Agenda item

8.1

The report sets out Sheffield City Council’s (SCC) proposed approach to celebrating, commemorating, and acknowledging Equality Awareness Days during 2023-2024.

The paper proposes a planned and strategic approach to awareness days so that we can plan and deliver quality campaigns whilst measuring impact. This will help us meet our Equality Duties and Objectives. It will also have an impact on our values, workplace culture and improve our dialogue and interactions with our diverse communities. A planned calendar would also prevent duplication of work across the Council.

The paper sets out the plan for agreed awareness days and will support SCC’s commitment to protected characteristics and the communities it serves across the city. This paper proposes a number of awareness days which will be prioritised over the coming year, and these will be reviewed annually. It will also identify which others the Council will support this year and how this will be achieved.

The paper sets out how nominated awareness days/months will be acknowledged (social media, campaigns, media coverage, etc) and how identified teams across the council will plan, deliver and measure impact on the series of days. The approach will be monitored and kept under review by the Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board (SEIB).

8.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) agrees Sheffield City Council’s proposed approach to Awareness Days and the calendar for 2023- 2024, as set out in the report;

(b) agrees that Members, Leadership Teams and Officers work together and commit to promoting the identified days;

(c) agrees to reviewing the annual calendar yearly;

(d) agrees that the Director of Policy and Democratic Engagement, in consultation with the Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board will monitor and review the awareness day calendar on an annual basis, as not all awareness days can be acknowledged in the year, and different priorities may arise; and

(e) requests that further consideration be given to the issue of lighting up the Town Hall for appropriate campaigns/awareness days.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The recommendations are suggested so that quality messages, events, campaigns can be planned for a variety of awareness days which encompass all protected characteristics and help SCC meet its Equality Objectives.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

The do-nothing option was discounted when discussing this paper as it was decided that a strategic decision was needed to enhance this area of work so duplication, confusion, last minute requests could be prevented, and a concise structured calendar of events could be delivered.

8.1

The Director of Policy and Democratic Engagement presented a report setting out Sheffield City Council’s (SCC) proposed approach to celebrating, commemorating, and acknowledging Equality Awareness Days during 2023-2024.

The report proposes a planned and strategic approach to awareness days so that we can plan and deliver quality campaigns whilst measuring impact. This will help us meet our Equality Duties and Objectives. It will also have an impact on our values, workplace culture and improve our dialogue and interactions with our diverse communities. A planned calendar would also prevent duplication of work across the Council.

The report sets out the plan for agreed awareness days and will support SCC’s commitment to protected characteristics and the communities it serves across the city. This paper proposes a number of awareness days which will be prioritised over the coming year, and these will be reviewed annually. It will also identify which others the Council will support this year and how this will be achieved.

The report also sets out how nominated awareness days/months will be acknowledged (social media, campaigns, media coverage, etc) and how identified teams across the council will plan, deliver and measure impact on the series of days. The approach will be monitored and kept under review by the Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board (SEIB).

8.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) agrees Sheffield City Council’s proposed approach to Awareness Days and the calendar for 2023- 2024, as set out in the report;

(b) agrees that Members, Leadership Teams and Officers work together and commit to promoting the identified days;

(c) agrees to reviewing the annual calendar yearly;

(d) agrees that the Director of Policy and Democratic Engagement, in consultation with the Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board will monitor and review the awareness day calendar on an annual basis, as not all awareness days can be acknowledged in the year, and different priorities may arise; and

(e) requests that further consideration be given to the issue of lighting up the Town Hall for appropriate campaigns/awareness days.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The recommendations are suggested so that quality messages, events, campaigns can be planned for a variety of awareness days which encompass all protected characteristics and help SCC meet its Equality Objectives.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

The do-nothing option was discounted when discussing this paper as it was decided that a strategic decision was needed to enhance this area of work so duplication, confusion, last minute requests could be prevented, and a concise structured calendar of events could be delivered.