Meet the Chair of our BAME staff group

During Black History Month, Housing Manager Allison Cuddy talks about her role as Chair of Origin, Riverside’s BAME (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) staff group.

I started working for a housing association in 1998 through a positive action training initiative in Liverpool.

My first role was as a trainee finance assistant. The project targeted the protected characteristics and age ranged from 18 to 24 year olds. The outcomes were to challenge local employment, social exclusion and institutionalised discrimination.

The project provided me with on and off the job training, studying and gaining a housing qualification at John Moores University while gaining experience in finance.

I am still in housing and still learning, having moved from finance into housing management.

I am passionate about diversity and currently the chair of Riverside’s BAME staff group Origin. Origin is working collaboratively across the equalities agenda with the ownership of  action plans for BAME staff at Riverside. We will continue to support an inclusive workplace culture, where people from all diverse backgrounds can progress within the organisation.

As it’s Black History Month, we should all play our part in tackling equality by recognising that that every employee should be given the opportunity to fulfil their potential at work.