Background
At Worcester Students' Union, we are committed to equality of opportunity and to promoting a positive and inclusive culture, in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect. This applies to our roles as an employer, a representative and campaigning body, and as a service provider.
We are committed to the elimination of all forms of discrimination and harassment within our organisation, both in relation to our members and guests and in the provision of services.
Following the death of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Union began a process of self-reflection, and worked with the University to do the same. We established an internal EDI Working Group in 2020/21, chaired by the President, with Terms of Reference and representation from across the organisation. We are very pleased with the progress made by our internal EDI Working Group and are finalising an Action Plan of the priorities for 2023/24, as well as fulfilling our commitment to review and update our EDI Policy annually.
View our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy HERE.
Read our Anti-Racism Statement HERE.
View our latest annual Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Report HERE.
Read our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group Terms of Reference HERE.
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Race Equality Week 2024
Race Equality Week aims to bring awareness to the equality barriers minority individuals still face in the workplace and, as a Students’ Union, we aimed to extend this awareness to our diverse student body.
Race Equality Week took place in February 2024 and we supported our fantastic student-led Race Equality Network in putting on a range of unique and informative events to mark the occasion.
Following on from this, students, staff, and those in the local community contributed to The Big Promise, letting us know their personal pledges on how they would continue to support race equality.
Click here to view The Big Promise.
2023-2024 Action Plan
Our Action Plan is a live working document and gets updated regularly. Some things we wish to focus on this year are:
- Improving the diversity of events we put on and celebrate at the Students' Union, including The Hangar events
- Create a 2023-24 SU Cultural and Wellbeing Calendar
- Race Equity in Sport
- Improving accessibility of the Hangar, SU Space, and the Help and Advice Service
- Take forward recommendations for Autism friendly Campus
- Lobby the University to develop a better policy around religious observance
- Continue to Lobby the University to create adequate prayer facilities for students
- Increase the ethcnic diversity of candidates in elections
- Lobby the University to create a Hardship Fund for International Students
- Seek advice and expertise in understanding race equity for SU Staff.
What we have done since 2020
- Co-produced and published the anti-racist statement for the organisation (in consultation with students)
- Improved accessibility of the Help and Advice Service by introducing evening appointments
- Raised awareness around the use of pronouns.
- Leadership in Race Equity training by the Student Engagement Manager and Chief Executive (who is now on a group of Union CEOs nationally who are championing the race equity agenda)
- Ensure race equity is a standard item on SMT meeting agendas and is a key consideration in our recruitment practices
- Reviewed the names and roles of our student committee positions to increase accessibility and remove terminology that might be a barrier for students
- Worked with the University on gender-neutral facility provision
- Hosted Black History and LGBTQ+ History activities
- Implementing more accessible marketing and communications
- TeamWorc UNITED (sports club and society inclusive practices)
- Work around religious observance and mitigating circumstances (addressing a lack of University policy)
- Deliver annual EDI training for student committee members of student Groups
- Changed the name of the BAME Network to REN (Race Equity Network).
- Signed the GTRSB into HE pledge, committing to supporting Gyspy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen, and Boater students into and within higher education.
To find out more about Worcester Students' Union and the benefits of working with us, click here.
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The University of Worcester
The University is committed to creating an environment free from discrimination, bullying, harassment or victimisation, where all members of thecommunity are treated with respect and dignity. Click here to visit the University website and view their;
EDI Policy Statement
EDI Framework
EDI Committee Terms of Reference
2021-22 EDI Annual Report
We encourage any student who faces discrimination to report it to the University via Firstpoint where support will be given. The Students’ Union’s Help and Advice Service is also available.