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Growing talent for a more diverse Civil Service

CABINET OFFICE News Release (CAB094-07) issued by The Government News Network on 12 December 2007

A new mentoring scheme aimed at preparing high calibre black and minority ethnic staff for leadership roles in the Civil Service has been put into action.

Launched by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell and Minister for Skills David Lammy MP, the Growing Talent Pilot is a high - level mentoring programme, aimed at equipping talented black and minority ethnic staff with the skills and attributes they will need to become future candidates for the Senior Civil Service.

After a rigorous assessment programme, twelve successful applicants to the scheme have now been paired with mentors from the Senior Civil Service, all of whom are currently permanent secretaries or work at director-general level. Participants will be given a broader perspective and deeper understanding of the Civil Service so that a pipeline of successful Senior Civil Service candidates can be created. High-level mentoring is the core of the programme, but there will also be other events running throughout the next year to reinforce what participants have learned through the mentoring programme.

At the launch of the programme Sir Gus O'Donnell thanked all participants and said:

"In order to meet the challenges of a constantly changing society and an increasing diversity of public service users, the Civil Service needs to ensure it has the right workforce with the right skills. This includes having a workforce which reflects the community we serve. The 'Growing Talent' programme is an important step towards achieving a more diverse and professional Civil Service."

Skills Minister David Lammy said:

"I am delighted to support this project. We now have many, many talented and highly qualified young people from BME backgrounds coming through our educational system with a great deal to offer. Now we have to build expectations in our minority communities and among all our citizens that people from a minority background can and should be among the leaders of tomorrow."

Minister with responsibility for the Civil Service Gillian Merron who also spoke at the event said:

"The Civil Service needs to be representative of all the talents if it's to be the best that it can be. The 'Growing Talent' programme has an important role to play in building a Civil Service that is truly reflective of our diverse, multicultural society, and I am really pleased to see it up and running with the first 12 successful applicants in place."

The Growing Talent pilot is one of the first initiatives put into place by the Minority Ethnic Talent Association (META). It is intended that over a four year period, the Growing Talent pilot and subsequent successor programmes will contribute to the objectives of the Cabinet Office 10-Point Plan for increasing diversity in the Senior Civil Service.

Notes for Editors
1. The Minority Ethnic Talent Association (META) was established in 2006 for minority ethnic staff who have participated in a talent programme, and have the potential to advance to senior management or leadership level within the Civil Service. Project Director Claudette Sutton is Chair of META.

2. Leaders UnLtd is another new corporate leadership development scheme designed specifically for talented people in groups currently under-represented in the Senior Civil Service. It is open to Grade 6/7 (or equivalent) UK civil servants who are either women, or who have a disability, or are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

3. "Delivering a Diverse Civil Service - A 10-Point Plan" sets out commitments on 10 key areas that are intended to achieve broad and deep cultural change across the Civil Service. The plan is an integral part of Civil Service reform: a more diverse workforce we will also lead to a Civil Service better equipped to deliver, adapt and innovate. For more information about the 10-Point Plan and the Civil Service's commitment to diverse working, go to http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/iam/diversity/index.asp

Cabinet Office Press Office 22 Whitehall LONDON SW1A 2WH
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk