Elaine is motivated by the impact the built environment can have on people’s lives and ensuring that built environment professionals reflect the communities we serve. She currently manages Future of London’s Emerging Talent Programme, an early careers programme that aims to increase ethnicity diversity in the built environment sector. The programme works with major employers in the public and private sector to give talented Londoners from global majority backgrounds the opportunity to launch careers in the sector with paid work placements. They are also supported with regular training sessions and a mentor. Prior to this, Elaine worked at LB Brent and led a number of high-profile projects across Housing, HR, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. This included a 10-year action plan aimed at addressing inequalities faced by Black communities. The programme won the Local Government Chronicle’s 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Award. She also managed Brent Council’s in-house recruitment service and its participation in a nationally recognised graduate programme, with the aim of recruiting more diverse and local graduates. Elaine was responsible for recruiting and retaining graduates and developing their learning and development offer, as well as providing them with pastoral support.

Statement:

We can't truly serve our communities if we don't reflect and understand them. As a sector we need to move away from just talking about the challenge, and invest the time and resource needed to attract and retain diverse talent.