The nominations have now closed for the Green Party Executive elections 2011. I have written the following 350 word statement for my bid to be elected to the Equalities & Diversity Co-ordinator role and this will be included with the voting papers for Green Party members. For those able to vote, I hope you will consider me as your preferred candidate - and for those not, I would love to hear any feedback you might have as to how the Greens could improve our record in this area.
At our best, the Green Party inspires people to picture their lives within our policies and vision. We achieve this when we reflect diverse perspectives amongst our membership. When we resonate with the aspirations of the general public. An effective Equalities and Diversity Co-ordinator must remove barriers to involvement, using limited resources to open spaces where everyone can contribute to building a representative political party.
Why am I qualified for this role?
Experience as a gay man has instilled a commitment to challenge discrimination. As an active member of Brighton & Hove GP, I have served as party Secretary during the General Election, where I joined hundreds contributing towards electing our first MP. I’m also chairing a major Constitutional Review for my party.
Professionally, I co-ordinate a research department in an international development charity. This involves managing heavy workloads, encouraging teamwork and strong communication skills. Experience as a union steward and currently as a board member for the Institute of Development Studies equips me for the complex challenges facing the organisation. I’m confident in my ability to handle the substantial workload and excited at the prospect of contributing my energies to the party.
What would I seek to achieve?
Advocate stronger commitment to equality and diversity as a prerequisite to electoral and organisational success. Make the role transparent, measure progress, communicate achievements and opportunities more clearly to encourage new people to become involved. Work in partnership with relevant groups to ensure their ideas shape my priorities.
Facilitate self-organisation for under-represented groups and support those that already exist to ensure their views are included in policy development. Consult members around capacity-building and broker resources through smart partnerships across GPEX and beyond the party.
Broaden dialogue with under-represented parts of the wider community, such as ethnic minority and disabled communities. Support members conducting outreach to new audiences and facilitate shared learning through party conference and online resources.
Contact me by email: stephen_a_wood@yahoo.co.uk or phone: 0770 3120709 to speak further, either individually or as a party. Read my blog: http://greenpoliticssustainablefutures.blogspot.com/ for a sense of my values and priorities.
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