“At YMCA Trinity Group we believe that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is not something that can be done passively, but something we must be active about. It’s not good enough to say we’re not racist or sexist, but we must work to demonstrate we are anti-racist or anti-sexist.
This is in keeping with the values of the YMCA movement held over 175 years. We listen to others lived experiences, respecting their personal journey, empathising with their choices whilst believing in their potential.” – Jonathan Martin, CEO.
Please scroll down the page to see some of the measures we are putting into place.
Our Commitment
For our teams we will ensure our policies and procedures are truly inclusive and work to ensure our environment is a place where everyone can thrive. We have improved data collation and reporting and are using this to inform our recruitment, development and celebration activities.
We will also:
- be more vocal in our advocacy for marginalised communities, ensuring they are not just welcomed but invited, and that our public messaging reflects this.
- foster a culture of accountability, calling out exclusion and discrimination, and ensure safety and protection for all those we work with and whom we serve.
- continue to talk openly about issues of gender, sexuality, race, diversity with our young people. We will allow a safe space and promote a culture of acceptance and community, encouraging critical thinking and open conversations that young people may not feel able to have at home.
Black Lives Matter
In October 2020, YMCA England & Wales produced the Young and Black report, which revealed that 95% of young Black people have heard and witnessed racist language at school, and 78% have heard and witnessed racist language in the workplace. Worryingly, young Black people in the UK said that they now grow up expecting to experience racism because of the colour of their skin.
In our client groups, we discussed the issues raised with young people, and allowed them the opportunity to discuss their views and feelings. We discussed racism and xenophobia in our Youth groups and continue to discuss social issues.
We have created an Inclusion Strategy which has Board and Executive representation but is led by a range of colleagues from across the organisation.
LGBTQIA+
We celebrate Pride month in June, and YMCA Trinity Group is proud to support diversity and inclusion, from the colleagues we work alongside to the young people we support in the communities we serve.
