Today marks the beginning of National Inclusion Week, and this year’s theme – ‘now is the time’ – emphasises the need for action.
What does inclusion mean – and why does it matter?
Inclusion means creating an environment where everyone is welcome, respected and valued. Feeling included is important for our wellbeing, and we all deserve to feel a sense of belonging.
Prioritising inclusion at Valleys to Coast ensures our services are accessible, and that we’re meeting people’s personal needs. This helps us to support our customers better and improve their quality of life.
While we’re shining the spotlight on inclusion this week, it’s been a central focus for us throughout the year as we work towards Tai Pawb’s Quality in Equality and Diversity (QED) award.
The award is a quality mark for the Welsh housing sector, providing a framework to work towards to make our organisation inclusive for colleagues and customers.
So, how are we doing so far?
Here’s how we’re making our services more inclusive for you:
- We’ve added an accessibility tool to our website so people with visual impairments, or those who need to read the website in a different language, can report repairs and find information easily. Simply click the blue button with the person inside at the top right of your screen to view the menu.
- We’ve started producing our information leaflets in Welsh so Welsh speaking customers can stay in the loop.
- We’ve launched a customer panel to make decisions with customer input.
We’ve collected EDI data from over 2,000 customers to learn more about how we can tailor our services to meet their specific needs. Here’s how we did this for one customer recently:
“I had a repair done recently and the tradesman was so lovely. I explained that my son has autism and he completely understood and interacted with him in a very friendly way. The man was due to go home at 5 but he stayed to change my window handles to make them safer for my son, who used to constantly open them. This used to make me anxious as we’re on the top floor.” – Rebecca
Receiving heartwarming feedback like this reminds us that we’re on the right path!
Have you updated your Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) information so we can support you too?
We haven’t forgotten about our colleagues!
- We provide specific equipment for colleagues with visual or hearing impairments and reduced mobility.
- We’ve supported colleagues to receive a diagnosis of ADHD, so they get the help they need in the workplace.
- We’ve made the nine-day fortnight arrangement permanent following a successful trial period, so colleagues can take extra time to pursue personal hobbies if they want to opt in.
- We’ve started providing fidget toys at colleague events and conferences for people who may have difficulty focusing.
- We’re continuing to provide disabled parking spaces and gender neutral toilets.
The road ahead
National Inclusion Week gives us a moment to reflect on our progress, but our work is far from over. We’re just as committed to promoting our EDI approach as ever!