The EDI Strategy: One Year Update 

 Last summer, Smart Works published our three-year EDI strategy. Much of this first year was spent in gathering crucial data from all our communities that can better set the priorities for the year ahead. Reflecting on our progress so far, we can report the following achievements against the 5 areas of activity the strategy proposed: 

  1. Our clients must always be at the heart of our decision making: We successfully launched a new Client Advisory Group and Client Champion Programme and established Client Forums among former clients. These groups have proven to be valuable sources of client engagement and feedback, actively informing decision making on various aspects of our work.
  1. Our community must better reflect the lived experience of our clients: Throughout the year, we focussed on collecting demographic data from trustees, staff and volunteers to establish baseline indicators. We also introduced an Applicant Tracking System for recruiting staff, trustees and volunteers. This system is a fundamental step in establishing consistent best practice recruitment across our communities.
  1. Our culture is inclusive, welcoming and non-judgemental: EDI training is now mandatory for all staff and trustees and an integral part of induction and onboarding for new staff members. A number of Staff Networks were also launched. 
  1. Our employment practices are best in class, championing positive experiences in the workplace: A number of our staff members undertook training to become Mental Health First Aiders, across every centre, to ensure anyone working at or visiting Smart Works who might be experiencing mental distress can seek support. A Pay Review was undertaken which led to the introduction of a Smart Works Pay Policy, and our annual data report, he Unemployment Index included recommendations for best-in-class employment practices for the first time.
  1. Our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is bold and widely understood: The commitment to EDI is demonstrated publicly through all our channels. Internally we have assigned EDI responsibilities to Trustees in all Centres and established an EDI Working Group with representatives from all Centres.