National Day for Staff Networks, taking place on Wednesday 13 May 2026, is a dedicated opportunity to recognise and celebrate the critical role that staff networks play in fostering inclusive, supportive, and equitable workplace environments.
This year’s theme, #UnitingForEquity focuses on “collective action, bringing together staff networks and leaders to challenge inequality, amplify diverse voices, and create meaningful, lasting change.”
The National Day for Staff Networks Committee reports that 66% of employees believe networks help create a more inclusive environment, while 70% of 18–24 year olds are more likely to apply to organisations with active networks.
Our Staff Networks:
The University supports a number of identity-based Staff Networks as part of its commitment to building an Inclusive Sussex, where all members of our community have equal access to opportunities, can reach their full potential, and make a meaningful contribution. Our networks support the University community and enable the voices of a wide range of people to be heard so we can better understand and address barriers to equal representation, attainment, progression and reward.
Sussex staff can join or engage with staff network activities either as a member or ally. The University’s commitment to staff networks encourages managers to support staff to attend network meetings and events during their working hours where business needs allow. This is part of valuing the crucial contribution of our staff networks and their important role in supporting us to achieve our culture, equality and inclusion goals.
At Sussex we are proud to have the following staff networks, supported by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team:
• Ethnic Minority Staff Network
• Neurodiversity Staff Network
• Parent and Carer Staff Network
• Trans and Non-Binary Staff Network
• Long Covid and Chronic Fatigue Staff Support Network (part of the Staff Disability Network).
If you would like to find out more about a network or how to join, please visit the staff networks webpage.
Staff Networks Joint Event:
To mark and celebrate National Day for Staff Networks this year, we are pleased to invite staff to a special joint event organised by the Staff Networks: Canine Cuddles.
This relaxed event offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues, spend time with therapy dogs, and learn more about our staff networks and how to get involved. The event will take place on Tuesday 12 May from 12pm to 2pm at The Meeting House and is open to all staff. For further information and to register please click here.
Updates from some of our Staff Networks:
Neurodiversity Staff Network
Over the last few years, the Neurodiversity Staff Network has continued to grow as both a community and a voice for change across the university. As co-chairs, we’ve focused on championing inclusive practices through conversations at every level - from contributing to university strategies and policies, including the new mandatory disability training and the compassionate and disability leave policies, to reporting regularly to the People, Culture and Inclusion committees.
A key part of our advocacy has been pushing for neurodiversity to be recognised as part of the broader disability inclusion agenda, rather than treated as a subset of it. We’ve brought this message to university-wide events such as Staff Welcome and Wellbeing days, and have connected with colleagues at the Universities of Manchester, Bath, Surrey, East Anglia, and Dublin City University to learn from their work on neurodiversity training, toolkits, and accreditations. These conversations have reinforced how much further the sector still needs to go.
Closer to home, we’ve been actively building relationships with the new EDI leads across the restructured Faculties, making the case for neurodiversity representation and exploring how we can better support staff locally. This sits alongside our ongoing partnership with the central EDI team.
For our members, the network continues to offer a welcoming space through monthly MS Teams meetings, termly newsletters, and awareness events on topics such as generative AI tools and workplace accommodations. It’s a place for honest peer support — and when issues are raised, we feed them anonymously to the EDI unit so they can be acted on.
Through all of this, we’re reminded that the true strength of this network is its community. The generosity people show in sharing their lived experiences is what drives everything we do, and it’s what keeps us pushing for the systemic change our colleagues deserve.
Neurodiversity Staff Network Co-chairs – Cecile Chevalier and Darren Payne.
Staff Disability Network
The Staff Disability Network is one of the longest running staff networks on campus. It exists to support, advocate for and connect staff members at the University of Sussex who identify as disabled. Chaired by Angie and Kitty, the network runs monthly meetings to inform, educate and support their members by sharing advice on a range of topics from Access to Work to which electrolytes are best for rehydrating, as well as distributing regular newsletters and running a Teams channel for members to voice ideas, concern and seek support.
One of the SDN's main aims is to ensure that staff with disabilities are supported in all areas of working life. This year, through conversations with senior members of the leadership team, we have had the yearly parking payment refunded and have been working with the estates team on advising on the new external lift install. We have also set up accessible yoga sessions with Sussex Sport for our network members to enjoy and even arranged a canine cuddles day for all network members to attend as part of National Day for Staff Networks.
The Staff Disability Network is open to all members of staff who identify as having a disability, whether they are looking for support, advice, education or community. There is no expectation to disclose personal information or attend - all are welcome!
Staff Disability Network Co-Chairs – Angelina Kinsey-Cummins and Kitty Mitchell-Turner
Trans and Non-Binary Staff Network
The Trans and Non Binary Staff Network are approaching the issue of eroding gender rights by working with community engagement, and through increased advocacy to the University itself.
With staff network consultations, we have drafted letters to Pro-VC David Ruebain, asking for the University to speak out for us as staff members in recognition of the severity of the situation, while abiding by its obligation to accommodate freedom of speech. We have also been engaging in an Organisational Stress Risk Assessment, which HR suggested in recognition of the impact of political events on our community.
We have also made a point of enjoying activities as a community: from gathering at the Meeting House to enjoy food and music together on Trans Day of Remembrance, to our Winter Social in town, quiet walks out on sunny spring days, having a simple display in Library Square for Trans Day of Visibility, and our planning for a Trans Pride event in July. In times like these, we persevere by keeping close and pushing back, and we are at our best when we reach out to one another.
Trans and Non-Binary Network Co-Chairs – Rach Vowden and Jacqeline De Beaudrap