Pathway to Planning: Improving Diversity and Inclusion within the Planning Profession

This week BAME Planners Network were delighted to premier the ‘Pathway to Planning’ documentary in London at an event sponsored by RTPI and DP9.

The documentary offers insights into the ‘Tomorrows Planners’ PATH Programme which was a government initiative launched in 2003 to increase the numbers of people from BAME backgrounds in planning.  It included in-depth interviews with some of the candidates nearly 20 years on. It raised the question of what similar initiatives are available today and what central and local government and private sector planning organisations are doing to improve representation of BAME planners in the sector.

Attendees heard from an outstanding panel chaired by Ransford Stewart, MBE, and comprising Victoria Hills, CEO RTPI, Joanna Averley, Chief Planner DLUHC and Philip Graham, Executive Director of Good Growth, GLA and the Network’s inspirational founder, Helen Fadipe. They shared their responses to the documentary starting a conversation that continued all evening with the planning leaders in attendance. Some of the largest planning consultancies in the country were represented, along with past and future RTPI presidents, Wei Yang, Lindsey Richards and members of the Network’s Advisory Board

In an interview with Morgan Cheung, Jo Gay, Head of Climate Change and Waste at Southend Council, who was featured in the documentary, shared advice and encouragement for younger Network members. Jo was joined on stage by the talented Edith Leung, who sits on the Networks Communications Committee and led on documentary production including an interview with UCL academic Dr Yasminah Beebeejaun who features in the film.

BAME Planners Network are enormously grateful to sponsors DP9 for being wonderful hosts for its first in person event and to the RTPI for their sponsorship as part of their wider programme for Black History Month. Both organisations are to be congratulated for their work on EXPLORE programme which was discussed.

In closing the event, Helen Fadipe emphasised the BAME Planners Network Steering Group’s ongoing commitment to working with organisations across the sector to make the planning profession diverse, inclusive and representative of the communities it serves. Because Representation Matters

To find out more about how you can join or support BAME Planners Network, please visit the 'Getting Involved' page

https://www.bameplanners.org/post/pathway-to-planning-improving-diversity-and-inclusion-within-the-planning-profession

For more photos, please visit this link.