Speaker session with Alessandra Sciarra, Social Policy Manager at the St Vincent de Paul Society

Tuesday 18 May 2021
12pm

Diversity and inclusion are crucial in the built environment, to ensure that buildings and spaces promote the wellbeing of all our communities. It is important that we question what we can each do to support progress within our teams and the industry, and understand the power we have as designers to influence how people from different backgrounds experience the world around them.

This session will be the first of our quarterly speaker sessions where we hear from individuals and organisations who are challenging inequality and discrimination in their industries, and discuss how we can ensure our own actions make an impact.

Speaker: Alessandra Sciarra, Social Policy Manager at the St Vincent de Paul Society

Alessandra is the Social Policy Manager at St Vincent de Paul, an international poverty relief charity. She has worked as a campaigner, public affairs adviser and activist on refugee rights for seven years in the UK and India. Her work with frontline charities and as a community organiser focuses on bringing together grassroots experience with policymakers.

In this session, Alessandra will be talking about how to break down complex societal issues (in our case, Diversity) into deliverable objectives. This will draw on her experience of delivering the same process for her charity which has led to the development of their social justice campaigns.

She will also be sharing some insight from frontline community groups with respect to social mobility barriers and the challenges of routes to good employment.

Diversity ideas from all Members would be welcomed in advance so that Alessandra can facilitate the start of the selection conversation.

Website: https://www.svp.org.uk/

Book your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/time-to-do-more-diversity-open-forum-speaker-session-tickets-153632102755

Our Diversity Open Forum sessions are an opportunity for all Members who are interested in fighting inequality and discrimination to collaborate and discuss the related issues and ways to promote change. If you’re interested in exploring how your practice and the wider industry can tackle these issues, come along and be part of the conversation.