It’s midday on Friday 1 March: Zero Discrimination Day is being celebrated around the world, and in Leicestershire too. Standing amongst the signature Leicestershire green of the Members’ Lounge in County Hall are the stalls marking today’s event. People peruse the many displays: one on famous disabled people in history; another on LGBTQ+ resources. On the wall is a cut-out butterfly, on which smaller butterflies have been stuck, pledges written on.
That morning, hundreds of staff join the council’s Big Conversation: an all-staff discussion on the big social topics of the day. Attending in-person or online, they are invited to hear from colleagues and a care leaver about their experiences of discrimination, and make a pledge afterwards.
“I pledge to make Leicestershire County Council a brave space for everyone,’ one butterfly reads, referencing ‘Brave Space’, a poem by Micky ScottBey Jones based on the original work by Beth Strano.
Another pledge has been made online, one of many: ‘[I pledge] To not sit in the silence, and continue to speak out and check in on my colleagues who are affected by discrimination.’
This event is a collaboration between the council’s Staff Networks: the BAME Network; the Disabled Workers’ Group, the LGBTQ+ Staff Network; the Working Carers’ Group; and the Diversity Champions. As representatives, they are busy advocating for positive change, providing valuable insights into how the council can do better for everyone. They organise events, discuss recent issues and progress, and attend internal meetings about the council’s next actions, such as the upcoming EDI Strategy for 2024-2028.
The networks help to give me a sense of community/belonging in a place where I’m unsure over where I fit. They are a place where we can talk openly about ongoing issues and actively offer support to each other.
Person:Victoria Vernon, Co-Chair of the Disabled Workers' Group
The council has proud track record of nurturing equality and inclusion for its staff and residents: it is a Stonewall Top 100 Employer, a Disability Confident Employer, and it has signed up to the British Sign Language and Race at Work Charters. It was the first UK council to be accredited as Menopause Friendly. At the heart of all of this is the network of groups in the council, all working towards the same goal of promoting inclusion across the organisation:
The work that they do pays off. With 93% of staff in a council-wide survey agreeing that the organisation is committed to equality and diversity, they are doing their bit to make Leicestershire a welcoming place for all. And all the butterflies on the board—the pledges to be compassionate, respectful, and inclusive—are reflecting just that.
You can take part in the council’s consultation for the Equality, Strategy and Inclusion Strategy 2024-2028 by visiting the council’s Have your say page.