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Equality Hub Network Launch Event

Equality Hub Network Launch Event. Tuesday 17 June 2014. Agenda. Welcome and introductions – Cllr Julie Dore and Eugene Walker, Executive Director of Resources Fairness Commission update – Fairness Commissioner Tony Maltby Overview of equality and fairness work in the Council – Adele Robinson

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Equality Hub Network Launch Event

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  1. Equality Hub NetworkLaunch Event Tuesday 17 June 2014

  2. Agenda • Welcome and introductions – Cllr Julie Dore and Eugene Walker, Executive Director of Resources • Fairness Commission update – Fairness Commissioner Tony Maltby • Overview of equality and fairness work in the Council – Adele Robinson • Overview of the Equality Hub Network – Rachel Sanchez • Discussion and vote on the next steps for the Network

  3. Welcome fromthe Leader of the Council • As a Council, fairness is at the heart of our values and our aim is make Sheffield a fairer place to live and work • The Equality Hub Network will aim to reduce the barriers to involvement and participation • It will enable people from Sheffield’s diverse communities to talk to and have regular meetings with with decision makers and to influence all areas of the Council’s work • We want to also work with other partners e.g. police • We want to listen to you and for you to have your say on the issues that are important to you

  4. Introduction - Eugene WalkerExecutive Director - Resources • One of 5 Executive Management Team Officers • EMT officer with the lead for Equality Network/Hubs • We want the Hubs to play an important role in people having a greater voice in the City • Especially important as we continue to go through immense change • E.g. consultation on the budget proposals • Provides an opportunity to talk, to question and challenge us

  5. Sheffield Fairness Commission Dr Tony MALTBY Fairness Commissioner

  6. What I will cover • Background: Our Divided City • The Fairness Commission • Update on progress • Questions

  7. Fairness Commission Remit “… to make a non-partisan strategic assessment of the nature, extent, causes and impact of inequalities in the City and to make recommendations for tackling them.”

  8. Fairness Commissioners • The Commission is made up of individuals with proven knowledge and expertise. • Commissioners are expected to contribute expertise rather than represent specific interests. • Diverse membership with all three political groups from the Council, public sector, voluntary sector, business, media.

  9. Background: Divided City Communities of Interest • Women working full time are paid, on average, 15.5% less an hour than men for doing work of equivalent value • 12% of BME people feel unsafe when out in their local area during the day in comparison with only 4% of White British people • People with disabilities tend to have lower rates of employment, lower incomes and are more likely to be living in poverty • Only 36.4% in Sheffield of people with mental health problems or learning disabilities were in employment Source: Deprivation in Sheffield Report Dr A Rae

  10. Health and social problems are worse in more unequal countries www.equalitytrust.org.uk Index of: • Life expectancy • Math & Literacy • Infant mortality • Homicides • Imprisonment • Teenage births • Trust • Obesity • Mental illness – incl. drug & alcohol addiction • Social mobility Index of health and social problems Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

  11. A Bold Vision A city that is eventually free from damaging disparities in living conditions and life chances, and free from stigmatising discrimination and prejudice, a place in which every citizen and community knows and feels that they will be treated fairly. We aspire to be the fairest city in the country.

  12. What is Fairness? • Fairness is a matter of social justice: a society in which individuals and groups are treated fairly and receive a just share of its benefits and burdens. • This does not mean addressing inherent individual or biological differences between people, for example, in terms of gender or race. • Focus is on those differences, inequalities, which arise from the way a society or city, is organised socially, politically and economically.

  13. The Sheffield Fairness Framework • First priority – tackle those inequalities that cause the greatest damage. Those in greatest need should take priority. • Those with the most resources should contribute the most. • The commitment to fairness must be a long-term one. • The commitment to fairness must be city-wide involving all key stakeholders in Sheffield - everybody’s business.

  14. The Sheffield Fairness Framework • Prevention is better than cure. • Everyone, all stakeholders, should strive to be seen to act in a fair way as well as acting fairly. • Civic responsibility – encourage everyone to contribute to the maximum of their ability • An open continuous campaign for fairness in the city – a mission for fairness

  15. The Sheffield Fairness Framework • Fairness must be a matter of balance between different groups, communities and generations in the city. • The city’s commitment to fairness must be both demonstrated and monitored in an annual report.

  16. The Eight Recommendations Three types of recommendation: • Short term – 1 to 3 years • Long term – up to 10 years • Not within the city’s gift

  17. Recommendations 1. Health and Wellbeing for All • Increase amount spent on the wider determinants of health • Ensure health spending is more fairly utilised based on the relative needs of communities 2. Fair Access to High Quality Jobs and Pay • Introduce a voluntary ‘Fair Employer’ code of practice • A Living Wage is paid to all employees in the city.

  18. Recommendations 3. Fair Access to Benefits and Credit • Work is undertaken into the size and type of market for affordable credit in the city • Establish a way to redistribute decent, edible food 4. Aspiration and Opportunities for All • Pupil Premium be specifically targeted to support disadvantaged children • Activity relating to aspirations should focus on 11-12 year olds

  19. Recommendations 5. Housing and a Better Environment • A compulsory property accreditation scheme covering all privately rented properties • Reduce air pollution impact of M1 6. A Safe City • Use ‘justice reinvestment’ to focus on rehabilitation and prevention. • A default 20mph speed limit for all residential roads in the city.

  20. Recommendations 7. Transport for All • Move to a franchise model if the voluntary Sheffield Bus Partnership does not increase fairness. • A ‘day saver ticket’ for children & young people 8. What Communities and Citizens Can Do • A campaign for fairness • Apply a co-production approach more widely • Develop a single programme of community development

  21. Communications about welfare reform Explicit commitment to tackle the wider determinants of health Other activity Support to victims Police and Crime Commissioner grants Citywide Digital Inclusion strategy being developed Restorative Justice Outcomes College commitment that 2.5% of their employees will be apprentices Analysis and distribution of health spend on JSNA work programme Work on community resilience Domestic Abuse Strategic Review implemented Second Food Strategy for the city being developed Council looking at how it can increase number of new council homes CCG Equalities Action Plan Sheffield Employability Programme Continued implementation of 20mph limits Work on effective use of the pupil premium Physical health of people with mental health problems and with learning disability priority in CCG plans 2014-16 Fair City Campaign Group Progressing Sheffield Housing Company City Wide Learning Body priority to improve communication, engagement, and involvement of parents Voluntary Bus Partnership more equitable distribution of bus resources Skills Made Easy (apprenticeships) elements of the City Deal Identifying hidden carers – strand of Carers Strategy

  22. Progress - Recommendations

  23. Progress - Outcomes • State of Sheffield 2014: • Attainment gap for the lowest 20% is not significantly narrowing • Likelihood of not living in a decent quality home is probably increasing • City has more unemployment although the claimant rate is now declining • Gaps in life expectancy remain • UK seeing biggest change to benefits system in 60 years - £173m less per year in the Sheffield economy

  24. A Final Thought • Inequality affects us all in our city. It is everybody’s business. • The words of John F. Kennedy are apposite here: ‘Ask not what your (city) can do for you, ask what you can do for your (city).’ ‘Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.’

  25. Questions?

  26. Equality and Diversity in the Council - an overview Adele Robinson Elections, Equalities & Involvement

  27. What I will cover • Our duties, the law and how we meet these • How equality works in the Council • Our Objectives, how we measure progress and some examples • Update on voice and influence (Objective 7) • What you told us, consultation feedback • Update on progress of hubs and grants

  28. Our commitments • Fairness is at the heart of our values as outlined in the Corporate Plan 2012 - 14 Standing up for Sheffield. We believe that everyone should get a fair chance to succeed in Sheffield. • We recognise that some people and communities need extra help to reach their full potential and we will provide extra help where needed. We will also make sure that a core offer of services is available to everyone in the city. • We aim to provide excellent, accessible services that meet the needs of all our residents, visitors and our workforce.

  29. Our Equality Duties • Equality Act 2010 – applying these to all areas of work • Public Sector General Duty to pay due regard to: • Eliminate Discrimination, Harassment and Victimisation • Advance Equality of Opportunity • Foster Good Relations These are Proactive Duties and cover councils and other public sector organisations such as the Police, health and schools. It also applies to organisations we contract with who are carrying functions on our behalf.

  30. What the General Duty means Paying due regard means … • Removing or minimising disadvantages • Taking steps to meet the needs of persons that are different from others • Encouraging people to participate in public life or activity in which participation is disproportionally low • Tackling prejudice & promoting understanding • Taking account of a person’s disabilities (reasonable adjustments)

  31. Specific Duties • Publish Equality Objectives (every four years & report) • Publish information annually to demonstrate their compliance with the General Duty • Publish information relating to their employees (if over 150 staff) and others affected by their policies and practices (such as customers) • All information must be accessible to the public

  32. Protected Characteristics Every person has one or more of the characteristics, so the Act protects everyone against unfair treatment:

  33. How we meet these • Equality Act 2010 (General and Specific Duties) • Publish Equality Objectives every four years • Annual Report and publishing workforce information • Equality monitoring • Strategy and Policy • Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and other policies • Sheffield Fairness Framework • Tackling Poverty and Increasing Social Justice • Information: knowing our city, customers,workforce and partners • Equality Impact Assessments on policies, projects & proposals • Staying safe and reporting incidents - reporting hate incidents, domestic abuse and safeguard adults and children • Involving communities and individuals in and around Sheffield • Community cohesion, events and festivals

  34. Equality Diversity & Inclusioninternal structures • Leader and Cabinet Member • Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board • Chaired by Chief Executive – quarterly • Directors from Portfolios, Partners, TUs and Staff Networks • Partner updates – Amey, Kier, Veolia, Capita • Workforce updates - HR overview & staff network reporting • Officer lead - Council wide: • Adele Robinson – Social Justice & Inclusion Manager & Rachel Sanchez (Policy, Performance and Communications) • Portfolio Lead Officers

  35. Equality and Fairness Objectives 2014-18

  36. The Objectives 2014-18 • Deliberately aspirational – to move forward • Cover 10 key areas • Cover both customers and staff • Short term, medium and longer term view • Include city wide concerns that are beyond the direct control of the Council and require action by others • Link to the protected characteristics under the Equality Act but also additional e.g. Free school meals, etc. • Further the three aims of the Equality Act • Ambition: Sheffield to become the fairest city in Britain

  37. Equality and Fairness Objectives (1) • To be a leader and a guarantor of equality and fairness for the city • To ensure our budget, policies and processes are implemented fairly • To foster an accessible, inclusive and positive working environment for our staff • To ensure our services are fair & accessible and customer experiences are positive • To advance equality, inclusive and fair practice within our partners and supply chain

  38. Equality and Fairness Objectives (2) • To foster a safe, cohesive and accessible city for all • To strengthen voice & influence of under-represented communities within the city • To advance health and wellbeing within the city • To advance economic inclusion within the city • To advance aspiration and learning opportunities and skills for all

  39. To advance aspiration and learning opportunities and skills for all Aim - reduce young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) • Reduce 16-18 NEETs from 6.5% in Nov 14 to 6.2% by Nov 15 • Increase 16-18 LDD (Learning Difficulties and Disabilities) EETs (education, employment or training) from 67% in Nov 14 to 69% by Nov 15 • Increase 16-18 young offenders EETs from 79.5% in Nov 14 to 80.5% by Nov 15

  40. To foster a safe, cohesive and accessible city for all Aim - increase Hate Incident reporting • Action via the City Wide Learning Board and lead schools to ensure that each school has plans to reduce bullying in relation racial, disability related or homophobic bullying • To hold a training workshop in September 2014 open to all Primary Schools around the FREE DVD resource • HR to become a Third Party reporting Centre in 2014 • Launch new hate incident reporting for staff by July 2014

  41. How we will measure progress • Objectives agreed by Cabinet in Dec 2013 • Measure progress via – • The Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board • The Annual Report to Cabinet in December • Performance dashboards in Portfolios • Council Staff Networks • The Equality Hub Board

  42. Examples of progress in last year’s Annual Report Fostering an accessible, inclusive & positive environment for staff • Worked with the Hidden Impairment National Group to become the first local authority to adapt and sign up to and the Hidden Impairments Toolkit, which will be a helpful resource to both our staff and our customers • We have remained a top 100 employer and increased our score in the Stonewall Workforce Index • Continued to be part of Mindful Employer to support staff that experience stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions and Maintained our ‘Two Ticks’ Disability symbol

  43. Trends in workforce data

  44. The Apprenticeship Programme • The extension of the programme by an additional 200 positions demonstrates the successful take up by young people. • The progress to date April 2013: • 210 female and 298 male young people applied for the opportunities, of which: • 59% were male • 41% were female • 23% were BME • 11% have a disability

  45. Inclusive Sport Sheffield and Activity Sheffield Developments to ensure that we provide opportunities for and consultation with disabled people included: • Marketing to adhere to accessibility guidelines for people with visual impairments and learning disabilities • A sport and physical activity directory activity for disabled people in Sheffield • Impairment specific activities e.g. the Quick Steps programme • Pan disability activities for all impairment groups • Inclusive activities i.e. Multi-Activity Holiday camps for children

  46. Objective 7To strengthen voice & influence of under-represented communities within the city

  47. Where are we now? • The Sheffield Equality Hub Network proposal was agreed by the Cabinet Member for Communities and Inclusion in 9 April following consultation • The ‘mixed model’ was agreed • The grants round closed on 23 May

  48. The mixed model proposal • Council support to develop a city-wide network of equality groups based on PCs • Council support for a joint Board and joint events • Grant scheme to fund activities that meet the voice and influence part our Equality and Fairness Objectives

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