Minutes:
The Committee was informed that the Council’s Equality and Diversity framework, which ran from April, 2017 till March, 2021, set out the means by which the organisation would tackle inequalities and promote diversity in the City. The framework had been built around four key priorities and associated actions, namely, leadership, partnership and organisational commitment, understanding our communities through data and consultation, delivering services accessible to all and developing a skilled and diverse workforce. In terms of the leadership, partnership and organisational commitment key priority, the Council had committed to developing and delivering a Gender Action Plan, an LGBT+ Action Plan and a Race Action Plan.
The Director of City and Organisational Strategy reported that the Women’s Steering Group had, in May, 2018, agreed a three-year Gender Action Plan for delivery between April, 2018 and March, 2021. The Year 2 Action Plan, covering 2019/20, was being presented to the Committee for approval, as was an LGBT+ Action Plan for the same period, which had been formulated in collaboration with the LGBT staff network. A Race Relations Plan had still to be developed. The cost of delivering Year 2 of the Gender Action Plan was approximately £40,500, which included £16,000 of approved activity carried over from 2018/19, whilst the delivery of the LGBT+ Action Plan would cost £9,300. Those costs would be met from the existing Organisational Development budget.
The Committee approved Year 2 of the Gender Action Plan (2019/20) and the LGBT+ Action Plan 2019/20, as set out hereunder, together with the associated costs.
GENDER ACTION PLAN 2018 – 2021
(Year 2019-20)
WOMEN IN THE COUNCIL -to ensure that BCC organisational culture, policies and practices empower talent development at all levels, for elected members and officers and remove any form of discrimination
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Action |
Who |
Cost |
Year |
Hold annual IWD event for staff
|
HR IWD working group WNG |
£6000 |
2 |
Deliver 2nd mentoring programme (men and women) |
HR |
£3000 |
2 |
Deliver Women Leaders Programme (members and officers) |
WSG HR External facilitator |
£12000 |
2 (postponed from 18/19) |
Deliver 2nd work shadowing initiative with CX ( linked to mentoring programme)
|
HR CX office |
Staff resources |
2 |
Deliver short modular personal development sessions for WNG members |
HR |
£3000 |
2 (c/f from Year 1) |
Provide Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor work shadowing opportunities to youth forum members |
Lord Mayors Unit Youth Forum |
Staff resources |
2 (c/f from Year 1. |
Participate in NI Gender Diversity Charter assessment against annual targets and activities
|
CX HR |
£2500 |
2 |
Commission and start delivery of unconscious bias training - to start with CMT |
HR |
£1000 |
2 |
Continue to facilitate WNG, including Belfast Women in Tec Group |
Digital Services/ WNG |
Staff Resources |
2 |
Develop/ agree transgender guidance document for staff |
HR LGB&T Network |
Staff resources |
2 |
Ensure effective promotion of BCC as an employer that values and supports equality and diversity (external website, job info to potential applicants, press releases etc. ) |
HR MarComms Staff network |
Staff Resources |
2 |
Hold event/ workshop for both male and female staff to jointly explore/ discuss gender issues and identify any issues to be addressed
|
HR Staff networks |
£1000 |
2 |
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WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY -with the purpose of increasing the representation of women in leadership positions throughout communities across Belfast by ensuring that processes are in place to increase women’s involvement in decision making in communities
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Fund annual external IWD event. |
Equality Unit |
£6000
|
2 |
Finalise baseline assessment of current engagement and activity in relation to gender |
WNG Departments |
Staff resources |
2 (c/f from Year 1)
|
Hold Transgender remembrance event |
Head of HR LGB&T network
|
LBGT+ budget |
2 |
Consider use of new exhibition space to further promote/ tell stories of female role models Explore the potential foe City Hall tours based around women in the city
|
Director of Legal Services WSG WNG |
Staff Resources TBC |
2 |
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WOMEN IN THE ECONOMY -to ensure all council policies and strategies influence and facilitate the active and fair participation of both women and men in the economy |
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Hold a gender capacity building event for community planning partners |
WSG HR Policy Unit |
£1000 |
2 (c/f from Year 1) |
Develop ‘gender lens’ (‘equality lens’) to build into future policy development – in conjunction with wider equality and diversity work to develop a diversity lens as part of Belfast Agenda Action Plan
|
EEDO HR Policy Unit |
£3000 |
2 |
Identify employability partners to deliver employability/ outreach initiatives for women.
( Link to City Deal proposals )
|
HR/OD Economic Initiatives |
Staff resources |
Ongoing as opportunities arise |
Identify opportunities for pre-recruitment programmes targeted at females furthest removed from the labour market |
HR |
Staff resources |
Ongoing as opportunities arise
|
The Northern Ireland Female Enterprise Challenge - A collaborative programme between the 11 Local Councils, Invest NI, and Women in Business NI (WIB) to promote and support female enterprise. . This programme also includes sponsorship for the WIB conference.
Enterprise and Employability support for underrepresented groups – Belfast City Council programme of support to enable underrepresented groups (including females) to overcome the barriers to starting a business or accessing employment opportunities.
|
Economic Development
Economic Development
|
£6,200
£90,000 |
2
2
|
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WOMEN IN THE CITY -to ensure that the needs of women across the city are identified and used to influence and impact upon the regeneration of the city including social infrastructure design and community facilities provision |
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As part of the ongoing baseline audit of all Council assets determine if Council assets are ‘fit for purpose’ in terms of the needs of all genders and that gender needs are looked at as part of the development of any new council asset
|
Property and Projects Department C&NS Place & Economy Dept |
Staff resources
Potential cost if additional works required |
2 |
As part of the ongoing area working /place shaping work and the Physical Investment Programme look at opportunities of how the needs of women can be better met across the city |
Property & Projects Department Place and Economy C&NS A Strategic Hub External stakeholders
|
Staff resources Potential associated costs for GAP 19/20 & 21/22 |
2 |
Work with City Partners on achievement of Safe City status and retain ‘ platinum level’ status |
BCC ONUS External partners |
£2000 |
2 |
TOTAL APPROXIMATE COSTS - £ 40,500k for year 2 (excluding ED funded initiatives)
LGBT+ Action Plan 2019-2020
Theme - Training and Development |
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Outcomes |
Actions required |
Timing |
Lead |
Indicative costs |
Increased awareness of LGBT+ bias
|
Source and deliver awareness training
|
2019-20
|
HR/ Network Chair
|
£700 total for 2 sessions
|
LGBT employees feel comfortable to be their whole selves
Line managers understand key issues and their responsibilities
|
Review diversity training to ensure LGBT+ issues covered
|
2019-20
|
HR
|
Staff Resource
|
Better mental health |
Source and deliver the Mental Health First Aider course for up to 10 network members
|
2019-20 |
HR |
£1000 |
Theme – Promoting positive attitudes |
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Outcomes |
Actions required |
Timing |
Lead |
Indicative costs |
All relevant policies are inclusive and use gender neutral language where possible
Clear processes in place for staff to raise issues around discrimination/bullying/harassment based on gender and sexual orientation
|
Review staff policies.
|
2019-20
|
HR
|
Staff Resource |
Guidance available for trans employees and their managers and for staff delivering services to the trans community |
Develop Transgender policy / guidance |
2019-20
|
HR
|
Staff Resource
|
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Theme – Promotion and ensure visibility of Network including senior champions |
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Outcomes |
Actions required |
Timing |
Lead |
Indicative costs |
Increased awareness of and participation in network
Increased awareness about staff network and senior support
|
Promote via Interlink/
|
2019-20
|
Network Chair
|
Staff Resource/ Comms
|
Articles profiling senior champion and allies
|
2019-20
|
Chair / Network
|
Staff Resource/ Comms
|
|
Source promotional material
|
2019-20
|
Network
|
£1000 Staff Resource/ Comms
|
|
Confirmed network identity
|
Agree name for network and promote as appropriate
|
2019-20
|
Network
|
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Potential applicants aware BCC is an employer that values and supports equality and diversity
|
Ensure relevant info on external website, job info to potential applicants, press releases etc.)
|
2019-20
|
HR MarComms Staff network |
|
Theme – Community Engagement |
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Outcomes |
Actions required |
Timing |
Lead |
Indicative costs |
Bigger and better participation in Pride and more visibility of BCC support for LGBT+ community
Visible support for LGBT Community
|
Participate in Pride |
2019-20
|
Network
|
£2500
|
Build participation with network members and staff
|
2019-20
|
Network
|
Staff Resource |
|
Increased awareness of issues faced by Trans community and awareness of need for remembrance
|
Hold annual Transgender Day of Remembrance event
|
2019-20 |
Network/ HR
|
£800
|
Theme – Social Networking |
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Outcomes |
Actions required |
Timing |
Lead |
Indicative costs |
Improved visibility, learning and positive outcomes |
Facilitate an event between NI Stonewall organisations |
2019-20 |
Network |
£800
|
Theme – Employee Lifecycle / Organisational Analysis |
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Outcomes |
Actions required |
Timing |
Lead |
Indicative costs |
Feedback from staff re LGBT issues
|
Circulate Stonewall survey online for at least 4 weeks
|
2019-20
|
HR /Marketing and Comms
|
Staff Resource/ Comms
|
Position in national benchmarking exercise
|
Membership of Diversity Champions Programme and participation in Stonewall Equality Index
|
2019-20 |
HR and Staff network |
£2500 |
Areas for improvement identified
|
Consider diversity survey results to identify improvements that are need going forward
|
2019-20 |
HR |
Staff Resource/ Comms
|
Ensuring comprehensive info on staff is available and up to date. |
Carry out voluntary staff monitoring exercise
|
2019-20
|
HR
|
Staff Resource
|
Update application monitoring forms |
2019-20
|
HR
|
Staff resource
|
Theme – Inclusive Workplace |
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Outcomes |
Actions required |
Timing |
Lead |
Indicative costs |
Gender neutral facilities for staff |
Consider feasibility of gender neutral toilet in City Hall and city centre offices. |
2019/20 |
HR/ Facilities Mgt |
Corporate Maintenance Budget approval if work necessary |
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Total |
£9300 |
Supporting documents: