Part Three: Nurturing and Supporting Diverse Talent
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Attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of talent within your party is crucial to ensuring that the political landscape reflects the society it serves. This section outlines practical steps your party can take to ensure that aspiring candidates and members have the support they need to participate fully and succeed in political life.
Key areas covered in this section include:
- Providing training, mentoring, and peer support to help members develop skills and confidence.
- Offering financial assistance and clear information on campaign costs to ease financial barriers for underrepresented candidates.
- Protecting candidates from harassment and abuse, including online threats, and providing training on how to manage these challenges.
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Training and development
Deciding to stand for election is a big decision that requires confidence, knowledge and skills in various areas. To increase the number of candidates from underrepresented groups, your party can take proactive action to develop potential candidates through training or skill-sharing.
Here are some potential modules that can particularly benefit potential candidates from underrepresented groups:
Public speaking and messaging: Clear and confident communication is essential for engaging with voters, media, and community groups. Potential candidates from underrepresented backgrounds may have had fewer opportunities to develop these skills. Public speaking, speechwriting, and debate training can help candidates build confidence and articulate their messages effectively.
Media and press: Engaging with the media is a crucial part of campaigning, but it can be intimidating—especially for those with less exposure to traditional press. Since media representation can be biased, underrepresented groups may also face additional scrutiny or misrepresentation. Training in media engagement, handling tough questions, and avoiding common pitfalls helps candidates communicate effectively with journalists and different audiences and navigate potential challenges.
Fundraising and resource management: Running for office requires financial resources, but not everyone has the same access to fundraising networks. Training in budgeting, donor outreach, and financial regulations helps candidates build sustainable campaigns. Underrepresented groups often face systemic barriers to funding, so guidance on alternative fundraising methods—such as small-donor campaigns, grants, and community-driven support—ensures a more level playing field.
Voter engagement and organising: Engaging voters is at the heart of any campaign, but different communities require different approaches. Training in canvassing, volunteer coordination, and targeted outreach helps candidates connect with diverse audiences. As underrepresented groups often have lower voter turnout due to historical disenfranchisement, equipping candidates with tailored engagement strategies helps ensure broader participation and representation.
Personal and online safety: Public-facing roles come with risks, including harassment and threats, especially for people from underrepresented groups. It is critical that they are equipped to recognise and manage risks and know how to access support. Training on personal safety, online privacy, digital security and risk assessment helps candidates recognise, respond to, and report threats effectively. Information on relevant support networks, legal protections, and mental health resources ensures all candidates can campaign with confidence and security.
Social media and digital literacy: Online platforms are powerful tools for reaching voters, mobilising supporters, and shaping public debate. Training on digital strategy, audience engagement, and content creation helps candidates build an effective online presence. However, digital spaces can be challenging, particularly for some people from underrepresented groups who may lack digital literacy skills. To make digital activities more inclusive, consider offering training and sharing ‘how to’ guides.
To ensure many potential candidates can access these training opportunities, consider flexibility in how training is delivered. Offering online sessions, recorded content for self-paced learning, and in-person workshops at different times can accommodate the schedules of individuals with various personal and professional commitments. Additionally, providing support such as childcare services, travel stipends, or ensuring venues are accessible can help break down barriers for candidates with caring responsibilities or disabled candidates.
Mentoring, shadowing and coaching
People from underrepresented groups often face structural barriers when entering politics, including a lack of networks, role models, and access to insider knowledge. Mentoring, shadowing and coaching opportunities can help break down these barriers.
How to create a mentoring scheme
A mentoring scheme is a structured programme where experienced individuals provide guidance, support, and advice to less experienced individuals to help them develop professionally. To establish an effective mentoring scheme, parties should:
- Identify potential mentors. Encourage experienced politicians, activists, and campaigners to volunteer as mentors, including those who have relevant lived experiences and understand the challenges faced by underrepresented groups.
- Define clear objectives. Determine the goals, such as skill-building and confidence development. Tailor mentoring to different needs, including first-time candidates, grassroots activists, and those interested in leadership roles.
- Match mentors and mentees thoughtfully. Consider factors such as background, experience, and career aspirations when pairing participants. Offer mentees the option to request a mentor from a similar demographic or lived experience.
- Structure the programme. Set a clear timeframe (e.g., six months to a year) with regular check-ins. Provide training for mentors on how to guide and support mentees effectively. Establish a code of conduct to ensure a respectful and inclusive mentoring environment.
- Monitor and evaluate. Collect feedback from both mentors and mentees to assess the effectiveness of the scheme. Track outcomes, such as how many mentees go on to stand for election or take on leadership roles. Adjust the programme based on participant experiences and needs.
How to create shadowing opportunities
Shadowing allows aspiring politicians to observe and experience the daily work of elected officials. To implement a shadowing initiative:
- Partner with elected officials. Encourage MPs, councillors, and other representatives to offer shadowing opportunities. Promote the scheme within the party to maximise participation.
- Develop a flexible structure. Offer both short-term (one-day) and long-term (weeks/months) shadowing placements. Allow mentees to attend public meetings, observe campaigning, and participate in constituency work.
- Ensure accessibility. Provide financial support for travel and accessibility needs. Offer remote shadowing options (e.g., virtual meetings, online campaign activities).
- Create a supportive environment. Provide pre-shadowing briefings to help participants understand expectations. Assign a point of contact for participants to ask questions and seek guidance.
- Encourage long-term engagement. Help participants transition from shadowing to active political roles, such as joining campaign teams or standing for internal party positions. Connect them with further training and development opportunities within the party.
Similar considerations apply to establishing coaching schemes. In addition to supporting and resourcing your own schemes, your party should consider regularly sharing information on independent programmes that are open to individuals from all parties, including the Equal Power Equal Voice Mentoring Programme, the Access to Politics Grassroots Network and Elect Her networks.
Investing in peer support
Peer support is when people use their personal experience to provide knowledge, advice, emotional or practical support to each other. Peer support can enable individuals from underrepresented groups to develop skills, build confidence, and actively pursue roles they are interested in.
Some forms of peer support that your party could consider setting up include:
- Befriending and buddying schemes
- Peer mentoring or shadowing
- Peer networks or representative groups
- Online forums
- Peer training schemes
Peer support schemes should ideally be led by individuals with relevant lived experience with adequate support and resourcing from your party. As people from underrepresented groups are likely to have less time, financial and other resources, support and resourcing is particularly important. Your party should prioritise peer support groups and make sure they are seen as an equally valued part of your party. For example, your party should consult peer support networks on policy proposals that are relevant to their group, allocate time at conferences, and provide opportunities for peer networks to feed back on their activities at local party meetings.
Financial assistance and information on campaign costs
Candidates from underrepresented groups often face significant financial barriers when running for election. Due to structural inequalities, people from underrepresented groups tend to have lower savings and income and more limited career progression opportunities.
Having fewer savings and financial assets increases the risk associated with running a campaign, as candidates may need to take unpaid leave or invest personal funds into a campaign they may not win. These financial risks can discourage talented individuals from standing for election. Candidates from underrepresented backgrounds may also have fewer connections to political donors and fundraising networks, making it more difficult to finance their campaigns.
Beyond general campaign expenses, candidates from underrepresented groups often incur additional costs, such as:
- Access-related expenses – Disabled candidates may require funding for transport, assistive technology, personal assistants, or accessible campaign materials.
- Childcare and unpaid caring responsibilities – Candidates with children or family care obligations may need financial support to cover care costs while campaigning.
- Appearance-related costs – Women, in particular, face heightened public scrutiny over their appearance, often requiring higher spending on professional attire, grooming, or hairstyling.
- Safety-related expenses – Those at higher risk of harassment, abuse, or violence may need to invest in personal security measures, such as home security upgrades, travel safety provisions, or online protection services.
To address these financial barriers and promote equitable access to political participation, your party should consider:
- Providing direct financial assistance. Offering bursaries, grants, or dedicated funds to cover essential expenses such as childcare, access-related costs, and safety measures.
- Ensuring transparent information on campaign costs. Give candidates a detailed breakdown of anticipated campaign expenses. Provide clear information on what costs will be covered by the party and share information on any financial support available, including party-internal bursaries as well as independent schemes such as the Access to Elected Office Fund.
- Clarifying exemptions from campaign spending limits. Providing guidance on which expenses (e.g., access costs for disabled candidates) are not counted towards official spending limits, helping candidates allocate funds effectively. Note that the Welsh Government intends to exempt safety-related expenses from candidate and party spending limits in time for the 2026 election, following a recommendation from the Jo Cox Civility Commission report.
- Expanding access to fundraising opportunities. Facilitating connections between underrepresented candidates and potential donors, as well as providing training on fundraising strategies.
- Developing an inclusive financial support strategy. Reviewing your party’s financial assistance policies to ensure they meet the needs of diverse candidates, e.g. ensure timely reimbursement and do not expect candidates to pay major reimbursable expenses in advance.
Harassment and abuse
Candidates from underrepresented groups tend to face significantly higher levels of harassment and abuse, which can be a major deterrent from standing for elections. This section outlines several steps your party can take to support potential candidates who experience harassment and abuse in the public domain.
Provide support to affected individuals
When candidates know they have a strong support system within your party, they are more likely to feel safe and empowered to continue their political journey. A strong public and internal stance against harassment and abuse is essential in creating a safe political environment. Your party should openly condemn any form of intimidation or violence against candidates.
Internally, your party can ensure that candidates facing harassment or abuse have access to both legal and emotional support to help them navigate these challenges. This could include assistance with filing police reports, legal advice and representation in pursuing legal action against abusers or responding to false allegations. Additionally, mental health support is crucial, as persistent harassment can take a significant emotional toll. Parties should offer access to counselling services, peer support groups, or mental health professionals to ensure candidates have the emotional resilience to continue their campaigns. Your party should provide timely training on personal and online safety to ensure candidates are equipped to keep themselves safe.
Additionally, parties can provide direct support by ensuring staff or committee members are monitoring candidates’ online presence, helping them identify and report harmful content, and ensuring swift action is taken against harassment on social media platforms. It can be exhausting and traumatic for victims to view abusive content and report abuse to platform providers because many require each individual message to be reported separately. Online abuse is more likely to happen or increase after a media appearance, debate or event. Parties should anticipate events that might result in online abuse and consider providing proactive support. Your party should also consider recruiting a ‘screening team’ to view, screen shot, and sort abusive messages either to report to the social media company or the police.
Digital self-care and positive online engagement
Candidates and elected representatives are particularly likely to experience online bullying and abuse due to their public facing role and because they frequently use social media to communicate with voters and members. Digital self-care is a strategy to set digital boundaries, empower victims and reduce the harm caused by online abuse. Steps that parties can take to promote digital self-care include providing individuals with information and training on:
- Blocking and privacy controls: How to block abusive accounts, adjust privacy settings, disable location tracking, and mute notifications.
- Platform policies and reporting: Understanding the terms of use for digital platforms and knowing how to report abusive messages effectively.
- Account security: Using long, strong, and unique passwords, as well as enabling two-factor authentication for added protection.
- Protecting personal information: How to blur backgrounds and remove identifying details or tags that could compromise privacy.
Party communications teams could consider limiting the amount they tag individual candidates and representatives in party social media posts or receiving explicit permission before they do so. This may help to limit the number of abusive messages received.
Online platforms and social media have meant that debate and political activities can happen in any place at any time of day. Whilst this has many benefits, it can create a culture of ‘online presenteeism’, where people feel they will only be rewarded or progress in the party if they put in longer hours online or are constantly and quickly responding to posts or news articles.
Presenteeism can be particularly harmful to individuals from underrepresented groups in politics, including those who are disabled or have caring responsibilities. To promote a positive party culture, it can be helpful to discuss candidates’ expectations for online activities before an election campaign begins. The party could also consider encouraging candidates to set their own boundaries to ensure a healthy and respectful digital environment. For instance, candidates may prefer to only post social media themselves during the working week or during certain hours of the day, or they could request that photos of them at events are not posted until they leave a location to increase their safety.
Parties should not automatically expect candidates or activists with prominent party roles to use their personal social media accounts to promote their party role or during an election. Consider having structures around candidates and representatives which support them with social media and online engagement, especially during internal selection processes or election campaigns. Your party might also want to consider staff or volunteer support to enable candidates to take breaks from social media.