT, Gay Prides, etc.
  • Liaising with other LGBT community groups, student societies and staff networks within the campus and beyond
  • Supporting the University’s submission to Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 
If you would like to join our mailing list or want to connect with us, please contact us by email anytime on LGBTStaffNetwork@wlv.ac.uk

Meet the Staff Network Officers 

Co-Chair of LGBT+ Staff Network

Martin Evans

Martin looks after staff welfare issues, support and liaising with HR and EDU to make sure that LGBT+ issues are equally represented and supported at the University. Martin will work on external/internal activities that raise the profile of LGBT+ issues and representation in conjunction with MAC and EDU. Martin & Aisha work with the network agreeing activities with a drive to grow the membership, and ease communication.

Martin has an APTC role and continues to support internal and external activities such as LGBT+ History Month, Trans Day of Remembrance and other events raised as interest by the members of the network. 

Co-Chair January 2022: Aisha James  

Welcome to our Co-chair of the LGBTQ+ Staff network, Aisha James.

Aisha’s interest for applying for the co-chair role stems from her engagement with the topical issues surrounding the LGBTQ+ community.

Aisha currently teaches on the BSc Sport Therapy course on Walsall Campus and works closely with Adam Vasco, the Director of Diversity, Inclusivity, and Intersectionality in FEHW, on all EDI aspects but with a major focus on LGBTQ+ issues. Together they have both recorded the D.I.I. verse (Diversity, Inclusivity, and intersectionality) hub podcast episodes recently surrounding the current world cup and LGBTQ+/ human rights issues. Aisha has also released a World AIDS Day special with a guest from the Terrence Higgins Trust. Both are available on Spotify/Apple Music etc.

For Aisha, being a co-chair would allow her to take suggestions from staff to the higher ups and implement things for positive change. Aisha already embedded teaching around LGBTQ+ topics into her teaching and is vocal in promoting diversity and having those sometimes-difficult conversations. Aisha would do the same on behalf of staff, in making sure any occurring concerns were addressed.

Aisha is also part of a trial EDI module running for Paramedic students delivering LGBTQ+ content. The aim of this module trial is to eventually roll it out across courses to develop cultural competency in students.