About this publication

The Civil Service LGBT+ Network helps to create a more diverse, inclusive and equal place to work for civil servants with minority sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and variations in sex characteristics.

We are an employee network created to ensure LGBT+ staff can be themselves, be their best selves and help to deliver great public services. We do that by:

  • building local and national communities of LGBT+ civil servants
  • supporting the development of strong LGBT+ employee networks in Civil Service bodies
  • representing the interests of LGBT+ staff across the Civil Service

This document explains our priorities and our programmes of work. It also records our progress in delivering against those priorities.

Latest updates

This business plan was updated to reflect our latest plans and performance on 26 October 2022.

How this will be delivered

The work detailed in this plan will be delivered by a volunteer team of LGBT+ people and allies from across the Civil Service.

If you’d like to volunteer to help deliver this plan, or have another idea you’d like to lead, please contact us at: info@civilservice.lgbt

All of our work is delivered on a volunteer-led basis. If you feel there’s something missing from this plan, we’d love to have you join the team to deliver it.

Our plan

Select the title of each work stream below to view more information about the work and its milestones

Mentoring programme

Conclude the existing mentoring programme for LGBT+ civil servants, and run the programme again in 2022 and 2023.

11 completed out of 14
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    December 2021

  • Complete

    Recruit and mobilise a mentoring programme team

    December 2021

  • Complete

    Create a digital tool to improve the speed of the matching process

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Conclude the 2021 mentoring programme

    May 2022

  • Complete

    Survey participants in the 2021 mentoring programme

    May 2022

  • Complete

    Open registrations the 2022 mentoring programme

    May 2022

  • Complete

    Publish lessons learnt and changes to the 2022 mentoring programme

    June 2022

  • In progress

    Update resources and guidance for mentors and mentees ready for 2022 mentoring programme

    June 2022

  • Complete

    Close the registration window for the 2022 mentoring programme

    June 2022

  • Complete

    Run induction events for mentors and mentees

    July 2022

  • Complete

    Concluding speed matching and send information to participants

    July 2022

  • Complete

    Survey participants before speed matching has taken place

    July 2022

  • In progress

    Conclude the 2022 mentoring programme

    December 2022

  • In progress

    Survey participants in the 2022 mentoring programme

    February 2023

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Civil Service LGBT+ conference

Hold an annual conference for LGBT+ civil servants focused on workplace inclusion and career development, starting in 2022.

13 completed out of 14
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    November 2021

  • Complete

    Agree approximate date and approach for the conference

    November 2021

  • Complete

    Recruit and mobilise a conference project team

    December 2021

  • Complete

    Agree a venue (if in person) and finalise date

    April 2022

  • Complete

    Scope out content of conference

    May 2022

  • Complete

    Begin securing speaks and facilitators

    May 2022

  • Complete

    Open registrations for the conference

    June 2022

  • Complete

    Publicise conference across the Civil Service

    June 2022

  • Complete

    Agree an agenda and outcomes for the conference

    July 2022

  • Complete

    Design and produce conference materials and communications products

    September 2022

  • Complete

    Close registrations for the conference

    September 2022

  • Complete

    Finalise agenda, sessions and logistics

    September 2022

  • Complete

    Hold the 2022 conference in person

    October 2022

  • In progress

    Hold the a similar conference online for those who were not able to attend in person

    October 2022

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Face-to-face socials and networking

Put in place a range of social and networking opportunities across the country.

8 completed out of 10
  • Complete

    Restart regular, in-person socials in London

    October 2021

  • Complete

    Restart regular, in-person socials in the North West of England

    Socials to take place in Liverpool and Manchester each month

    October 2021

  • Complete

    Restart regular, in-person socials in the South West of England

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Restart regular, in-person socials in Scotland

    Socials to take place once every one or two months in Glasgow and Edinburgh from February 2022

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Restart regular, in-person socials in Wales

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Establish regular, in-person socials in the North East of England

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Establish regular, in-person socials in the South East of England

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Establish regular, in-person socials in the West Midlands of England

    February 2022

  • In progress

    Establish regular, in-person socials in the East Midlands of England

    June 2022

  • In progress

    Establish regular, in-person socials in the Yorkshire and Humberside

    June 2022

Digital socials and networking

Put in place a range of social and networking opportunities online.

0 completed out of 2
  • In progress

    Create an online space for LGBT+ civil servants and allies to discuss things relevant to them

    December 2021

  • In progress

    Put in place a regular programme of online social and networking events

    July 2022

Bi+ inclusion

Continue to run our ‘BiSpace’ programme for bi+ civil servants.

4 completed out of 9
  • Complete

    Develop a plan for BiSpace in 2022

    December 2021

  • Complete

    Run a BiSpace virtual social

    January 2022

  • Complete

    Events and activities to highlight bi+ identities during LGBT History Month

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Run a BiSpace virtual social

    March 2022

  • In progress

    Events and activities to raise awareness of and tackle biphobic bullying, harassment and discrimination at work.

    May 2022

  • In progress

    Run a BiSpace virtual social

    July 2022

  • In progress

    Events and activities for Bi Visibility month

    September 2022

  • In progress

    Events and activities for Ace Awareness month

    October 2022

  • In progress

    Run a BiSpace virtual social

    November 2022

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Women’s inclusion

Investigate the needs of LGBT+ women in the Civil Service, and create a bespoke programme of work similar to ‘BiSpace’ for LGBT+ women.

3 completed out of 3
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    July 2022

  • Complete

    Investigate the needs of LGBT+ women civil servants

    July 2022

  • Complete

    Develop a new programme for LGBT+ women

    January 2023

Minority ethnicity inclusion

Investigate the needs of LGBT+ people with minority ethnicities in the Civil Service, and create a bespoke programme of work similar to ‘BiSpace’ for LGBT+ people with minority ethnicities.

1 completed out of 2
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    February 2023

  • In progress

    Develop a new programme for staff who are LGBT+ and who have a minority ethnicity

    June 2023

Trans and non-binary inclusion

Investigate the needs of trans and non-binary staff in the Civil Service, and create a bespoke programme of work similar to ‘BiSpace’ for trans and non-binary staff.

4 completed out of 6
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    November 2021

  • Complete

    Carry out a consultation with trans and non-binary members to understand their experiences and asks of the Civil Service LGBT+ Network

    January 2022

  • Complete

    Present a draft trans and non-binary inclusion plan to the Civil Service LGBT+ Network and a:gender leadership teams

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Publish a trans and non-binary inclusion plan

    June 2022

  • In progress

    Recruit a team of volunteers to deliver the plan

    June 2022

  • In progress

    Begin delivering the new trans and non-binary inclusion programme

    June 2022

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Allies

Create a programme of work to engage allies across the Civil Service.

0 completed out of 5
  • In progress

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    July 2022

  • In progress

    Conduct a survey and series of workshops to understand what LGBT+ people need from allies

    July 2022

  • In progress

    Publish the findings of the survey and workshops

    September 2022

  • In progress

    Recruit a team of volunteers to develop the resources and activities for ally engagement

    September 2022

  • In progress

    Begin delivering the new ally engagement programme

    September 2022

Pride

Plan and deliver Pride activities across the UK and online.

7 completed out of 10
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    October 2021

  • Complete

    Agree proposals for Pride participation in 2022 with LGBT+ Champions and Network chairs

    December 2021

  • Complete

    Recruit a team to help deliver Pride 2022 activities

    January 2022

  • Complete

    Publish our plans for Pride 2022, including details of whether this will be online or in-person, locations, and how to get involved

    March 2022

  • Complete

    Open registrations for in-person events (if applicable)

    April 2022

  • In progress

    Submit business cases for approval

    May 2022

  • Complete

    Confirm registrations for Pride events with participation limits, for example Pride in London (if applicable)

    June 2022

  • In progress

    Publish online events programme

    June 2022

  • Complete

    Take part in Pride events across the UK (if applicable)

    August 2022

  • In progress

    Hold a set of online Pride events during Summer 2022

    August 2022

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Data on LGBT+ civil servants

Provide insights into the demographics and experiences of LGBT+ civil servants that can be easily used by networks and HR teams internally.

1 completed out of 2
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    April 2022

  • In progress

    Build a prototype tool using publicly available data from the Civil Service People Survey

    June 2022

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Supporting local delivery

Put in place a range of interventions to support activities in local areas.

5 completed out of 6
  • Complete

    Recruit a lead vice-chair for this work

    December 2021

  • Complete

    Develop a plan for events and activities in each of the English regions and devolved nations, covering socials, networking, learning and development, and workplace inclusion

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Develop a role description and guidance explaining the tasks, expectations and responsibilities of a local organiser

    February 2022

  • In progress

    Create a volunteer toolkit explaining common activities and how to do them

    February 2022

  • Complete

    Improve how local events and activities are publicised across the Network

    March 2022

  • Complete

    Expand the local organiser team, recruiting volunteers for Yorkshire and Humberside, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England and Northern Ireland and increasing the number of organisers in each region

    June 2022

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Volunteer deal

Improve the support and recognition that volunteers receive when giving up their time for network activities.

0 completed out of 3
  • In progress

    Create a volunteer toolkit explaining common activities and how to do them

    March 2022

  • In progress

    Create a volunteer resources pack making it easy to create documents, digital assets and more for network activities

    March 2022

  • In progress

    Establish quarterly “all hands” meetings where the whole volunteer team can come together to share their work.

    January 2023

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Networks

Create regular ways for leaders of departmental networks to input to pan-Civil Service priorities and provide feedback on the work of the Civil Service LGBT+ Network.

4 completed out of 9
  • Complete

    Hold January 2022 Leaders of Networks forum

    January 2022

  • Complete

    Restart a quarterly Leaders of Networks forum

    January 2022

  • Complete

    Hold April 2022 Leaders of Networks forum

    April 2022

  • Complete

    Hold July 2022 Leaders of Networks forum

    July 2022

  • In progress

    Hold October 2022 Leaders of Networks forum

    October 2022

  • In progress

    Hold January 2023 Leaders of Networks forum

    January 2023

  • In progress

    Hold April 2023 Leaders of Networks forum

    April 2023

  • In progress

    Hold July 2023 Leaders of Networks forum

    July 2023

  • In progress

    Hold October 2023 Leaders of Networks forum

    October 2023

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.

Making the network work

Operational changes to the way the network is organised and operates, to make things work better for the future.

4 completed out of 6
  • Complete

    Update the design and core functionality of the network website

    October 2021

  • Complete

    Publish a new business plan

    November 2021

  • Complete

    Expand the Civil Service LGBT+ Network's team of vice-chairs

    November 2021

  • Complete

    Change bulk email provider from MailChimp

    December 2021

  • In progress

    Establish a regular Chair's question time

    January 2022

  • In progress

    Update the Network's constitution

    March 2022

Team members involved in this work

These are the members of our volunteer team that are delivering this programme of work. Contact them directly if you'd like to get involved.