NICVA receives NI Diversity and Inclusion Charter Mark

NICVA lives these values through our lobbying and campaigning, support for issues in our manifesto, how we deliver our training and advice and in our own recruitment and selection processes. We intentionally design our offering to demonstrate commitment, look out for invisible constituencies and promote positive curiosity about other people. Our staff are committed to diversity and inclusion and we provide training and awareness raising, such as the Legal Island Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace elearning and guest speakers from our sector. Seamus McAleavey says:

 "NICVA’s values and ethos underpin everything we do - we are committed to equality, justice and promoting diversity and opposing discrimination of any sort. This effects how we design and deliver our services and how we serve our members.”

Legal Island's Diversity and Inclusion Charter Mark is an exciting development for Northern Ireland, recognising and encouraging commitment to these important values. Legal Island invite you to join them for the webinar launch of the Diversity and Inclusion Charter Mark on Tuesday 2 July at 3pm. You'll be among the first in Northern Ireland to learn how you can play your part in the rollout of this brand new diversity and inclusion standard.

At the Legal Island NI Equality and Diversity Awards 2019 Winners’ workshop we heard advice from those organisations that won the NI Equality and Diversity Awards this year. Action for Children, was the winner of the Best Employer for Equality and Diversity in NI – small organisation. Clare McClintock, their inclusion officer, shared ideas and practice. She said that although it takes time, effort, passion and resources that it is worth it. She said

“We need to talk about diversity and have leadership from the top. To speak up for inclusion we need to speak about inclusion”

Gilbert Ash was the winner of the Best Gender initiative and they worked in partnership with Women’s Tec, a NICVA member, to deliver the “not just for boys” campaign and project to encourage females into the construction industry. One of the quotes from the school girls on the project that stood out was – “Is it true that we can really be anything we want when we grow up?”

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust won the Best Disability Initiative Award for Workable (NI). They provide a flexible range of long term support to help people with disabilities, who have barriers to employment, to find and keep work.  It is delivered in partnership with a range organisations in our sector that have extensive experience of meeting the vocational needs of people with disabilities, such as Disability Action, Now, Mencap, NIUSE, USEL, Orchardville Society. Their advice was

“Get buy in from the top if you want something to work”

David Johnston form PSNI was one of the 2019 judges. He reminded us that representation goes beyond the statistics, it shouldn't just be about the numbers but about changing the environment that people work in. We should focus on being inclusive and making people feel welcome and that they can be themselves in the workplace, not have to fit in. He said:

"It is one thing to have representation but quite another thing for those people to feel included"

Training and awareness raising in these issues is key and NICVA are delighted to have secured a discounted rate on the Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace Legal Island elearning for all of our members  - for only £10 per person (reduced from £30). To find out more contact [email protected]