The Catholic Union will be hosting a discussion on “Faith in Social Mobility” to consider social mobility in Britain today.
The online event will feature Social Mobility Commissioner, Ryan Henson, in conversation with Catholic Union Deputy Director, James Somerville-Meikle.
The webinar is taking place on Wednesday 22 March, from 7.00-8.00pm. It is free to attend and open to everyone, but people will need to register in advance in order to receive the link to join the talk. Further details can be found here.
The discussion will look at the work of the Social Mobility Commission, as well as the contribution of faith groups to social mobility. People taking part in the webinar will be able to ask questions during the discussion.
The webinar builds on the Catholic Union’s proud history of leading public discussion, including our annual Craigmyle Lecture and a new “Pub Talk” series which started earlier this year.
Ryan Henson comments: “Social mobility helped to get me interested in politics. As the first person from my family to go to university, I know just how important education is in helping people achieve their potential. Social mobility is not only important for the individual but for society as a whole – leading to better decision making, greater innovation, and stronger communities. I’m delighted to serve on the Social Mobility Commission, helping to create a country where your circumstances at birth do not determine your outcomes in life. I know this is something where faith groups have a lot to offer and I’m looking forward to the discussion with the Catholic Union.”
Catholic Union Deputy Director, James Somerville-Meikle, comments: “Enabling people to achieve their potential, regardless of where they are from, is one of the most important metrics of a fair and just society. Fairness and justice are at the heart of Catholic Social Teaching so this should be a matter that concerns the Church. Our Catholic schools and parishes are amongst some of the most diverse places you will find in the country so this is also a discussion where the Church has a lot of practical experience to contribute. I’m very much looking forward to the discussion with Ryan.”
More information about our speaker can be found below.
Ryan Henson has been Chief Executive Officer at the Coalition for Global Prosperity, a think tank specialising in international development since April 2020. Prior to joining the Coalition, Ryan worked for CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, and on human rights policy at the Ministry of Justice. Ryan serves as a Reservist in the Royal Air Force and is a founding trustee of Diversity in Development, a social mobility charity working to widen access to the international development sector. Ryan was awarded an Aspen UK Rising Leaders Fellowship 2022 and was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Bedford at the 2019 General Election.