Strategic Equality Plan 2022 – 2025

Foreword from the Principal:

Our mission is simple – be all that you can be. Be you.

Bridgend College is a special place to learn and work. We want to create an inclusive environment which enables people to be innovative and passionate about what they do. We want to create inspirational opportunities which transform lives and celebrate the successes of every individual. We are committed to making decisions which are ethical and people-centred, for every person and in every interaction. We know that the standards we walk past are the standards we accept, so by being a team player who is committed to our organisational values, we can ensure that everyone is ready to learn and work in an environment where they are respected and feel safe, to be all that they can be.

Purpose:

We seek to develop a culture that embraces and celebrates diversity, and fosters inclusion. We will ensure that we champion and promote diversity and inclusion in everything that we do, and seek to eradicate discrimination, victimisation, bullying or harassment. This strategic equality plan outlines our commitment to nurturing an environment where our staff and students can be their true authentic selves and feel that they belong. We are committed to providing services which are accessible for all customers, students, staff and stakeholders, and take positive steps to ensure that all current and prospective employees and students receive fair treatment and are not discriminated against, either directly or indirectly, on the grounds of gender, gender reassignment, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity or race.

Strategic Equality Plan Core Aims:

Learning and Development	Culture and Engagement	Events and Initiatives	Policies, Procedures and Reporting	Leadership and Management	Marketing and Communications
To increase knowledge and understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion across College	To create and sustain a culture that celebrates diversity and is welcoming for all, where staff and students can be their true authentic selves and feel that they belong	To celebrate and promote equality, diversity and inclusion events, and implement initiatives	To ensure that all Bridgend College policies are fit for purpose and in line with our vision for equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging	To ensure that leaders and managers truly embed inclusion in their teams and curriculum / business support areas	To be representative in all marketing and communications, and celebrate diversity and inclusion via internal and external communications, PR and social media

1	Learning and Development
Aim : To increase knowledge and understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion across College
	Objective	Measure / Impact	Lead	Links for support	Delivery date
1.1	Raise awareness through learning opportunities for both students and staff, so EDI is truly embedded into the workplace and learning environment, and not an ‘add-on’	– Improved understanding and culture around protected characteristics ➔ introduce protected characteristics Skillgate module ➔ hold training and learning sessions with various guest speakers and trainers aligned to EDI calendar (3.1) – Staff and student surveys ➔ capture any cultural shifts – Elimination of discrimination through targeted L&D	Head of HR EDI Lead Deputy Principal Vice Principal Learner Journey, Systems and Inclusive Practice	L&D Advisor COG TrACE Lead	Ongoing

2	Culture and Engagement
Aim : To create and sustain a culture that celebrates diversity and is welcoming for all, where staff and students can be their true authentic selves and feel that they belong
	Objective	Measure / Impact	Lead	Links for support	Delivery date
2.1	Analysis of all forms of learner and staff feedback, identification of areas of concern and measures put in place to address these	Learners: – Framework of tutorials, curriculum managers, CALs, tutors to capture – Learner feedback logged and any actions identified are acted upon – Your Voice data capture and response, updating questions to reflect Staff: – Continuation of engagement surveys (including second Inclusive Companies survey), with comparison work done on then and now, and actions put in place to address concerns and barriers	MR VB CF-P HR	CLT VB	Termly reviews
2.2	Ensure that student, staff and governor inductions sufficiently cover values, EDI, culture and expectations	– All stakeholders have a clear understanding of the College values and expectations ➔ 100% completion rate of EDI Skillgate module (staff and governors) ➔ 100% completion of citizenship code training (students) ➔ EDI to feature as a standing item in Governor reports and meetings – All aspects of staff and student inductions updated to reflect inclusion priorities e.g. values, anti-racism, TrACE, CoS	HR JB NE	SLT	Academic year 2023/24
2.3	Develop and sustain a culture that is welcoming and safe for all, and where staff and students can be all that they can be	– Achieve College of Sanctuary status utilising the CoS audit tool – Become trauma-informed utilising the TrACE toolkit	CoS working group TrACE Regional Lead	Inclusion Allies group Wellbeing & Safeguarding Manager	2024

3	Events and Initiatives
Aim : To celebrate and promote equality, diversity and inclusion events, and implement initiatives
	Objective	Measure / Impact	Lead	Links for support	Delivery date
3.1	Follow an EDI calendar of events to celebrate differences	– Publish EDI calendar January 2022 and include excerpt in newsletter – Follow the calendar to hold awareness raising and celebratory opportunities such as guest speakers, Walk in My Shoes, activities, L&D following an EDI calendar of events for both students and staff to improve sense of belonging – Authentic and consistent messaging ➔ 100% of staff in Inclusive Companies survey to respond that they are able to be their authentic selves / belong	EDI Lead Student Engagement	Colleagues in various departments e.g. ALN team	Ongoing throughout academic year
3.2	Increase support and engagement internally and externally	– Reconfiguration of working group made up of Inclusion Allies – Establish staff networks for support and employee voice, Be You – Establish relationships with local community and partners e.g. BAVO, refugee charities and other third sector organisations – Have more presence in local community showcasing Bridgend College as an extraordinary place to learn and work e.g. school visits, jobs fairs, community events	Various	Various	January 2023 March 2023 Ongoing

4	Policies, Procedures and Reporting
Aim : To ensure that all Bridgend College policies, procedures and reports are fit for purpose and in line with our vision for EDI and belonging
	Objective	Measure / Impact	Lead	Links for support	Delivery date
4.1	Continually review and update College policies to align with College values and strategic direction, and new approaches e.g. TrACE, CoS, BLG	– Follow policies register – Ensure EIA completed for all policies and during change projects e.g. campus moves – EDI embedded in all policies and procedures for greater understanding and impact with specific references to inclusion work e.g. TrACE, anti-racism (BLG), College of Sanctuary, Welsh Language Standards	Various	Various TrACE Lead EDI Lead	Ongoing
4.2	Ensure fully accessible and inclusive recruitment, selection and onboarding processes	– Actively seek candidate feedback via a candidate experience survey and a candidate withdrawal survey – Actively monitor survey feedback and identify perceived barriers and imbalances, and respond to these with appropriate alterations to the recruitment and selection process – Monthly survey collation to feature in SLT reports and RPC – Attract a more diverse pool of applicants leading to a more representative workforce ➔ An increase in applicant diversity by 2-5% each year, specifically for disability, ethnicity and sexual orientation – Targeted advertising to increase diversity in middle and senior management	HR	External partners e.g. BLG, Purple Marketing	December 2022 December 2022 – Ongoing Annual
4.3	Ensure annual Equality Reports and strategic plans inform tailored actions that need to be implemented to address inequalities or imbalances	– Analysis of staff and learner data informs strategic actions to address specific gaps i.e. achievement gaps, recruitment and selection gaps and publish that data shift	HR Quality	MIS BLG	Annual Equality Reports
4.4	Develop, publish and embed an anti-racism action plan in line with the Black Leadership Group 10 Point Plan	– Develop a bespoke anti-racism action plan demonstrating our commitment and outlining our specific goals to advance anti-racism and move from a non-racist to an anti-racist organisation – Utilise the 10 point plan diagnostic toolkit and expert advice and guidance via the Black Leadership Group affiliation	HR SLT CLT	Inclusion Allies	March 2023 – ongoing

5	Leadership and Management
Aim : To ensure that leaders and managers truly embed inclusion in their teams and curriculum areas
	Objective	Measure / Impact	Lead	Links for support	Delivery date
5.1	Leaders and managers to proactively role model inclusive behaviours, and identify and address behaviours that are not aligned to the College values	– EDI and Active Bystander toolbox talks for COG including differences between equity and equality ➔ 100% completion – Increased understanding of responsibility, and confidence when dealing with EDI related conduct concerns (measured via evaluation survey) – ER cases to be effectively monitored via a tracker, to also include reasons / protected characteristic e.g. homophobia, racism ➔ 100% of discriminatory incidents to be reported (IC survey)	EDI Lead	Head of HR	June 2023
5.2	Tailor approaches where there are identified areas for concern in departments and curriculum areas across College	– All staff within all departments to act in line with College values – ER cases to be effectively monitored and to also include reasons / protected characteristic	HR VB	Head of HR EDI Lead	Ongoing
5.3	Leaders and managers to lead in embedding inclusion in to teams and work to influence anti-racism (and other anti-discriminatory behaviours) throughout all teacher training, professional development and leadership programmes	– Leaders and managers to be role models for inclusive actions and behaviours – Leaders and managers to be change agents in ongoing EDI work e.g. TrACE, anti-racism

6	Marketing and Communications
Aim : To be representative in all marketing and communications and celebrate diversity and inclusion via internal and external communications, PR and social media
	Objective	Measure / Impact	Lead	Links	Delivery date
6.1	Ensure consistent and inclusive outward communications in all media and communications, and all information is fully accessible	– Fully accessible and representative College website including jobs website, that celebrates diversity and promotes our commitment to College of Sanctuary and trauma informed practice – Belonging Hub to be launched (internal and external versions) – Ensuring imagery is diverse and representative to the service area in which we’re recruiting to – Ensuring images of learners are representative of our student body	JB HM	HR	September 2023