We want to create a workforce that better represents our communities. We believe that, through better representation, we will be in a stronger position to understand and meet the needs of those we serve.
We know that there are barriers in society and some people may not have that same access to opportunities as others. It is our moral and legal obligation to remove those barriers, and positive action is a measure that helps us ensure that everyone has the equal access of opportunity that they deserve.
Access to jobs and services should not be dependent on characteristics or groups. We want under-represented voices to be just as loud as any other voice in our Service, so we can all learn and develop through the different backgrounds, experiences, life skills and cultures of our workforce.
At DWFRS, there is significant under-representation among female firefighters, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and also Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning and other non-heterosexual (LGBTQ+) groups.
We use positive actions to help us learn from these communities and understand what we need to do to remove barriers and ensure that everyone can join us.
How do we promote Positive Action?
We offer ‘have a go’ days for members of under-represented groups, to raise their awareness of employment opportunities and our recruitment/selection processes.
The aim of our positive action work is to remove the perceived barriers that are often created through myths and stereotypes, and to educate people on what it is really like to work for DWFRS.
All managers, and anyone else involved in recruitment, are given unconscious bias training to remove any discriminatory practices. This supports diversity throughout the Service and during the recruitment process, and sits alongside other Equality Diversity and Inclusion training.