Addressing racism

Addressing racism, inclusivity and diversity

Many of you will have heard about the recent tragic and brutal killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many other black lives in the USA, and the subsequent response from across the world with the Black Lives Matter protests.

We all know racism is not just a problem in the USA, it is a problem worldwide.

We want to take this opportunity to reiterate that we deeply believe in fairness, equality and respect for all human lives. We have always taken the issue of inclusivity and diversity seriously, and equality is at the heart of everything we do.

What is already in place?

Our initial recruitment, staff induction policies and on-going staff equality and diversity training that promotes equality and inclusivity for all, across ACT and our partners. We address racism and discrimination within our ACT Traineeship curriculum. This raises awareness and gives our learners a voice to share their experiences. All of which results in some really important and impactful conversations and learning. We have pledged allegiance to the Leadership and Diversity Scheme, which helps organisations to achieve an inclusive culture in which everyone receives fair and equal treatment, regardless of their background.

However, we must do more and we clearly recognise that we cannot be complacent. We can always do better, and as educational training providers, we will.

We are fully committed to the long-term work of challenging racism, and indeed all forms of discrimination, so that equality is achieved for all.

What are we doing now?

There is a well-established relationship in Wales between poverty and ethnicity, as we see all too well when teaching and working with some of the most vulnerable learners in our society.

With that in mind, we are;

Reviewing our curriculum to ensure it includes the issues that have been raised through recent events, and that it is adequately dealing with discrimination in all its forms.

Reaching out and seeking guidance from other organisations and using their knowledge and expertise to help us with this. Getting advice on how to improve the issues of diversity in the workplace. Using the information and data gathered from our Best Companies surveys, and our own internal diversity audits, to improve on the work we are already doing to increase the diversity of our workforce. Looking into improving access to mentoring programmes that provide opportunities for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) Introducing Diversity Champions within our organisations to promote diversity and inclusivity.

We encourage everyone, especially those who are struggling right now, to talk to their family, friends and colleagues. To really listen and share our experiences and stories with another, so we might learn from them and grow together.