About the conference
The Black Educators’ Conference will be returning to Birmingham this year from 13 – 15 November.
With the many crises we face as Black communities and as workers deepening, it is important now more than ever that we build the unity needed to fight back.
There will be external speakers, workshops, stalls, and plenaries which focus on topics relating to anti-racist thought and activism. This conference also offers a unique opportunity to engage and network with fellow Black members.
The conference is integral to the democracy of our union; members will vote on a motion that will then be sent to annual conference 2027.
Delegates will receive accommodation, breakfast, dinner on Friday and Saturday night, lunch and refreshments. Childcare will be available for members who need to bring their children to attend.
Who can attend?
The conference is open to all members from an ethnic minority background. The union uses the term Black in a political context to encompass “all members who self-identify as Black, Asian and any other minority ethnic groups who do not identify themselves as White”. This includes Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities.
How to apply
Application for this event has now closed. We are heavily oversubscribed, so we are unable to accept any further applications for this year’s event.
Funding your place
As part of the application process, we will ask your district if they are willing to fund your attendance at conference. Without their support you cannot be given a place.
You are encouraged to get in touch with them when you apply to support your application.
Click here to find your district contact information
Members of the Black organising forum , whose work is explained in more detail here are funded centrally so district funding approval is not required.
How you can effect change in the union
The Black educators conference isn’t just about listening to speakers and taking part in workshops, it plays a key role in setting the union’s policy. Every delegate will have the opportunity to submit a motion which could be chosen to go straight to the union’s annual conference where rules are made and the strategy for the next year is decided.
Please see here for more information on annual conference 2027.