Less than 10% of #Eventprofs are from Black, ASIAn or underrepresented Minorities.
We aim to change that.
Funded by leading event industry professionals, The REACh Events Scholarship has been established to increase diversity in the Events, MICE & Hospitality sectors.
Who is behind the initiative?
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Robert Kenward
FoundeR, Director
“Only 3.5%* of our industry is from a Black or minority ethnic background, whilst 6%* is from an Asian background, and although I have been a recruiter and eventprof for over 21 years, I can count on two hands the number of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic event people I have worked with and on one hand at a senior level.
The initiative was created because I wanted to take action and actually achieve something that would have a lasting and tangible impact on our industry. The pandemic has already meant we have lost many event professionals who now see our industry as just too risky, so we need to act now to ensure that working in events is an attractive and accessible proposition for all young people."
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Gabrielle Austen Browne
Founder, Director
“It’s no secret I’m incredibly passionate about diversity and inclusion in events. My mission when I founded Diversity Alliance was to help the industry become more diverse, inclusive, and accessible and to change the industry for the better, for the next generation of event professionals, leaving a legacy of equality for all. The REACH scholarship initiative will help make the events industry more accessible to Black, Asian, and minority ethnic talent who might not normally have access to enter our sector, directly addressing the issue of the event industry talent pipeline. I’m so excited and very proud to be part of this initiative.”
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Anupa White
Director
"I have always been passionate about fostering racial diversity and cultural inclusivity within the events sector. The REACH Events Scholarships play a crucial role in helping create equitable opportunities for individuals from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. By serving as a REACH Director, I am dedicated to advocating for these values, actively supporting scholarship recipients, and working towards a more inclusive industry. I aim to contribute to the positive transformation of our sector, enriching it with diverse perspectives and innovative ideas."
What Some of our Sponsors Say
Dale Parmenter
CEO of DRPG
“Our people have always been the core of our business model and we pride ourselves on our family culture at DRPG . However, it didn’t take statistics to see the issue in front of us, in our teams, our suppliers and venues across the industry landscape. The lack of ethnic minority representation is obvious, and we need to work together to make a noticeable difference. We are now invested in the REACH programme as part of our diversity and inclusion efforts which will be a fantastic driver for this industry.”
Michael Gietzen
Managing director, Identity
“Not only is the programme a fantastic opportunity for us to ‘give back’ and begin the journey towards evening the playing field, it also gives us the ability to connect with and encourage future talent from a diverse range of backgrounds. At Identity, we believe that to truly deliver meaningful events with impact, we need to work towards our workforce composition which reflects our client base. Our commitment to REACH will not be purely financial; we also intend to give students on the programme the opportunity to work with Identity during and beyond their degree course. We are excited about the relationships we’ll build and the futures we can kick off.”
The REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) Events Management scholarship aims to increase the representation of young people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds on BA (Hons) Events Management degree programmes
How you can help
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There are many ways for individuals and businesses to support the initiative. A tax deductible gift commitment of £15,000 will fund an Events Management scholarship of £5,000 per annum awarded over three years of the Scholar’s degree programme. Your support would fund activities that directly benefit the students. You maybe able to take advantage of tax-effective giving as a private individual or corporate donor.
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While financial support is vital, it cannot on its own deliver the full benefits that disadvantaged students can gain from higher education – we hope that supporters would also play an active role in the recipients’ development.
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Companies that are interested in pledging and making a positive, long-term impact to diversity and inclusion in the industry can contact Gabby Austen-Browne at gabby@diversityalliance.co.uk or Robert Kenward at robert@recruitmentprof.com for more information.
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Our University Partners
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Meet The REACH Ambassadors
Destiny Events Professional Becoming a REACH Ambassador aligns perfectly with my personal commitment to nurturing young potential. Drawing from my previous experience as a youth worker, mentor and now Black Events Professional, I am dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices in the industry. I support REACH’s mission to promote pathways of opportunity, empowering emerging talent to thrive and contribute to a more inclusive future.
Nobody's Cafe When I founded Nobody’s Café, I wanted to help showcase what’s possible for people of colour in an industry in need of more diversity. So, it’s an absolute honour to be a REACH Ambassador and help promote their event management scholarship - they help bring more incredible people from underrepresented ethnic minorities into the events industry and I’m in full support.
Hay Events
MMU Events Management Student Thrilled to step into the role of a REACH ambassador! I'm eager to bring new viewpoints to the events industry and expand horizons. Additionally, I see this as a valuable chance to broaden my network. I am excited to embark on this journey together, exploring new frontiers and forging meaningful connections!
Jonsam Events I am originally from Sri Lanka and moved to the UK at the age to 5 due to a civil war and ended up making the UK my home! I've been very fortunate to have been in the events industry for over 25 years (time flies) and always had some incredible bosses & mentors who have supported my career growth. Not everyone is this lucky so very excited to be an Ambassador for the REACH Events Scholarship (Race, Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage).