National Inclusion Week 2023

As we celebrate National Inclusion Week 2023, Nugent’s Head of People, Hetal Mainwaring, has put together a blog to show our progress with our EDI Strategic Framework. Take a look below at what Hetal had to say:

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A year has flown by, and as we approach National Inclusion Week 2023, I have been reflecting on the last year and our EDI journey.

This year’s theme is Take Action Make Impact.  The EDI Strategic Framework and our work to become culturally competent is having positive impact across Nugent.

Whilst we have a way to go in our journey, but I am proud of the work we have put in place to give us the best chance to make tangible improvements needed at Nugent, and across our wider society.

Activities throughout year one

I thought it would be useful to share the activities that occurred throughout year one of the strategic framework.

• We launched Nugent’s first EDI Strategic Framework which runs from 2021-2025 and supports our CEO’s existing Anti-Racism pledge which includes to Increase BAME representation in the organisation to match the ethnicity profile of the Liverpool City Region (13.8%). We have increased BAME representation by 100% as it rose from 3% to 7% in the first year of the strategy.

• Provided support and staff time for our staff forums and Chairs to meet and input regularly at the EDI Assembly, to ensure we hold ourselves accountable in making improvements for staff and beneficiaries.

• Trustees requested for the EDI Strategic Framework, to be included on the annual business plan in order to ensure that the implementation of the strategy was driven from all levels of the organisation.

• Executive leaders have EDI written into their annual performance indicators.

• Featured EDI on SLT agendas regularly such as at the Leadership Residential, and the Diversity Dialogues Listening Session. We dedicated sessions to explore EDI principles and understand the lived experience of our staff.

• We marked National Inclusion Week for the first time in 2022.

• Included EDI questions in our staff survey to understand the experiences of our staff and beneficiaries and track progress.

• We developed a series of metrics to help us track progress on issues such as recruitment, retention and disciplinaries.

• We committed to publishing an annual EDI Report to the Trustees which can be shared with Nugent staff and stakeholders.

In March 2023, we attended the Northern Power Women’s Awards as we were shortlisted for our work on EDI. 

We know there is so much more to do. We’re committed to making positive changes within Nugent.

Progress so far in year 2

• EDI awareness sessions have taken place with various teams across Nugent including Nugent House School, Community Services, People function, Finance and Adoption. 

• Our independent EDI practitioner delivered an Inclusive recruitment workshop for the people function.

• Staff forum training delivered by our Independent EDI Practitioner

• Race awareness training session at Marydale, this has resulted in a number of actions to support having a more inclusive culture within the service.

• Creation of updated equality impact assessment (EIA) form to ensure EIAs are meaningful.

• Our independent EDI practitioner has been commissioned to review the People, Learning and Development policy and the Safeguarding policy.

What’s next?

I look forward to seeing what we can achieve in quarter 3 and 4 of this year. 

The progress will include the development of an inclusive language session, reviewing feedback from the policy review, training and roll out for the new Equality Impact Assessment form.

I look forward to continuing our journey and progressing with the actions to support creating an inclusive environment.