Jobcentre Plus
Disability and Gender Equality
Schemes and Race Equality
Scheme Progress Report
Part of the Department for Work and Pensions
Contents
Forewor
For
d
eword
2
5
Jobcentre Plus: our aims and objectives
6
Section 1: Committed to equality
7
Section 2: Improving our services
17
Progress reporting and reviewing
21
Annexes
Annex 1: Assessment of our functions and policies
22
Annex 2: Disability equality action plan
30
Annex 3: Gender equality action plan
37
Annex 4: Race equality scheme action plan and progress report
42
Annex 5: Other diversity areas
59
3
4
Foreword
I am delighted to introduce the Jobcentre Plus equality
schemes, which include our disability and gender schemes
and our annual race equality scheme progress report.
Our diversity goals, introduced in 2000, are:
• to build a workforce that reflects and is part of the wider
community;
• to be an employer of choice in a diverse marketplace;
• to enable all staff to contribute to our business objectives
and to maximise their potential to do that; and
• to provide an excellent service to all Jobcentre Plus
customers that reflects their particular needs and
embraces diversity.
In Jobcentre Plus we have already made significant progress towards achieving our
diversity goals, but we know that we have much more to do. Our equality schemes
and the associated action plans set out our vision for mainstreaming diversity and
equality into every area of our business, specifically in the areas of economic and
social impact, employer services, customer focus and employee engagement.
In developing our equality schemes we have drawn on our experience of taking
forward our Race Equality Scheme. We will continue to build on our successes and
lessons learned.
Lesley Strathie
Chief Executive
5
Jobcentre Plus: our aims and objectives
Jobcentre Plus is an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions
(DWP). The aim of the Department is to promote opportunity and independence for
all. Jobcentre Plus plays an important role in this: everything that we do is designed
to deliver opportunities to work for customers who can work, and financial support
for those who cannot.
The UK has a record number of people in work. By making our business a
success, Jobcentre Plus will help more people into employment and also help to
ensure that the benefits of employment are distributed more fairly across
the population.
Working in partnership with key stakeholders, and by focusing our work on the
most disadvantaged people in the labour market, Jobcentre Plus will play a pivotal
role in helping to reduce labour market inequalities, revitalise communities, and
break the cycles of deprivation that affect some individuals, groups and
neighbourhoods – such as persistent low income, disengagement from the labour
market and reduced life chances.
6
Section 1: Committed to equality
Where we are now
Jobcentre Plus has already achieved a great deal of success in mainstreaming race
equality. We have provided an update on our achievements in the race equality
action plan and progress report (Annex 4). We will continue to build on our
successes as we introduce new diversity strands.
Working with customers
We offer a wide range of programmes and services tailored to meet the needs of
our diverse customers. In the year to March 2006 we helped 861,295 people find
work.
For people with a health condition or disability we have:
•
introduced Pathways to Work pilots for Incapacity Benefit customers;
•
continued to deliver New Deal for Disabled People, Workstep, Access to Work
and other disability-related programmes;
•
offered work preparation, training and access to job brokers; and
•
offered access to specialist Jobcentre Plus advisers.
During this period we have helped 62,793 people with a health condition or
disability find work.
For gender equality we have:
•
continued to deliver New Deal for Lone Parents, which has resulted in over
108,004 lone parents finding work, of whom 95 per cent are female;
•
continued to offer work-focused interviews for partners of people claiming
Jobseeker’s Allowance, to help reduce the number of workless households and
eradicate child poverty;
•
given Jobcentre Plus advisers and managers greater flexibility to meet individual
customer and labour market needs; and
•
helped parents access suitable childcare, including providing assistance in
meeting related costs, where appropriate.
7
For race equality we have:
•
helped over 170,000 ethnic minority customers find work through New Deal
initiatives;
•
piloted initiatives, including Ethnic Minority Outreach and the Ethnic Minority
Flexible Fund, which aimed to assist ethnic minority customers to access our
services and find work; and
•
developed a leaflet, guidance and advice, in consultation with key stakeholders,
to encourage refugees to access our services.
Case study
Our Hartlepool Action Team for Jobs were named central government team
winners at the Public Servants of the Year Awards. This award recognised their
achievements in helping disadvantaged customers find employment.
Working with partners
Jobcentre Plus has developed its partnership working to help meet the needs of
diverse customers and communities.
We have:
•
worked with the National Health Service and GPs to help customers on
Incapacity Benefit consider employment opportunities, including accessing
Pathways to Work;
•
continued to develop productive partnerships with key organisations such as
the Learning and Skills Council, and strengthened links with other government
departments and agencies such as the Home Office and the Prison Service, to
improve access to the labour market for those customers who face the greatest
barriers to getting work; and
•
contributed to the Child Support Agency’s delivery of child support services, for
example by helping lone parents receive child maintenance payments.
8
Working with employers
We need to meet the needs of the employers who use Jobcentre Plus and achieve
successful employment outcomes for our customers. Services we currently provide
include:
•
support to employers to help them both create and retain a diverse workforce;
•
work with employers to help them evaluate their progress towards creating a
more diverse workforce; and
•
help for employers who place vacancies with us to ensure that their vacancies
do not discriminate against any particular group.
We undertook a survey between April and December 2005 which showed that 90.5
per cent of employers placing a vacancy with Jobcentre Plus were very or fairly
satisfied with the service they received.
Case study
We worked with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation – the
recruitment industry trade body – to develop a series of self-assessment
techniques to help recruitment businesses to promote equality of opportunity
for people from diverse backgrounds. The Confederation of British Industry
recognised this work by presenting Jobcentre Plus and the Recruitment
and Employment Federation with the Confederation of British Industry Social
Initiative award.
Working with staff
Jobcentre Plus has the same diversity targets regarding the representation of
women, ethnic minorities and disabled people as the overall Department for Work
and Pensions. Further details on these targets can be found in the Human
Resource (HR) section of the departmental equality schemes.
9
Details of progress within Jobcentre Plus against these targets are as follows:
Women
Grade*
Target to
Achieved to
2008
June 2006
Senior Civil Service, PB2 and above
30%
28.6%
Senior Civil Service – all
38%
31.1%
Grade 6
45%
43.3%
Grade 7
45%
46.2%
Ethnic minorities
Grade*
Target to
Achieved to
2008
June 2006
Senior Civil Service
5%
5.1%
Grade 6/7
4%
2.1%
Senior Executive Officer
4%
4.1%
Higher Executive Officer
5.5%
5.7%
Disabled people
Grade*
Target to
Achieved to
2008
June 2006
Senior Civil Service
6%
2.6%
Grade 6/7 and Senior Executive Officer
4%
6.3%
Higher Executive Officer/Executive Officer
7%
7.5%
Administration Officer/Administration Assistant
6%
5.6%
*Civil Service grades cover a diverse range of roles in different posts and functions. Senior Civil Service grade roles
are at deputy director, director or director general level; Grade 6 and 7 jobs can be described as senior management
roles; SEO, HEO and EO roles are managerial grades; and AO and AA are administrative roles.
10
We have achieved good progress against half of our targets. We are actively
working to target recruitment in areas where we think we can make a significant
difference.
Equality legislation also commits Jobcentre Plus to monitor and report against
recruitment, retention and progression practices in relation to diversity. Details
of our achievements in these areas are published in our Annual Report and
Accounts (www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk).
To help us meet our responsibilities under equality legislation we:
•
obtain evidence and staff perceptions through our established staff network
groups; and
•
support the development and progression of diverse staff through learning and
development activities, for example the use of positive action programmes.
Case study
Jobcentre Plus is piloting an initiative to ensure that staff who need a reasonable
adjustment (a change to their working environment such as making text on a
computer screen larger) under the Disability Discrimination Act get the most
appropriate adjustment quickly. The pilot brings together, at one meeting, all our
key contractors. For example, a typical meeting might include both our
information technology supplier (for potential changes to computers and
telephones) and our accommodation supplier (for potential changes to furniture,
lighting or access to buildings). This ensures that everyone who needs to
contribute to the reasonable adjustment understands their particular role so that
the adjustment can be implemented more quickly.
Involvement and consultation
Our first step in developing our equality schemes and action plans (Annexes 2 and
3) was to review our functions and policies against equality legislation (Annex 1).
This review helped us highlight where we need to take action to promote positive
attitudes towards equality and encourage the participation of different groups of
people in public life.
11
We then sought the involvement of our disabled customers in helping us identify
the extent to which our policies, functions and services meet their needs. We asked
them what areas they thought we should concentrate on improving over the next
three years. This involvement exercise was central to ensuring that we identified
those specific things that would most help our disabled customers. We:
•
developed a questionnaire that sought the views of disabled customers on what
they thought about how we communicate with them, how our staff treat them,
what the physical access to our buildings was like and what they thought of the
range of services we offer;
•
shared results of our evaluation with other colleagues in the Department to help
them understand how to improve customer services; and
•
ensured that views were expressed freely by using venues familiar to the
disabled people we spoke to, including a meeting held at a residential training
college.
Case study
As part of the involvement exercise we attended Finchale Training College,
Durham to gather information from students on what they thought our future
plans should include to support the needs of disabled people. The college offers
training and support for unemployed adults with a range of physical and mental
health issues.
Case study
Over a two-day period, we asked all those customers attending an appointment
with a Disability Employment Adviser at the Springburn Jobcentre Plus office if
they would be willing to participate in a one-to-one interview. Those who agreed
were asked what they currently thought of our services, what we could do better,
and what our priority areas for the next three years should be.
12
Case study
In the involvement exercise we met 189 customers from Scotland, England and
Wales in a number of one-to-one discussions and group meetings. Of the 189,
172 people identified themselves as disabled, 126 were male and 63 were female.
Although much of the feedback received was positive, customers identified a
particular issue around how they were able to contact us, and how we
contacted them. Some specific quotes include the following:
• “Very poor, particularly contact centres.”
• “Referred to a phone to sort out initial claim. Not ideal at all for someone
with mental health issues. Would rather sort out face to face.”
• “Lack of information for people without computers.”
We have also:
•
used the information that the Disability and Carers Service gathered from its
customer involvement activities as many individuals will use both services;
•
consulted our staff network groups for disability and gender on what Jobcentre
Plus’s future business plans should include as priority; and
•
taken into account the views expressed by both individual disabled customers
and their representative organisations to the Minister for Disabled People when
she addressed the DWP Disability Forum in May 2006.
When we analysed the results of our involvement and consultation exercises, we
were clear that the areas our disabled customers wanted us to concentrate on
were how they are able to contact us and how we contact them. We have included
these areas in our action plans.
13
With our staff we have:
•
involved our staff network groups who have articulated the views of our staff on
how we are performing as an employer;
•
analysed our annual staff survey to identify potential areas for improvement; and
•
shared with the trade union the action we propose to take as a result of these
involvement and consultation exercises.
Monitoring and evaluation
Jobcentre Plus currently gathers and monitors diversity information supplied by
customers when accessing any programmes or services. We analyse this
information to help us identify and target any groups that may need additional help,
for example through marketing, outreach and specialist provision such as Pathways
to Work.
To ensure that our services and policies are accessible, available and appropriate to
meet the needs of our customers we:
•
monitor the nature of all the complaints that our customers make through our
formal complaints procedures, and through letters to the Chief Executive and
departmental ministers, to identify trends; and
•
commissioned research that will evaluate the impact of introducing telephony
channels as the primary gateway to our services. The outcomes of this research
will be available in April 2007.
Case study
We conduct an annual customer satisfaction survey to identify the extent to
which our services meet the needs of our customers. The 2005 survey indicated
that 87 per cent of people with an activity/work-limiting disability were either very
or fairly satisfied with services provided. The survey also looked at overall
satisfaction by gender and showed that 84 per cent of male and 87 per cent
of female customers were either very or fairly satisfied.
14
Case study
In 2005 we conducted a survey of a sample of our ethnic minority customers,
as part of the overall Jobcentre Plus national customer satisfaction survey to
investigate customer satisfaction, quality of service and customer complaints.
The survey found that all ethnic minority customers were less aware of our
Customer Charter, which sets out the level of customer service they should
expect. The survey also found that customers from all ethnic minority groups
were more likely than white customers to feel that our services had improved
over the previous year.
For staff, the Department undertook a consultation on its HR policies, which
highlighted no specific areas of concern for Jobcentre Plus. However, to ensure
that we continue to involve and consult our staff we:
•
annually seek the views of staff through the staff survey; and
•
monitor outcomes from the performance and development system to assess
whether any groups of staff are disadvantaged by the system.
As a result of the evaluation information already obtained we have:
•
introduced a process to encourage discussion of the staff survey results and
identify what we need to do at individual, team and management levels to
address the concerns raised;
•
introduced new leadership competencies to help address the lack of
confidence in senior managers highlighted by the 2005 survey results; and
•
consulted staff on their views on the performance and development system as
part of a wider departmental consultation exercise. Jobcentre Plus staff network
groups have been specifically asked for views.
For employers we:
•
conduct an annual survey to assess how far employer customers are satisfied
with our services.
15
Extent to which our policies, functions and services meet the
needs of disabled people
Through the extensive involvement of disabled people and the consultation,
monitoring and evaluation exercises described above, we have concluded that,
although there is much that we can be proud of, there is still much for Jobcentre
Plus to do.
Jobcentre Plus has already taken steps to mainstream diversity and equality into
business practices and over the next three years will continue to:
•
mainstream diversity equality across all areas of our business;
•
ensure that services, support and advice are appropriate, accessible and
available;
•
increase the number of people who are supported in moving closer to work;
•
ensure that provision of programmes is appropriate, accessible and effective;
•
work effectively in partnership with external stakeholders;
•
support employers in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce, including
ensuring that employer vacancies advertised through Jobcentre Plus are not
unlawfully discriminatory; and
•
ensure that contract management activity supports equality legislation.
The action plans at Annexes 2 and 3 set out in more detail what we intend to do in
the next three years.
16
Section 2: Improving our services
Where we want to be in three years’ time
For customers, our monitoring, consultation and involvement exercises have helped
us identify the areas we need to address over the next three years. These are to:
•
ensure that services, specifically telephony through contact centres, do not
disadvantage some groups of customers;
•
ensure that our IT systems are sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of those
customers who require written information in alternative formats;
•
encourage participation and involvement of our customers at local and national
levels;
•
promote a positive attitude towards equality; and
•
ensure that all customers receive the benefits they are entitled to and help as
many of our customers as possible to find work.
Jobcentre Plus is a large and varied organisation with 71,000 staff, over 800
customer offices, 77 benefit delivery centres and 33 contact centres, but it is
continuing to operate against a background of reducing employee levels and
funding. It is crucial that every part of the organisation accepts ownership,
responsibility, and accountability for the diversity agenda. To do this, all areas of the
business will be issued with a challenge – the ‘Diversity Challenge’. The Diversity
Challenge will help each part of Jobcentre Plus to baseline where they are against
legislative requirements and introduce standards on how to ensure that the service
they deliver to customers is accessible, available and appropriate. For example, a
manager of a Jobcentre would need to consider what steps can be put in place to
ensure that the information on a Jobpoint is equally accessible to someone who
has dyslexia as it is to someone who does not have dyslexia.
17
For our staff, our consultation exercises have shown that we need over the next
three years to:
•
continue to analyse staff survey results and put in place measures to achieve
positive changes;
•
ensure that reasonable adjustments for staff are undertaken quickly and
effectively;
•
ensure that our staff network groups are empowered to make a real
contribution to our business;
•
develop an informative and comprehensive diversity and equality internal
website to offer information and promote diversity; and
•
ensure that our diversity and equality training is delivered to all our staff in
effective ways.
For employers we will continue to:
•
support employer customers’ efforts to achieve and realise the benefits of
employing a diverse workforce; and
•
ensure that vacancies placed with us are not unlawfully discriminatory.
The detail of how we plan to do this over the next three years is at Annexes 2,
3 and 4. We believe that, by taking these actions, we will promote equality of
opportunity in the areas of disability, gender and race.
Consultation and involvement
The nationwide customer involvement exercise that we plan to undertake in
December 2007 will also help us gather views from customers about what should
be included in future equality schemes.
To encourage the participation and involvement of our customers at a local, as well
as at a national, level, we will revise our guidance on involvement and consultation.
We will monitor compliance with this guidance on a regular basis.
We will also continue to monitor feedback obtained through:
•
our attendance at relevant external diversity forums; and
•
staff network groups.
18
Monitoring and evaluation
Jobcentre Plus will continue to gather, monitor and analyse diversity information
supplied by customers and staff, and ensure that we adhere to the departmental
monitoring strategy.
Specifically, for customers we will also:
•
undertake a second involvement exercise towards the end of 2007, to evaluate
how far we have come in improving the accessibility and availability of our
services;
•
analyse the results of our customer satisfaction survey, undertaken every
two years, and, where appropriate, take action on the recommendations; and
•
take appropriate action on the findings of the research that will evaluate
the impact of introducing telephony channels as the primary gateway to
our services.
For our staff we will:
•
monitor and analyse feedback through the annual staff survey; and
•
monitor and analyse the staff appraisal system (performance and development
system) results for disability, gender and ethnic minority staff outcomes.
Impact assessments
The Department for Work and Pensions has developed processes to ensure that
we impact-assess change, and this is detailed in its equality schemes.
In 2005 we ran workshops for Jobcentre Plus staff to provide guidance on
the requirement to undertake race impact assessments, including the need
to publish results. We will reinforce guidance for staff on how and when to conduct
impact assessments through the development of a diversity impact assessment
tool and a diversity challenge, which will be launched in the spring of 2007.
The new tool will also ensure that, where appropriate, involvement and consultation
take place with customers, their representatives and Jobcentre Plus staff at
national, regional and local levels regarding proposed changes.
19
Procurement
Jobcentre Plus has made significant progress in incorporating the requirements of
equality legislation into procurement and contract management activity. Our new
New Deal contracts, which began to deliver customer services in the summer of
2006, include clauses that require successful providers to monitor and report to us
on the ethnicity and gender of their employees, and on the number of employees
who are disabled.
Pay statement
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring that its reward
policies are fair and are applied fairly, and that they provide employees with equal
pay for work of equal value. Further information on how we intend to meet this
commitment is included in the HR section of the Department for Work and
Pensions equality schemes.
Low res image
Hi res needs to be
supplied
20
Progress reporting and reviewing
Reporting progress
We will assess and report annually on the progress we are making on our equality
schemes. As part of this process we will continue to involve customers, employers,
stakeholders and staff, and use information that we obtain through monitoring and
evaluation to inform future plans.
Further information
If you would like any additional information on Jobcentre Plus services or require
this document in an alternative format please contact us at the address below, or
contact your nearest Jobcentre Plus office. Alternatively, information is available on
our website www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk.
Additional information regarding DWP, particularly the Department’s HR policies and
its latest equality schemes, is available at www.dwp.gov.uk.
Contact details
Jobcentre Plus invites and welcomes comments on its equality scheme and we can
be contacted as follows:
By post:
Jobcentre Plus
Diversity Team
Level 1
Rockingham House
123 West Street
Sheffield
S1 4ER
By e-mail: [email address]
21
Annex 1:
Assessment of our functions and policies
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
1. Helping
The development and High
High
High
Within the next ten
disadvantaged delivery of
years the
people into
programmes,
characteristics of our
work as a
customers will change
services, support and
route out of
considerably; by 2011
advice that is
poverty
only 20% of the
accessible and
workforce will be
appropriate for our
male, under 45, white
customers. These
and non-disabled.
include work-focused
Jobcentre Plus is
interviews, all the New
therefore working to
Deals, Condition
ensure that it has in
Management
place accessible and
Programmes and
appropriate
English for Speakers
programmes, services
of Other Languages
and support to meet
(ESOL), and the
the needs of
customers, including
provision of written
refugees.
and other material in
accessible formats.
Maintaining and
High
High
High
improving our
in-house IT systems
so that they record
diversity data on all
our customers,
including ethnicity.
This will assist
analysis and inform
improvements or
changes to our
programmes and
services for the future.
22
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
2. To provide
Ensuring that
Low
Low
Low
Entitlement to benefits
financial
customers know
is in the main
support as
about, and receive
determined by
security for
accurately and on
standard qualifying
people of
time, the benefits to
conditions, often
working age
which they are
governed by statutory
while they are
entitled.
rulings. Therefore the
out of work
impact on diversity is
Safeguarding the
neutral because the
benefits system on
rules apply across the
behalf of taxpayers,
board. However,
working to reduce
Jobcentre Plus does
fraud and error.
ensure that key
information about
Payment of
High
High
Low
entitlements is
discretionary benefits,
provided in a range of
ensuring availability to
formats to meet the
all who need them in
needs of customers,
times of crisis,
and work to ensure
including the Social
that this continues will
Fund (for example
be included as part of
Crisis Loans).
the activity relating to
function 1.
Gathering information
Low
Low
High
on behalf of the Child
We will, however, be
Support Agency.
looking at processes
relating to
Working in
Low
Low
Low
discretionary
partnership with
payments such as
colleagues in the
Crisis Loans and
Disability and Carers
Community Care
Service to help
Grants in relation to
disabled customers
diversity equality.
claim Disability Living
Allowance.
Providing a smooth
Low
High
Low
handover to local
authorities for
Housing and Council
Tax Benefit claims.
23
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
3. To address
Encouraging
High
High
High
Statistics on
inequalities of
employers to offer
employment reflect
opportunity
employment to
inequalities in levels of
applicants, including
employment: for
people from ethnic
example, the latest
minority groups and
estimate of the ethnic
disabled people.
minority employment
rate is 59.3% which is
Working with
Medium
Medium
Medium
15.7 percentage
employers and others
points below the
to ensure that
overall employment
vacancies are not
rate; similarly, for
discriminatory –
disabled people the
whether
employment rate is
unintentionally or not.
46.8% which is over
28 percentage points
Offering advice and
High
High
High
below the overall
support aimed at
employment rate.
improving employers’
There is also
recruitment practices,
continuing evidence
so that they will
to show that women
encourage more
still do not have parity
people from diverse
in the labour market
groups to apply.
(source of figures:
Labour Force Survey,
Increasing the pool of
High
High
High
summer 2005).
vacancies that could
Activities that we
be filled by our
already have in place
customers – and in
to address some of
doing so helping
these inequalities
employers to fill their
include Ethnic Minority
vacancies.
Outreach, specialist
employment advisers
Helping customers to
High
High
Medium
and Pathways to
be ready and able to
Work.
find sustainable
employment.
24
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
Managing the
Low
Low
Low
processes that require
jobseekers actively to
seek work.
Helping people to
High
High
High
access relevant
training and support,
seeking to ensure that
mainstream services
are as flexible and as
accessible as
possible to promote
inclusivity.
Considering statistics
High
High
High
and analysing the
take-up of provision
by customers,
ensuring that all
diverse groups are
benefiting equally
from the support that
is available.
4. To address
Identifying and
Medium
Medium
Medium
Jobcentre Plus is
failure in the
supporting our
committed to reducing
labour market
customers to access
the employment gap
training that improves
for people from
their employment
diverse groups and
prospects and
helping customers to
matches the needs of
overcome inequalities
local employers.
in the labour market.
We are ensuring that
Matching customers
Low
Low
Low
we play our part by
with suitable
making services
vacancies, taking into
accessible and
consideration diverse
appropriate to our
needs.
customers’ needs –
including working to
meet the needs of our
employers.
25
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
Helping our
Medium
Medium
Medium
customers find jobs
through a range of
accessible channels,
including the
telephone, textphone
and the internet,
adapting as
necessary to meet
customers’ needs.
5. Procurement Providing expert
High
High
High
Jobcentre Plus
advice to Jobcentre
supports people who
Plus staff to help
are most
them buy in, deliver
disadvantaged within
and manage
the labour market
programmes and
and, because many of
support services for
our services and
customers.
programmes are
delivered in
Undertaking financial
Low
Low
Low
partnership with
management,
others, we will actively
governance, risk
encourage and ensure
management and
that our partners take
control of Jobcentre
account of diversity
Plus budgets.
and equality in the
way that they deliver
services on our
behalf.
26
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
6. Development Maintaining and
Medium
Medium
Medium
We are reviewing the
of partnership
continuously improving
way Jobcentre Plus
working
partnership working
works with partners,
with others, including:
e.g. to consider
whether there is any
• other agencies and
evidence that we lack
parts of the
a consistent approach
Department such
across the
as the Disability and
organisation. As part
Carers Service; and
of this we will be
looking to see that we
• key organisations
not only meet
such as local
legislative
authorities, the
requirements but also
Learning and Skills
that activities
Council, other
contribute towards
government
mainstreaming
departments and
diversity within all our
the voluntary sector.
programmes and
services.
Working in partnership Medium
Medium
Medium
with local and regional
neighbourhood
regeneration
organisations.
Continuing to develop
Medium
Medium
Medium
and maintain good
working relationships
with local and national
ethnic minority
community
organisations,
organisations ‘of’ and
‘for’ disabled people,
and the Disability
Rights Commission,
the Equal Opportunities
Commission and the
Commission for Racial
Equality.
27
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
7. Human
Ensuring that our
Medium
Medium
Medium
Jobcentre Plus
resources
people are best
already has in place
placed to meet
activities and
business needs by:
processes aimed at
increasing diversity
• focusing on
among its people
providing the key
and raising their
skills and
awareness of
development
diversity equality
needed to support
responsibilities. We
individuals in their
are conscious that
current roles, and
more needs to be
enhancing learning
done: we are
and development to
therefore actively
support new or
monitoring and
changing job roles
reviewing these
and ways of
activities to assess
working;
their effectiveness.
• continuing to build
our leadership
capability,
equipping our
managers to lead,
manage and
develop their
people;
• driving up
performance
though our
performance
management
systems; and
• continuing to look
at ways to ensure
that diversity is
reflected in all our
HR functions.
28
Functions
Related policies
Priority
Reason for rating
Race
Disability Gender
8. Customer
To offer personal and
High
High
Medium
Jobcentre Plus is
focus
informed support for
striving to ensure
customers who need
access and
it most. Ensuring that
appropriateness of
we work efficiently,
programmes and
and in ways that are
services. We want to
easy to access by our
build on existing
customers, such as
activities, both formal
telephone, textphone
and informal, and
and internet services,
expand our
adapting as
consultation exercises
necessary to meet
to seek views from,
customers’ needs.
and engage with, a
wide range of
customers including
disabled people.
29
Annex 2:
Disability equality action plan
This plan reflects the actions identified through our involvement activity with
customers. In addition to this work we will still continue to progress issues
highlighted in the assessment of our functions and policies included at Annex 1.
Disability
Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
equality action
achieved by
outcome
plan description
(date)
Ensure that
We will:
To ensure that
Chief Operating
services,
customers who
Officer’s
specifically
• evaluate the impact
Autumn
cannot access
Directorate and
telephony
of introducing
2006 to
our services, or
External
through contact
telephony channels
March 2007
find it difficult to
Relations and
centres, do not
as the primary
do so, have
Communications
disadvantage
gateway to our
equal access
Directorate
customers.
services. Staff,
and are not
customers and
disadvantaged.
Associated
representatives from
function from
user groups will be
Annex 1 – To
involved in this work;
provide financial
support as
• where our services
June 2007 to
security for
are deficient, take
October
people of
remedial action and
2007
working age
publicise on our
while they are
website what action
out of work.
we are taking;
• undertake a publicity
Launch
campaign to
spring 2007
publicise alternative
and review
methods of
2008
contacting
Jobcentre Plus; and
• monitor the success
of this through our
diversity challenge
and analysis of
customer feedback.
30
Disability
Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
equality action
achieved by
outcome
plan description
(date)
Ensure that our
We will:
To ensure that IT
External
IT systems are
systems meet
Relations and
sufficiently
• act on feedback
Ongoing
the needs of our
Communications
flexible to meet
from disabled
customers.
Directorate and
the needs of
customers and
Business Design
those customers
implement solutions,
Directorate
who require
where appropriate;
written
• undertake a
January
information in
stocktake and
2007
alternative
assessment of
formats.
flexibility for all our IT
Associated
systems that
function from
interface with
Annex 1 –
customers, for
Customer focus.
example Jobpoints
that provide an
interactive vacancy
search facility which
may not be fully
accessible to
customers with
visual impairments;
• seek an IT solution
From
and, where that is
January
not possible,
2007
develop alternative
interim solutions;
and
• disseminate
Ongoing
guidance on the
alternative solutions
throughout the
organisation and
monitor progress
through our diversity
challenge.
31
Disability
Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
equality action
achieved by
outcome
plan description
(date)
Work with and
We will:
To ensure that
External
support
more of our
Relations and
employers in
• work with employers
Ongoing
diverse
Communications
realising the
to examine and
customers are
Directorate
benefits of
provide support on
supported to
and
employing a
recruitment and
move into the
Chief Operating
diverse
retention policies;
labour market.
Officer’s
workforce,
and
Directorate
including
• survey employers to
Annually
disabled people.
establish recruitment
Associated
needs, including
function from
diversity issues.
Annex 1 –
To address
inequalities of
opportunity.
Work with
We will:
To ensure that
External
employers to
vacancies we
Relations and
ensure that
• work with employers
Ongoing
advertise are not
Communications
vacancies placed
to ensure that
unlawfully
Directorate
with us are not
vacancies placed are
discriminatory.
discriminatory.
not unlawfully
discriminatory,
Associated
providing guidance
functions from
and advice as
Annex 1 –
appropriate; and
To address
inequalities of
• issue guidance to
As
opportunity and
support staff
appropriate
Helping
working with
disadvantaged
employers to ensure
people into work
delivery of a high
as a route out of
level of customer
poverty.
service.
32
Disability
Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
equality action
achieved by
outcome
plan description
(date)
Improve our
We will:
To help us work
External
customers’
towards ensuring Relations and
experience of the • involve and consult
Next
that all our
Communications
accessibility,
with disabled
national
activities are
Directorate and
availability and
customers and
involvement
accessible,
Business Design
appropriateness
representative
exercise
appropriate and
Directorate
of our services.
groups;
December
available for all
2007
our customers.
Associated
• where appropriate,
function from
take action as soon
Annex 1 – To
as possible to
address failure in
implement
the labour
recommendations to
market and
enhance or improve
Development of
our services,
partnership
adhering to the DWP
working.
accessibility
standards for
customers; and
• consider
Next
recommendations,
customer
following the results
satisfaction
of our customer
survey 2007
satisfaction survey,
and report against
them.
Promote a
We will:
To work towards
External
positive attitude
mainstreaming
Relations and
towards disability • ensure that all new
Ongoing
diversity into
Communications
equality.
policies and
everyday activity.
Directorate
processes are
Associated
impact-assessed;
functions from
and
Annex 1 –
Procurement and • monitor the
Ongoing
To address
effectiveness of
inequalities of
changes made to
opportunity.
our procurement
activity.
33
Disability
Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
equality action
achieved by
outcome
plan description
(date)
Encourage
We will:
To ensure that
External
participation and
we have in place
Relations and
involvement of
• develop and
Spring 2007
effective and
Communications
our customers at
disseminate
robust
Directorate and
local and
guidance and advice
mechanisms for
Business Design
national levels.
to staff on
involvement and
Directorate and
involvement and
consultation
Chief Operating
Associated
consultation,
using customer
Officer’s
function from
including how to
feedback.
Directorate
Annex 1 – To
respond to feedback
address
and publish results of
inequalities of
activity;
opportunity.
• ensure that this
Launch of
guidance is adopted
diversity
and implemented by
challenge
all parts of the
spring 2007
business through the
and start
launch and review of
review
our diversity
January
challenge; and
2008
• reinforce the
Ongoing
importance of
involvement/
consultation activity
as part of the impact
assessment process
to ensure that
processes and
policies do not
adversely affect our
customers or staff.
34
Disability
Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
equality action
achieved by
outcome
plan description
(date)
Ensure that our
We will:
To ensure that
DWP and
diversity and
staff are
Jobcentre Plus
equality training
• introduce mandatory
December
confident in
HR Directorates
is effectively
training on disability
2006 to April meeting the
delivered to all
equality
2007
needs of diverse
our staff.
responsibilities for
customers.
Jobcentre Plus staff;
Associated
and
function from
Annex 1 –
• continue to evaluate
Ongoing
Human
and make
resources.
improvements to all
diversity and equality
products.
Ensure that
We will:
To ensure that
DWP and
reasonable
improvements to
Jobcentre Plus
• pilot, on behalf of
Pilots taking
adjustments for
the reasonable
HR Directorates
DWP, activity that
place which
staff are
adjustment
explores options for
will report
undertaken
process are in
improving the provision
spring 2007
quickly and
place.
of reasonable
effectively.
adjustments for staff;
Associated
and
function from
• report on the
On a
Annex 1 –
numbers of staff
quarterly
Human
identifying and
basis
resources.
receiving support
through reasonable
adjustments.
Continue to
We will:
To ensure that
Jobcentre Plus
analyse staff
issues for
HR Directorate
• analyse the
Annually
survey results
disabled staff are and disability
Jobcentre Plus
and put
identified and
staff network
annual people survey
measures in
considered.
group
by disability. The
place to achieve
disability staff
positive changes.
network group will
Associated
lead and flag issues
function from
for progression to
Annex 1 – Human
the appropriate
resources.
policy team.
35
Disability
Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
equality action
achieved by
outcome
plan description
(date)
Ensure that our
We will:
To ensure that
External
staff network
we have in place
Relations and
groups are
• identify good
Quarterly
staff network
Communications
empowered to
practice based on a
groups which
Directorate and
make a real
stocktake of staff
can make a
Chief Operating
contribution to
network groups at
positive
Officer’s
our business.
regional and district
contribution to
Directorate
levels, and make
our business.
Associated
recommendations
function from
for change; and
Annex 1 –
Human
• review the
July 2007
resources.
outcomes and
recommendations.
Develop an
We will:
To ensure that
External
informative and
staff have easy
Relations and
comprehensive
• review content of
February
access to the
Communications
diversity and
pages and identify
2007
most up-to-date
Directorate
equality internal
changes required
and
website.
and agree the
comprehensive
content with the staff
information on
Associated
network groups.
diversity and
function from
equality.
Annex 1 –
Human
resources.
Jobcentre Plus
We will:
We will identify
All Directorates
will review its
whether our
assessment of all • review our original
December
action plan
functions and
assessment.
2009
requires
policies.
amendment.
36
Annex 3:
Gender equality action plan
This plan reflects the actions identified through our involvement activity with
customers. In addition to this work we will still continue to progress issues
highlighted in the assessment of our functions and policies included at Annex 1.
Gender equality Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
action plan
achieved by
outcome
description
(date)
Work with and
We will:
To ensure that
External
support
more of our
Relations and
employers in
• work with employers
Ongoing
diverse
Communications
realising the
to examine and
customers are
Directorate and
benefits of
provide support on
supported to
Chief Operating
employing a
recruitment and
move into the
Officer’s
diverse
retention policies;
labour market.
Directorate
workforce.
and
Associated
• survey employers to
Annually
function from
establish recruitment
Annex 1 – To
needs, including
address
diversity issues.
inequalities of
opportunity.
Work with
We will:
To ensure that
External
employers to
vacancies we
Relations and
ensure that
• work with employers
Ongoing
advertise are not
Communications
vacancies placed
to ensure that
unlawfully
Directorate
with us are not
vacancies placed
discriminatory.
discriminatory.
with us are not
unlawfully
Associated
discriminatory,
functions from
providing guidance
Annex 1 – To
and advice as
address
appropriate; and
inequalities of
opportunity and
• issue guidance to
As
Helping
support staff working
appropriate
disadvantaged
with employers to
people into work
ensure delivery of a
as a route out of
high level of
poverty.
customer service.
37
Gender equality Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
action plan
achieved by
outcome
description
(date)
Improve our
We will:
To help us work
External
customers’
towards ensuring Relations and
experience of the • involve and consult
Ongoing
that all our
Communications
accessibility,
with all customers
activities are
Directorate and
availability and
and representative
accessible,
Business Design
appropriateness
groups;
appropriate and
Directorate
of our services.
available for all
• where appropriate,
Next
our customers.
Associated
take action as soon
national
functions from
as possible to
involvement
Annex 1 – To
implement
exercise
address failure in
recommendations to
December
the labour
enhance or improve
2007
market and
our services; and
Development of
• consider
Next
partnership
recommendations
customer
working.
following the results
satisfaction
of our customer
survey 2007
satisfaction survey,
and report against
them.
Promote and
We will:
External
To work towards
mainstream
Relations and
mainstreaming
gender equality
• work with colleagues
Initial
Communications
diversity into
into all areas of
throughout DWP to
meeting
Directorate and
everyday activity.
Welfare Reform
develop and
October
Business Design
policy
implement new
2006, with
Directorate
development and
policies to ensure
implementa-
implementation.
that they meet the
tion by 2008
requirements of the
duty, for example the
Employment
Support Allowance.
38
Gender equality Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
action plan
achieved by
outcome
description
(date)
Promote a
We will:
To work towards
External
positive attitude
mainstreaming
Relations and
towards gender
• ensure that all new
Ongoing
diversity into
Communications
equality.
policies and
everyday activity.
Directorate
processes are impact-
Associated
assessed; and
functions from
Annex 1 –
• monitor the
Ongoing
Procurement and
effectiveness of
To address
changes made to our
inequalities of
procurement activity.
opportunity.
Encourage the
We will:
To ensure that
External
participation and
we have in place
Relations and
involvement of
• develop and
Spring 2007
effective and
Communications
our customers at
disseminate guidance
robust
Directorate and
local as well as
and advice to staff on
mechanisms for
Business Design
at a national
involvement and
involvement and
Directorate and
level.
consultation, including
consultation
Chief Operating
how to respond to
using customers’ Officer’s
Associated
feedback and publish
feedback.
Directorate
function from
results of activity;
Annex 1 – To
address
• ensure that these
Launch of
inequalities of
standards are
diversity
opportunity.
adopted and
challenge
implemented by all
spring 2007
parts of the business
and start
through the launch
review
and review of our
January
diversity challenge; and
2008
• reinforce the
Ongoing
importance of
consultation activity
as part of the impact
assessment process
to ensure that
processes and
policies do not
adversely affect our
customers or staff.
39
Gender equality Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
action plan
achieved by
outcome
description
(date)
Ensure that our
We will:
To ensure that
DWP and
diversity and
staff are
Jobcentre Plus
equality training
• introduce mandatory
December
confident in
HR Directorates
is effectively
training on gender
2006 to April meeting the
delivered to all
equality
2007
needs of diverse
our staff.
responsibilities; and
customers.
Associated
• continue to evaluate
Ongoing
function from
and make
Annex 1 –
improvements to all
Human
diversity and equality
resources.
products.
Continue to
We will:
To ensure that
Jobcentre Plus
analyse staff
issues for male
HR Directorate
survey results
• analyse the
Annually
and female staff
and gender
and put in place
Jobcentre Plus
are identified and network group
measures to
annual people
addressed.
achieve positive
survey by gender.
changes.
Gender staff network
group will lead and
Associated
flag issues for
function from
progression to the
Annex 1 –
appropriate policy
Human
team.
resources.
Ensure that our
We will:
To ensure that
External
staff network
we have in place
Relations and
groups are
• identify good
July 2007
staff network
Communications
empowered to
practice based on a
groups that can
Directorate and
make a real
stocktake of staff
make a positive
Chief Operating
contribution to
network groups at
contribution to
Officer’s
our business.
regional and district
the business.
Directorate
levels and make
Associated
recommendations
function from
for change.
Annex 1 –
Human
resources.
40
Gender equality Steps to achieve
To be
Intended
Responsible
action plan
achieved by
outcome
description
(date)
Develop an
We will:
To ensure that
External
informative and
staff have easy
Relations and
comprehensive
• review content of
February
access to the
Communications
diversity and
pages, identify
2007
most up-to-date
Directorate
equality internal
changes required
and
website.
and agree the
comprehensive
content with the staff
information on
Associated
network groups.
diversity and
function from
equality.
Annex 1 –
Human
resources.
Jobcentre Plus
We will:
We will identify
All Directorates
will review its
whether our
assessment of
• review our original
December
action plan
functions and
assessment.
2009
requires
policies.
amendments.
41
Annex 4:
Race equality scheme action plan and
progress report
Jobcentre Plus has continued to make significant progress in mainstreaming race
equality. For example, we have:
• helped over 170,000 ethnic minority customers find work through New Deal
initiatives;
• looked at new ways to deliver services through pilot activity;
• led on developments across DWP for procurement and contract management
activity; and
• continued to work with employers to increase ethnic minority representation in
the labour market.
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Employer diversity
• Jobcentre Plus will
Ongoing
Jobcentre Plus has implemented
managers will
work with employers
an organisational review in 2006.
work with and
to examine and
In that context, the role of
support employers
provide support on
employer diversity manager has
in creating and
recruitment and
been incorporated into
retaining a diverse
retention policies.
mainstream operational activity. All
workforce.
employer-facing activity now takes
• We will promote the
Ongoing
account of race and wider
benefits of a diverse
diversity equality considerations.
workforce to
employers.
Our national sales team is
responding to the strong business
• We aim to increase
Ongoing
case for diversity by reviewing its
the number of
strategy for working with
vacancies placed
employers. The team has set up a
with and filled by
diversity project group.
Jobcentre Plus.
42
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Specialist
• Specialist
Pilot
Pilots have now ended and an
employment
employment advisers
reviewed
evaluation of their activity was
advisers will (pilot
will provide outreach
March 2006
published in July 2006. Overall,
to March 2006)
in areas of high ethnic
the seven pilots contributed to
contribute to
minority population to
1,370 job outcomes and have
community
encourage these
shown the benefits of enhanced
cohesion and
communities to
relations with employers. As part
social inclusion by
access Jobcentre
of the pilots, a number of
improving the
Plus services.
bespoke products to support the
employment
business case for diversity have
• Working alongside
Ongoing
opportunities for
been created. Those, along with
employer diversity
ethnic minority
other good practice, will be
managers, specialist
communities by
disseminated throughout the
employment advisers
encouraging,
organisation to support the
will work with
facilitating and
mainstreaming of diversity.
employers to
implementing
promote the benefits
change in the
of employing a
employment arena.
diverse workforce.
Fair Cities is a pilot • We aim to increase
Ongoing
Fair Cities is operating in three
currently being
the number of
areas: Brent, Bradford and
developed in three
disadvantaged ethnic
Birmingham. Local board
areas by the
minority customers
members have now been
National
who gain steady work
appointed to steer activities in
Employment
and new careers.
each location. The pilots are due
Panel. The pilot
to end in March 2008.
• We aim to meet
Ongoing
aims to connect
employer demand for
At the end of June 2005, 155 job
people from
job-ready candidates.
entries had been achieved.
disadvantaged
ethnic minority
• We will encourage fair
Ongoing
communities with
and effective
employer demand
employer recruitment
for job-ready
and promotion
candidates and
practices.
skills, increasing
employment
• We aim to increase
Ongoing
opportunities.
the responsiveness of
the employment and
skills system to
business and ethnic
minority needs.
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Support the 272
• We will take into
Ongoing
Jobcentre Plus has exceeded
local authority
consideration
anticipated job outcomes in the
wards that have
recommendations
272 wards by more than 25% in
three times the
made by the Ethnic
each of the last two years. We
national average
Minority Business
continue to set stretching targets
ethnic minority
Focus Group.
for these areas.
population and
1.5 times the
• We will promote
Ongoing
national
best practice in
unemployment
delivering services to
rate.
ethnic minority
customers.
Jobcentre Plus will • We will work with
Ongoing
In the last 12 months we have
work with
employers to ensure
successfully dealt with 657 race
employers
that vacancies
equality cases.
accessing our
placed are not
services to place
unlawfully
vacancies to
discriminatory,
ensure that they
providing guidance
are not
and advice as
discriminatory.
appropriate.
• We will issue
Achieved
guidance to support
June 2005
staff working with
employers to ensure
delivery of a high
level of customer
service.
The Ethnic
• Jobcentre Plus
Pilot
Over the two years of the pilot,
Minority Flexible
districts with high
completed
over 2,500 people moved into
Fund will be
ethnic minority
March 2006
employment as a result of the
piloted until March
populations will be
Flexible Fund. A further 4,000
2006, in areas of
encouraged to pilot
benefited from measures which
high ethnic minority
and introduce local
helped them move closer to the
population,
innovative ideas to
labour market. Jobcentre Plus is
coupled with
move ethnic minority
creating a database of best
higher than
customers closer to
practice to help inform future
average levels of
and into the labour
decisions for allocating flexible
unemployment.
market.
funding streams.
44
44
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Ethnic Minority
• Customers from
Ongoing
Ethnic Minority Outreach ended in
Outreach will be
areas of high ethnic
September 2006. Over its lifetime,
delivered in areas
minority population
it helped over 10,000 people into
of high ethnic
will be encouraged
work – over 4,700 people in
minority
and supported to
2005–06 alone. Funding from
population.
access Jobcentre
Ethnic Minority Outreach and
Plus services,
lessons learned from it are being
ensuring that they
used to develop future flexible
can move closer to
funding programmes.
the labour market.
45
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • We will launch a
Launched
Considerable progress has been
support and
strategic local
June 2005
made in developing support,
deliver services to
planning and
advice and guidance for our own
refugees.
partnership working
staff, external partners and
document which will
refugees. A suite of products,
support regional,
which are part of the strategic
district and local
local planning and partnership
office staff
working document, has been
responsible for
developed and published using a
business planning
range of platforms and media,
and partnership
including the internet and foreign
working when
languages. We continue to work
considering refugee
with the Home Office nationally
issues.
and locally to plan and manage
the Gateway Protection
• We will develop a
Developed
Programme to enable new arrivals
leaflet for refugees
October
to the UK to access our services
and supporting
2005
and appropriate support.
organisations to
explain Jobcentre
Plus services and
support.
• Jobcentre Plus will
Ongoing
develop and deliver
services to support
the DWP refugee
employment
strategy.
• We will work with
Ongoing
the Home Office to
respond to the
Home Office refugee
integration strategy
and other Home
Office policies that
may impact on
refugee employment
and access to
Jobcentre Plus
services.
46
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • The newly reported
Implemented We continue to ensure that ethnic
monitor and
DWP
March 2006
minority customers’ support
review the way we
communication
requirements are met, to enable
deliver information
standards on
them to access our services.
and access to
translation of leaflets
Many of our publications and
services, including
will be used to
leaflets are now available on the
interpreter services
inform which
DWP website, already translated
and production of
languages written
into other languages.
written material.
material will be
produced in, and
We have participated in a cross-
how this will be done.
government review looking at the
delivery of telephone interpreting
• Jobcentre Plus will
Implemented services, to ensure that the needs
implement
November
of our customers are met.
recommendations
2006
identified in the
A feasibility study into the
internal review of
development of a language
interpreter services
marker on our customer service
to ensure that the
IT systems has been undertaken;
needs of customers
implementation will be taken
and representatives
forward when other business
from ethnic minority
changes are implemented.
communities are
met, while delivering
value for money.
• We will investigate
Completed
the development of a
March 2006
language marker for
appropriate IT
systems to identify
customers with
ongoing language
support requirements.
(See the Work and
Pensions Select
Committee Report
Delivery of Services
to Ethnic Minority
Clients, published on
6 April 2005.)
47
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
The Jobcentre
• A review of the
October
We introduced new Jobcentre
Plus Customer
current Customer
2005
Plus service standards for
Charter will be
Charter will be
customers in April 2006. The
reviewed to ensure
carried out to
standards focus on the
equality for all.
develop agreed
importance of meeting the needs
standards that
of individual customers. Progress
reflect the needs of
towards meeting these standards
all our customers.
will be reviewed through analysis
of customer feedback and
• We will consult with
Ongoing
complaints.
key stakeholders,
staff and customers
We are also working with DWP on
to ensure that the
the development of accessibility
views and needs of
standards for customer service,
all groups are
which are intended to be adopted
reflected in any
across all the businesses as soon
changes.
as is possible. We will also take
into account findings from our
telephony project referred to in
our disability action plan.
Jobcentre Plus will • Jobcentre Plus will
Ongoing
This work is ongoing. Results
evaluate services
consult with
from the customer satisfaction
delivered to ethnic
customers and
survey are now available, as well
minority customer
representative
as the findings of an additional
via results
groups from ethnic
booster survey undertaken
obtained through
minorities.
specifically to look at the views of
customer surveys
ethnic minority customers. We will
• Where appropriate,
Ongoing
and customer
be addressing the findings and
action will be taken
feedback.
recommendations contained in
to implement
these reports throughout 2007.
recommendations to
enhance or improve
our services.
• Following the results
2006
of the customer
satisfaction survey,
we will consider the
recommendations
and report against
them.
48
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • We will ensure that
Ongoing
In 2005 we ran workshops for
assess all
race impact
Jobcentre Plus staff to provide
proposed policies,
assessments are
guidance on the requirement to
functions and
undertaken when
undertake race impact
changes for race
changes are identified
assessments, including the need
impact.
to service delivery
to publish results.
and our staff.
We will reinforce guidance for staff
• We will consult with
Ongoing
on how and when to impact-
customers,
assess. This will be reinforced
representative
through the development of a
groups and staff.
diversity impact assessment tool
and a diversity challenge, to be
• We will evaluate and,
Ongoing
launched in early 2007.
if appropriate to the
business needs,
implement any
changes identified.
• We will publish the
Ongoing
results of our impact
assessments.
• We will continue to
Completed
provide staff with
December
training workshops
2005
during 2005 to
ensure that they
effectively utilise the
race impact
assessment tool.
49
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
• Throughout the
2005 to 2006
operational year
2005–06 all regions
will publish details of
race impact
assessments carried
out, as well as
reporting (quarterly)
the number
completed through
our business
planning process.
Jobcentre Plus will • Staff will consult and
Ongoing
We continue to collect feedback
mainstream race
work with customers
on services from customers and
equality into all
and representative
their representative groups
areas of service
groups from ethnic
through consultation activity. We
delivery in frontline
minority
are incorporating race equality
services, building
communities to
and wider diversity considerations
on the race
improve access to
into our everyday business
equality scheme
services.
through the introduction of
challenge.
diversity-focused business
• Jobcentre Plus will
From July
planning objectives, the
monitor progress in
2005
completion of our race equality
meeting the
onwards
scheme challenge and action to
responsibilities under
reflect new equality legislation in
the duties of the
our procurement processes.
Race Relations
(Amendment) Act
We continue to undertake and
2000.
publish race impact assessments,
which have been integrated into
• All proposed
Ongoing
our strategic change
changes will be
management processes. From
impact-assessed
September 2005 to August 2006
against race equality.
we published 59 race impact
assessments.
50
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • Guidance will be
Ongoing
DWP colleagues have now taken
review and
issued to help staff
the lead for this area of work in
develop the way in
analyse information
order to ensure that there is
which it monitors
following amend-
consistency across the
and develops
ments to IT systems.
Department in the collection and
systems for
monitoring of data.
• We will monitor IT
Ongoing
gathering ethnicity
systems/collation
data.
The process has now been
methods and seek
reviewed and data on the
continuous
ethnicity of customers who make
improvement.
a Social Fund claim will be
• We will review
Completed
available for analysis in December
processes for
2006.
gathering ethnicity
data for customers
We continue to monitor contact
accessing habitual
with ethnic minority customers
residence testing
through the channels identified.
and social fund
discretionary
decisions.
• We will monitor
Ongoing
ongoing and episodic
contact, usage and
satisfaction or
complaints via:
– customer and staff
surveys and
feedback;
– consultation;
– HR policies and
programmes;
– race impact
assessments
reported through
our business
planning process;
and
– continuation of our
race equality
scheme challenge
frameworks.
51
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • We will develop a
Completed
The launch of a race equality
mainstream race
new framework to
October
scheme framework to national tier
equality into all
raise staff awareness
2006
colleagues was delayed because
areas of our
at the national tier of
Jobcentre Plus was implementing
national tier
the Jobcentre Plus
comprehensive changes to its
business via a
duty with regard to
organisational structure from late
race equality
the Race Relations
2005 onwards. A new framework,
scheme challenge
(Amendment) Act
which incorporates race, disability
framework.
2000. This will allow
and gender, will be launched in
us to baseline all
spring 2007.
areas of business.
To ensure that our
• We will ensure that
Completed
We now have a provider
procurement
race equality is part
October
accreditation system in place, and
policies and
of our provider pre-
2005
all changes to our invitation to
functions do not
qualification
tender and terms and conditions
discriminate on
accreditation
have been completed and are
grounds of race,
system.
included in our recently awarded
we will review
New Deal contracts.
them and
• We will change our
Completed
implement
invitation to tender
July 2005
Work will continue to ensure that
changes where
to include a
contract management activity
appropriate.
statement on race
reflects legislative responsibilities
equality.
across all diversity strands.
• We will change
Completed
provider terms and
September
conditions to
2005
incorporate race
equality.
• We will maintain
Completed
equality via a
July 2005
Jobcentre Plus
quality monitoring
strategy.
52
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • Supporting guidance
Ongoing
In the context of our
work in
will be introduced to
organisational design review, we
partnership with
ensure that a
have taken the opportunity to
external
consistent approach
examine our relationship with
stakeholders to
is adopted to
partners. We will develop and
meet the needs of
encourage
implement a stakeholder
ethnic minority
partnership working
management strategy that fully
communities.
with ethnic minority
incorporates our duty to promote
representatives,
diversity.
groups and
communities.
• We will forge joint
Ongoing
agreements with
other government
departments to
agree lead
responsibilities.
• We will work
Ongoing
proactively with
other organisations
to deliver services to
ethnic minority
customers, ensuring
that staff have
access to and
receive appropriate
training and support.
53
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • We are developing
Products
Products have been developed
review and
Jobcentre Plus
developed
and rolled out and will be
develop learning
products to support
and rolled
reviewed and evaluated regularly
products to ensure
our people in
out in 2005
in line with legislative
that staff are fully
delivering the race
developments.
equipped to
equality agenda. The
advise and
proposed products
We will ensure that all products
support customers
are:
are easily accessible to all staff
from ethnic
from our enhanced internal
– a revised induction
minority
website on diversity and equality,
programme with
communities.
which is due to be launched in
improved coverage
February 2007.
of diversity and
equality;
– open learning
material on
employment
legislation and
customer groups;
and
– facilitated learning
titled ‘Managing
Diversity in the
Workforce’ and
‘Valuing Diversity’.
• In developing these
products, we will
consult with
stakeholders within
the business,
including the race
network groups.
54
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
• These products,
together with the
diversity toolkit, will
form a route of
learning in race
equality, cultural
awareness and
diversity to enable
staff and their
managers to identify
diversity and equality
learning
requirements.
• We shall continue to
evaluate and make
improvements to all
diversity and equality
products, taking into
account the findings
from the evaluation
of the diversity
toolkit.
55
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • We will ensure the
Ongoing
We continue to work towards the
make a positive
use of Cabinet
achievement of our targets, which
contribution
Office, DWP and
have been incorporated into
to the
Jobcentre Plus
DWP’s 10-Point Plan. In this
achievement
development and
context we will be working closely
of DWP 2005–08
positive action
with colleagues at DWP.
targets and will
schemes.
increase the
We will also look at the progress
representation
• As we move forward
Ongoing
of staff from the wider diversity
rates of ethnic
through a major re-
strands.
minority staff at
organisation, we will
higher grades.
ensure that we
We carried out a race impact
monitor staffing
assessment and published the
data, which will feed
assessment internally as part of
into race impact
our organisational design review.
assessments.
• We will assess
Ongoing
options in the event
of adverse or
differential impact
being identified in a
race impact
assessment.
• With DWP, we will
Ongoing
review progress
against targets and
options for action.
56
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • We will alert DWP to
Achieved
Jobcentre Plus has actively
contribute to the
emerging issues and
May 2006
contributed to the review of DWP
review of DWP
actively contribute to
staff policies and we will continue
staff policies and
the review of policies.
to work closely with the
procedures to
Department, updating policies as
ensure fairness
• We will input into the
2005 to 2006 appropriate.
with respect and
development of a
promotion of race
new DWP IT system
equality.
to produce better
staffing and
monitoring statistics.
• We will produce
As required
action plans for
Jobcentre Plus as
appropriate,
dependent on the
outcomes of the
review process.
• We will review the
Ongoing
relevant Jobcentre
Plus monitoring
statistics.
Jobcentre Plus will • The Jobcentre Plus
Annually
We continue to gather and monitor
monitor the views
annual people
the views of ethnic minority staff
of ethnic minority
survey will be
through our survey results.
staff through the
segmented by
In addition, we expect our
DWP annual
race.The race staff
recently launched ‘Start, Stop,
people survey.
network group will
Change’ initiative to help identify
lead and flag issues
individuals’ concerns.
for progression to
the appropriate
Our race staff network group also
policy team.
analyses the staff survey results to
consider whether colleagues from
ethnic minority groups are
disadvantaged.
Currently there are no different
areas of concern for staff from
ethnic minority groups.
57
Race equality
Steps to achieve
Timescales
Update (December 2006)
scheme
description
Jobcentre Plus will • We will ensure that
Ongoing
The Jobcentre Plus competency-
support the
Cabinet Office, DWP
based coaching and mentoring
development of
and Jobcentre Plus
programme in the London area
staff from ethnic
positive action
continues to provide positive
minority groups to
schemes and other
results. In the north west region,
prepare them for
development
Jobcentre Plus has also
work at higher
schemes are
developed a two-year programme
grades.
promoted in
– Accessing Ability – that ensures
Jobcentre Plus.
that staff from ethnic minority
groups can compete for jobs/
opportunities/promotions on equal
terms with other applicants.
Evaluation shows that there was
an increase in self-belief,
competences and skills perceived
by participants and confirmed by
their line managers.
Jobcentre Plus will
2009
We reviewed our functions and
review its functions
policies in December 2006. A
and policies.
further review will fall due 2009.
58
Annex 5:
Other diversity areas
It is estimated that only 20 per cent of the working age population will be white,
male, non-disabled and aged under 45 by 2011. If Jobcentre Plus is to contribute
towards the Government’s aspiration of increasing the percentage of people in
work from the current 75 per cent to 80 per cent, then we need to ensure that our
services are responsive to the needs of the 80 per cent of the working age
population who will be disabled, over the age of 45, female or from an ethnic
minority. Ensuring that we understand and are responsive to the diverse needs of
our customers is, therefore, essential to an effective service delivery strategy.
Achievements and progress
Age
•
Jobcentre Plus ensures that a range of programmes are available to
customers regardless of age, but we also offer a range of services
specifically designed for people of different ages, who may have different
needs, for example the New Deal for jobless people aged 50+.
•
We have worked with DWP colleagues to conduct an audit of programmes
and services to ensure that they meet the requirements of the age legislation
that came into effect on 1 October 2006.
•
As a member of The Age and Employment Network (TAEN), we support and
encourage older people to continue working and to adapt their capabilities
to changing labour market requirements.
•
Our staff network groups will consider age-related issues in relation to the
annual staff survey and performance and development system.
•
It has been our policy for some years that we will not accept vacancies from
employers who discriminate on the grounds of age. We have reviewed and
amended guidance for displaying employer vacancies in relation to age
discrimination to ensure that this policy can be applied effectively.
Sexual orientation
•
DWP established a project team on civil partnerships. Jobcentre Plus is
working actively with this project to ensure that both staff and customers are
aware of and understand the requirements of the Civil Partnerships Act.
•
Smoothing the Path, a sexuality guide developed by Jobcentre Plus in
Wales, is available to all Jobcentre Plus staff to increase their knowledge and
awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.
59
•
Our staff network group will consider sexual orientation-related issues in
relation to the annual staff survey and performance and development
system.
•
We have publicised the DWP ‘Getting It Right’ DVD, which promotes
positive attitudes to sexuality throughout Jobcentre Plus.
•
We contributed to DWP’s achievement of improving its position in
Stonewall’s workplace equality index from 51st to 3rd in one year.
Faith and belief
•
The ‘Faith in the Communities’ toolkit developed by the London region is
widely used by all Jobcentre Plus staff to increase their knowledge and
understanding when engaging with customers and communities.
•
Jobcentre Plus has worked with faith leaders and communities to deliver
outreach facilities in places of worship and at religious festivals and events.
60
Further copies of this publication in either
English or Welsh and in other formats,
including Braille, audio and Easy Read,
can be obtained by:
Telephone Orderline: 0800 132 660
Fax: 0800 085 0853
Email: [email address]
All DWP Equality Schemes are available
online at:
www.dwp.gov.uk/aboutus/equalityschemes
ISBN: 1-84695-657-9 978-1-84695-657-7
© Crown Copyright. Produced by Jobcentre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, 2006.
