Diversity and Inclusion Action
To coincide with Harmony Week, the BCH Diversity & Inclusion Action Group (DIAG) has launched a colourful new visual ‘WELCOME’ sign and diversity statement to be displayed across all our sites.
The idea behind the sign was to create a welcoming environment in our waiting rooms, representing our commitment to deliver health and wellbeing outcomes for people from all our diverse communities. It is important that we provide services that respond to and consider all forms of diversity and vulnerability.
The word ‘WELCOME’ is made up of various symbols that hold meaning to our staff, volunteers and communities on the Bellarine, along with a ‘Welcome Statement’ which reads:
Bellarine Community Health is here for everyone – no matter where you come from, what you look like or how you identify.
We are committed to play our part in building a more inclusive and equitable world – starting with our own organisation.
A plaque explaining the symbols sits below the display.
To further enhance our commitment, all staff have been given either a new lanyard, or a zip pull attachment for ID cards which replicates the ‘WELCOME’ sign. Visual representation is extremely important in creating a welcoming environment.
The development of the ‘WELCOME’ signs and lanyards has been part of the Diversity & Inclusion groups’ Action Plan which has achieved some great outcomes in just two years.
The plan has included an access and welcome audit of all BCH sites, a community wide survey to understand the diversity of our community, diversity training sessions for staff and a review of our intake process with a diversity lens.
In addition, the BCH Healthy Communities team has developed a Gender Impact Tool to look at BCH policies, programs and services to understand if there are any potential inequities or biases that could be addressed so that we are truly meeting the needs of all genders equally.
The Healthy Communities Team also uses the Gender Impact Tool to support the settings they work in such as education, early years and clubs in the community to assess their services and the activities they deliver.
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