The Project

The key objectives of the project are:

The Mainstreaming Equality and Diversity in the Third Sector project aims to help third sector organisations to:

• Improve organisations' skills and knowledge about equality and diversity issues;
• Develop good equality practices in both the running and service delivery of organisations;
• Help third Sector Equality organisations influence local, regional and national policies.
• Ensure the sustainability of Equality South West to enable ongoing support to the Third Sector after the life of the project for example through developing services and a membership scheme

How we will do this

There are a number of different interrelated and mutually supportive elements to the project which can be summarised under the six key areas of work. These are;

• Mapping equality and diversity organisations in the South West - Google Equality Maps (for details please see: Google Mapping)
• Undertaking and collating research across all the equality strands - creating the evidence base
• Awareness raising through events, seminars and electronic communications.
• Engaging in policy development & providing voice for the South West through developing and facilitating the work of regional and sub regional pan equality networks.
• Building third sector capacity (commissioning and procurement) - developing and implementing The Equality Standard a framework for mainstreaming equality and diversity within organisations.
• Offering equality training and development to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and developing resources for ongoing workforce development.

The project is being delivered across the South West over a five year period ending in 2012. It is aimed at the third sector (community, voluntary and social enterprises) of all sizes and types, both equality specific and generic organisations.

If you would like to contact the team please see: Meet the Team