Diversity plans are progressed

Diversity Update

As most of you are already aware, as part of ACT’s commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), in 2021, we signed up to the Leaders in Diversity Award (recognised as the national equality standard).

The award provides ACT with a bespoke approach for improving Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement (FREDIE) practices in the workplace. The process of achieving the award is helping us to place structured FREDIE standards at the heart of everything we do. ACT has a review of progress in June 2022, at which point we’ll be asked to provide an update on the progress we have made towards the 10 key areas of FREDIE:

1. Effectiveness in advancing FREDIE principles.

2. Development of a culture that makes people feel safe, valued and included.

3. FREDIE is core to ACT’s strategy or business plan.

4. Good mental health and wellbeing are considered important across ACT.

5. Effective operational and line management of FREDIE.

6. Selection and recruitment practices are fair.

7. Fair retention, reward and progression processes are in place.

8. Performance management systems are used to improve FREDIE practices.

9. Fair and inclusive procurement practices are in place across ACT.

10. Effective communication in relation to FREDIE.

Key staff across the company have been working with their respective teams/areas of responsibility and we have provided some key updates on the progress we have made, below.

We have established staff advisory panel, to both challenge our thinking and guide us in developing our organisational approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. This group is made up of colleagues from ACT, and across our partner network.

We have developed training sessions on the LMS in relation to EDI/FREDIE related topics to help staff improve their knowledge and confidence in relation to topics such as neurodiversity, unconscious bias and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Further training sessions are also currently under development.

We have developed a FREDIE/EDI ‘badge’ that is used on all new resources developed by the curriculum team – including the apprenticeship induction, and JGW+ employability resources.

We are working to review accessibility of our buildings/facilities and are compiling accessibility statements. Our Quality team also complete centre walks/checks which help us to review how accessible our centres are, and how effectively we promote FREIDE principles with to/for our learners. We have reviewed and updated policies to ensure that they incorporate feedback from the National Centre for Diversity Team, and are reflective of FREDIE/EDI principles.

We have established regular Quality Assurance activities to help us understand how effectively we are promoting/displaying FREDIE/EDI principles within our learner journey. We are using the findings from such activities to help us identify and share good practice, and improve our service offer.

We have rolled-out mental health first aid training for staff across ACT, and are working to review the impact of this activity.

Whilst all members of the Senior Management Team (SMT) are committed to the promotion of FREDIE/EDI principles, two members of our SMT are leading on this area – Rebecca Cooper, and Becky Morris. If you have any queries, or would like to discuss our FREDIE journey in greater detail, please contact one/both and they will happily catch up!