Sport for Confidence CIC has published a new Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), setting out clear commitments and ambitions to ensure that diversity and inclusion remain at the heart of the organisation and everything it stands for and delivers.
Developed over the last 12 months by a dedicated working group of employees, with guidance from the Executive Team and Equality & Diversity Board Champion, Jamie Hooper, the DIAP reflects the lived experiences of those within and beyond the organisation. Input was also sought through consultation with participants, leisure providers, carers, strategic leaders, commissioners and equality and diversity experts.
The DIAP has been shaped around five principles aligned with Sport England’s Code for Sports Governance: Structure, People, Communication, Standards & Conduct, and Policies & Processes. These principles provide the framework for the organisation to continue building safe, inclusive spaces where individuals and communities feel a true sense of belonging.
At its core, the plan commits to three fundamental ambitions: ensuring that the Sport for Confidence workforce is representative of the diverse communities it serves; elevating the voices of lived experience by actively listening and embedding insight into practice; and creating an equitable, inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to contribute.
“The launch of this plan is not about words that sit on a shelf,” says Jake Turner, Co-CEO, Sport for Confidence. “It represents a cultural commitment that belongs to all of us at Sport for Confidence. We recognise that humankind is complex and diverse, and with that comes a duty of care to provide spaces where people feel safe, seen and included. Our Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan sets out how we will honour that duty, both now and into the future.”
The working group will now begin to follow an implementation plan, embedding the five principles across the organisation and ensuring that progress is actively monitored and shared. The DIAP is publicly available on the Sport for Confidence website in two formats, ‘standard’ and ‘easy read’, underlining the organisation’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
Speaking of the DIAP, Jamie Hooper, Sport for Confidence Board member and Diversity & Inclusion Board Champion, adds: “I have been so impressed at how Jake has led the team to develop the Action Plan together with the Board, with team members, and also with Sport for Confidence participants. The publication marks a key milestone in the organisations unwavering commitment to level the playing field by creating environments and opportunities that cater for all and encourage everyone to performance at their best. Now the ambition has been articulated and there is a strategy to realise it, it becomes the responsibility for everybody in the organisation, led by the working group, to deliver the agreed outcomes. ”
By continuing to place diversity and inclusion at the centre of its culture, Sport for Confidence is reinforcing its mission to create environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
To create the new DIAP, Sport for Confidence worked in co-production with Thinklusive.
To access our new Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, as well as an Easy Read version, click here
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