“It’s my Safe Space”: Curtis Griffin on the Diverse Staff Network

25 October 2023

Curtis Griffin joined the Council back in 2020 as an Employment Mentor, helping people with barriers to employment.

He joined the Diverse Network in early 2021, a staff network that champions racial equality for members of the Global Majority.

Formed in 2020, the Diverse Network aims to promote an inclusive workplace that celebrates the varied backgrounds of staff and those living within our communities.

It strives for equality and offers members a social and supportive environment.

Curtis joined Diverse to meet and network with staff who shared similar life experiences to him.

“I didn’t have the best start in life. I think I hit every cliché branch in terms of coming from the wrong area, wrong background, and being in the care system. I just didn’t have the best starting support or guidance in life, and I drifted down the wrong path as a youngster.

“I went to university as a mature student where I undertook a sporting degree. It was hard being a mature student and starting my career later in life.

“After graduating I worked within the Sport Industry with Newport County, but career wise it wasn’t great. The salary was low and there wasn’t much career development.

“In 2020 I joined the Vale Council, and that’s where I started my career in employability. Since being in this role I’ve wanted to touch base with people who may be from a similar background and essentially network with my colleagues and peers.

“When I started, it was my line manager who first told me about the Diverse Network.

“With previous employers, there were initiatives to recruit people from diverse backgrounds but there was no in-house support for diverse staff like we have in the Vale. So personally, having a place where I can connect with people with similar backgrounds and lived experiences is important to have. It’s fundamental.”

Having recently undertaken his masters in HR, Curtis has developed an in-depth knowledge of diversity inclusion, and why it is so important for an organisation like the Council to be an open and inclusive employer.

“Recruitment and retention are probably some of the biggest issues we discuss in Diverse.

“I look at my own background and I see a lot of people who come from the same area as me, they have similar life experiences to me, and they end up going down the wrong road. If we can give people from diverse backgrounds wider opportunities in terms of employment and career progression, we can potentially change peoples’ lives.

“Diversity inclusion is good place to start but the work doesn’t stop there. We need to look at how we can retain people from diverse backgrounds and how we can develop and nurture their talent.

“Personally, I don’t think there are enough individuals from diverse backgrounds in more senior roles. When you don’t see many people who look like you in those kinds of spaces, it can feel like they’re not for you.

“I think it’s important that we offer people from diverse backgrounds equal opportunities and instil them with the confidence to take these positions.”

As the Diverse Network look at ways in which the Council can attract and recruit young people from the Global Majority, they are also looking to increase their engagement with young people in the Vale.

“It’s 2023, we like to think that young people are more tolerant, but it is not always the case. Just recently I was stood outside the house and a group of boys that knew my son were walking past, called out his name and shouted a racist slur. He wasn’t even outside. He’s only thirteen and when I told him what had happened, he was so upset.

“So personally, the work that we do with schools and the engagement we are starting to have with young people in our communities is vital. We need to educate and support our young people.”

As well as offering advice and guidance to departments across the Council, one of the Diverse Network’s primary functions is to act as a pillar of support for staff from diverse backgrounds.

“For me, Diverse is a safe space. Everything I say in a Diverse meeting or to other members is kept in confidence which gives me the freedom to speak my mind.

“I can talk about the positives I’ve experienced in both work and my personal life, as well as some of my frustrations.

“I can confidently say that I’ve never had any personal issues that I’ve spoken about in Diverse meetings be shared elsewhere – it’s my safe space where I can be myself and connect with others.

“Having a network with people I can relate to, who understand me, is important. But it’s also important to engage with staff who aren’t from diverse backgrounds so that they can better understand our struggles, frustrations, and the issues we face.”

Though Diverse has already had a positive change when it comes to kickstarting the conversation around race equality and inclusion, Curtis looks forward to seeing what the group can achieve in the future.

“In Diverse it’s important that we have the continued support from Senior Leaders in order to achieve change – the network offers us a platform to have our voices heard and take action to create a more inclusive workplace.

“Covid sort of set us back a bit – we’re not a new network but it’s only in the last year or so that we’ve been able to put into practice some of our ideas. I think what I’m looking forward to the most is seeing how Diverse continues to grow and the initiatives we can inspire to really make a difference to the lives of those from ethnic backgrounds both in work and in our communities.”

Diverse is open to anyone. You can learn more about the Diverse Network and access a membership form on their Staffnet page.