Putting the spotlight on equality and diversity
Embedding principles of equality and diversity and community cohesion is among the key priorities of the national Beacon Scheme.
It is important that the scheme leads by example by ‘championing’ equality and diversity. It must be seen to be recognising and rewarding the excellent work of authorities, who share the same commitment to equalities, social inclusion and visible social justice.
The scheme, apart from being a major tool of improvement and shared learning has also been learning on equality and diversity. As a result of consultation with past, present and potential beacon authorities, the scheme is revolutionising its approach. It aims to bring itself in line with the new government changes, aimed at increasing equality and driving equalities performance.
Subsequently the scheme aims to help public bodies to focus on the legislative
duties and to remain up-to-date with developments, for example, new duties
relating to age, disability and sexual orientation.
Equality and diversity review of the Beacon Scheme (April 2006)
For the first time ever, beacon applicants in round seven were assessed under an explicit equality and diversity criteria. This encouraged applicants to take a leadership role in promoting equality and diversity in their service areas.
At the same time as this change to core criteria, a review was commissioned (April 2006) to determine the impact and value of including equality and diversity criteria in the assessment process of the Beacon Scheme, and to identify weaknesses, gaps and any adverse affects.
A random selection of beacon applications across different rounds and
themes was reviewed. Interviews were also conducted with beacon applicants,
beacon advisors, equality advisors, beacon team and Beacon Advisory Panel
members.
There was a large interactive open space event which sought stakeholder
views. They were asked if they felt the scheme encouraged applicants to
address equality and diversity in their applications or whether criteria
and processes marginalised equalities to equality-specific themes (e.g.
promoting race equality). Customer engagement and experience has been invaluable
in plotting the way forward for the scheme.
Review recommendations
The recommendations which came out of the review can be broadly summarised under the following headings:
Emphasising equality and diversity in beacon applications and processes
The review recommended that equality and diversity should have more prominence and positive commitment in the Beacon Scheme brochure so that it is clear from the outset to applicants that it will form an important part their submissions. Equality and diversity criteria is now clearer, specific and in line with other core criteria e.g. leadership (strategy and vision).
It was also recommended that the assessment of beacon's applications should feature equality and diversity criteria that are challenging, but consistently demonstrated through out the application and award process.
Recruitment, training and learning of all involved in the assessment process (including the core beacon team and the Beacon Advisory Panel)
One key recommendation was to ensure that all assessors (e.g. Beacon Advisory Panel members, government theme lead, and specialist advisors) undergo on-going appropriate equality and diversity training to enable them to assess and scrutinise applications effectively.
This also includes IDeA theme managers, who must encourage all beacons to promote diverse teams and communities during their year of shared learning. IDeA staff have to undertake a mandatory equalities course and Equality Impact Assessment training.
Working with other schemes to promote equality and diversity
It was recommended that the Beacon Scheme takes into consideration initiatives such as the Comprehensive Performance Assessment, the Local Government Equality Standard and the Peer Support scheme to promote equality and diversity.
The Beacon Scheme was the first IDeA ‘big ticket’ offering to undergo a voluntary equality impact assessment. It has already had an impact - the model of the Scheme has been used to inform the equality impact assessment programme across the agency.
Implementation progress
The IDeA beacon team is working to implement the recommendations from the review. Some of the key changes that have been actioned are:
* Equality and diversity criteria are now clearly explained in the round nine (and future) application brochure. The criteria asks authorities to incorporate service specific examples as well as corporate equality examples.
* Equality and diversity played a prominent role in rounds seven and eight. For both these rounds equality and diversity outcomes and scores were fully integrated into the overall decision-making process. In the round nine assessments, broad community cohesion outcomes are also being taken into account for the first time. This paves the way for the Scheme to fully ‘cohesion proof’ its assessment processes, and to respond proactively to the recent report by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion - 'Our Shared Future'. It is proposed that alongside equality and diversity, community cohesion will be embedded both through, and across, the themes and assessment process.
* The Beacon Advisory Panel and Beacon assessors underwent equality and diversity training sessions for round nine. As we approach round 10, the IDeA and the sponsoring government department, Communities & Local Government (CLG), are ensuring the Beacon Advisory Panel’s understanding of legislation changes, information sources and behavioural aspects is heightened. The panel‘s enthusiastic champions for equality and diversity are Dr. Mohammed Aslam and Victoria Ashfield.
Building on the close and productive relationship the scheme forged with experts from the three Equalities Commissions following the review of the CRE’s exit strategy: ‘A lot done, still a lot to do’, recognised this collaboration. On page 51 it reads:
"We also worked with our sister commissions and the IDeA on the Beacon Scheme for local councils, to make sure that the requirements of the public sector duties to promote equality are included in all beacon themes and in the methodology which underpins the scheme".
Building on the 'critical friend challenge' of the Equality Commissions, recent developments with our implementation include:
* Revamped equality and diversity performance data provided in the first stage of assessments, to enable the assessors to make informed judgements. Particularly in relation to Equality Standard ratings, and where there is evidence of adverse equalities activity or extremism in a locality.
* A positive statement of commitment to equality, diversity and cohesion, by the panel in the round 10 brochure.
* The development of an equality and diversity checklist as guidance for applicant authorities.
Joint working with the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will be important to the Scheme’s development of equality and diversity. This is already happening as the IDeA continues to maintain the link it has with the commission.