Promoting Racial Equality

Promoting racial equality staff internal workshop

Following Gravesham Borough Council being awarded Beacon Status for Promoting Racial Equality.

The Beacon Team, with the support of the North West Kent Race Equality Council (NWKREC - see link below) and senior officers commenced on the 8 July 2005 with implementing the first in a series of internal staff half day workshops on promoting racial equality.

Representatives from a range of disciplines attended and participated in an interactive good practice and skills sharing exercise that had clearly defined objectives. The workshops provided an excellent platform for staff to work together and discuss areas of challenge that they had or were experiencing or particularly those that they felt were likely to come across in the future as the equalities and diversity agenda broadened out.

As a result of the workshops there had been several issues raised that were placed on to the Community Cohesion Steering Group agenda and other matters that allowed a swifter response that immediately improved aspects of service delivery.

It is planned that over a period of time all staff will attend the half day workshops, with lunch provided, and that the opportunity to network will formulate part of the performance management objectives, to ensure that promoting racial equality and community cohesion becomes further embedded in the business culture of all areas of service delivery.