Dr Sylvia Sham has been Director of Wai Yin Chinese Women Society since 1998, during which time she has led the continuous development of the organisation which now employs over 50 staff and delivers 11 services to over 500 people each week from Greater Manchester's Chinese Community and beyond. Outside of the organisation, Dr Sham contributes to many national, regional and local advisory groups, health and social care organisation to BME business issues. These include:

• Manchester's local Compact steering group
• Manchester's Black and Ethnic Minority Strategy Consultation Forum
• Salford's Black and Minority Ethnic Forum
• Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Advisory Group
• Manchester Community Information Network (MCIN) Board Member
• Manchester Drugs & Race Partnership Forum Board Member
• Manchester BME Network - Steering Group Member

Dr Sham was called as a witness for GMCVO during the Public Administration Select Committee hearing on Thursday 17th January 2008. This was reported in Magazine. A copy of the report is available for download here.

(Report provided curtesy of Magazine)

Dr. Sham is always quick to tell people that she 'only' has a PhD in education – not a real doctor! Her academic publications include the following:

• 2001 The Drug Misuse Needs of the Chinese Community in Greater Manchester. Department of health and University of Central Lancashire
• 1999 Chinese Adolescents and Britain and Hong Kong – Identity and Aspirations. Ashgate publishing
• 2007 – Language Brokering as Young People's Work: Evidence from Chinese Adolescents in England. Language and Education an International Journal. Vol 21:1, p.16

Sylvia is committed to supporting community organisations across Greater Manchester in order to achieve quality and sustainability in delivering local support services. She is particularly interested in encouraging Chinese people living in Britain to take an interest in social & political issues affecting their lives. Living in a democratic society, like the UK, gives people the opportunity to have an opinion on many matters and to express that opinion through community participation. Additionally, she wants to encourage Chinese people to take an active part in groups both locally and nationally so that the voice of the silent minority can be heard in a constructive and informed way.