Mentoring : The History of COFEM and the HDN Mentoring Programme

COFEM (Career Opportunities for Ethnic Minorities) is a concept that has developed over a number of years. It stemmed initially from a piece of research by Salford University, on behalf of the National Housing Federation and the Housing Corporation, which identified a lack of career opportunities for black and minority ethnic (BME) people within the housing sector.

The Housing Diversity Network took over the management and delivery of COFEM services in October 2005. COFEM had now evolved to become the HDN Mentoring Programme which includes the EDGE Forward and COFEM initiatives. The EDGE Forward initiative (Equality & Diversity Group for the East of England) was developed as an alternative to COFEM and included all under represented groups as there were low numbers of candidates in the region from only BME groups. Hence, the HDN mentoring programme has been revised and widened to include all under represented staff working in the housing sector. Women, disabled staff, ethnic minority and other under represented groups working in the housing sector can now access our revised mentoring programme.