LGBTea+ at Hallam

Please note: this scheme is currently not active and is under review. The information below is about the previous scheme.

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The LGBTea+ scheme at SHU aims to build a sense of community for LGBT+ staff members at Hallam and help connect us on an informal basis. It gives LGBT+ members of staff to have the opportunity to meet other members of the community who we wouldn’t necessarily meet through our day-to-day roles.

The university’s vision is to create and sustain a safe, inclusive culture where diversity is valued and celebrated. To echo Stonewall’s vision, ‘People perform better when they can be themselves.’ The opportunity to have an informal chat with other LGBT+ members of staff will help us achieve this.

Please note that you do not have to be a member of the LGBT+ Staff Network to participate in the scheme, as long as you identify as LGBT+, we encourage you to sign up.It is also important that this LGBTea+ scheme has not been set-up as an alternative to the ‘Random Coffee at SHU’ scheme. We encourage all LGBT+ members of staff to sign up to both schemes as they both provide different networking/community building opportunities.
There’s some more information below, and if you’re interested in being paired up for a LGBTea+ then complete the form and we’ll get back to you soon.


How does it work?

Every 2 months participants will be randomly paired up and will receive an email informing them of their pair. It is then up to participants to arrange to meet each other for half an hour to an hour for a coffee and chat at a convenient time and location.
Pairings are made every 2 months.
LGBTea+ at Hallam is a commitment of up to an hour every 2 months. We ask that all staff who sign up commit to the meeting to avoid disappointing the other member of staff you have been paired with. However we appreciate that circumstances change so if you wish to leave LGBTea+ at any point you can do so by emailing !LGBT@shu.ac.uk

What should we talk about?

These meetings are not designed to discuss LGBT+ topics but instead to provide an opportunity for LGBT+ staff members to network/have an informal chat/build a sense of community of LGBT+ staff at Hallam. Of course, you may wish to discuss LGBT+ topics if you wish – whatever you discuss is up to you.
What if I’m paired with someone I already know or work with?
Because the pairing is made randomly this could happen (particularly if you know lots of LGBT+ staff members SHU), but you can still meet and take the time to have a tea/coffee etc. and a chat, and then in the next pairing, you’ll be paired with somebody different.