Good Relations Action Plan 2022 – 2025: Update June 2023

Number – Complete/Complete for Reporting Period

4

36.4%

Number – Ongoing/In Progress

4

36.4%

Number - Not complete/Overdue

0

0%

Number – Not yet due

3

27.2%

1.1 Identify an e-learning good relations package for staff.

Staff better understand good relations and its relevance to them in their roles within the Assembly Commission.

Year 2 (March 2024) Identification and implementation of a Good Relations E-Learning programme for staff.

Year 3 (November 2024) Staff have been trained in good relations.

Lead – Learning and Development Team and Equality and Good Relations Unit

Not yet due

1.2 Ongoing training and support to policy authors in relation to the requirements of equality and good relations policy screening.

Assembly Commission policies are screened for equality and good relations as per the Assembly Commission’s Equality Scheme and Equality Commission guidance.

Over the Lifetime of the plan:

Support and advice is provided by Equality and Good Relations Unit to Policy Authors on an ongoing basis.

Monitoring information is collected by Learning and Development Team in relation to policy screening training.

Quarterly Screening Reports are shared with Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and published on the Assembly website.

Lead – Equality and Good Relations Unit

Learning and Development Team

Complete for Reporting Period.

Support and advice are provided as necessary to policy authors and quarterly screening reports are shared with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and published on the Assembly website.

Implementation/roll out of training to staff involved in equality screening is planned by 31 March 2024.

2.1 Analyse recruitment data for minority ethnic applicants and appointees and, community background of applicants and appointees, against 2021 census data and take appropriate action(s) to address any under-representation issues arising e.g. welcoming statement in recruitment advertising etc.

Staffing is reflective of the Northern Ireland working age population in relation to ethnicity and community background i.e. religious belief/political opinion.  

Year 1 – 3 In May of each year produce an annual written review of monitoring data against 2021 Census data.

Year 1 – 3 Positive steps used where necessary in external recruitment to attract more applicants from minority ethnic communities and from persons of a community background that is under-represented.

Lead: Human Resources

Complete for Reporting Period

The Human Resources Office analyses equality data of applicants on an ongoing basis and takes positive steps to attract applicants from under-represented groups.

The next annual written review of monitoring data against the 2021 census is due in May 2023 (it is noted that census information on religion and ethnicity will not be available until summer 2023).

3.1 Update the Events tour script to include the artefacts and images in Parliament Buildings.

To enhance the visitor experience.

Year 1 (March 2023) Tour Script updated.

Lead: Events

Complete for reporting period

The Events tour now includes additional elements from the artefacts’ exhibition and the Tour script updated.

Tours of the Assembly Commission’s new permanent exhibition ‘Parliament Buildings – A Journey of People, Politics and Peacebuilding’. These tours were piloted with staff in June, July and November 2022 and January 2023.

The exhibition captures a range of existing artefacts and new additions in a way which tells the history of Parliament Buildings and the institutions which have had their home here.

3.2 Publicise the Assembly ‘Quiet Room’ as a space for visitors and staff with/without faith for prayer and reflection.

The shared space for prayer and reflection for visitors, service users and staff of all faiths, and none, is publicised.

Year 1 (March 2023) Quiet Room is publicised on the Assembly website.

Lead: Head of Building Services

Complete for reporting purposes

Consideration was given to providing the “Quiet Room” as a space for prayer and reflection. This has not been progressed as the Quiet Room is primarily intended as a space for visitors/staff with autism and its ongoing availability forms part of the Autism Friendly Award. Availability of the Quiet Room for this purpose was publicised during the reporting period.

As an alternative, other rooms within Parliament Buildings may be booked in advance for visitors/staff requiring space for prayer and/or reflection. Information on the ability to book rooms for this purpose will be publicised (2023/2024).

3.3 Scope out, and where appropriate, procure new technologies to support self-guided tours.

To enhance the visitor experience, increase the number of visitors and make information more accessible.

Year 1 (March 2023) Scope out what is possible in terms of self-guided tour technology.

Year 2 (March 2024) If appropriate, procure suitable technologies.

Lead: Events

In progress

The Events team has commenced work to scope out new technologies to support self-guided tours.

4.1 Deliver awareness raising and capacity-building seminars specifically for minority ethnic communities.

Increased participation by minority ethnic communities in the work and activities of the Assembly.

Year 1 (March 2023) Host a series of awareness raising and capacity-building seminars.

Lead: Engagement

In progress

A ‘Stronger Together’ event with minority ethnic communities was held in late September 2022.

Consideration will be given in 2023/24, to further opportunities to develop connections with minority ethnic communities.

4.2 Establish an external ethnic minority stakeholder group.

Improved targeting of, access to, and participation in, Assembly Commission services and activities by BME communities.

Year 2 (March 2024) Ethnic minority stakeholder group is established.

Lead: Engagement, Equality and Good Relations Unit and Assembly Committees

Not yet due

4.3 Hold a planned series of cultural events with minority ethnic groups.

Raise awareness of Assembly services with minority ethnic communities and also raise the awareness of staff about minority ethnic cultures.

Year 1 – 3 A series of events is held over the lifetime of the plan.

Lead: Engagement and Clerking

In Progress

The Engagement Team are currently developing a proposal for a series of ‘Cultural Days’, for consideration by SMT. This may include for example, observing festivals/events that are important to the various ethnic minority groups and inviting those groups to Parliament Buildings.

The Engagement Team will, in due course, work with the Communications Unit to raise the profile of “Cultural Days” and encourage staff to become involved in activities.

4.4 Scope out, and where appropriate, procure new technologies to support visitor feedback on the Assembly website and at Parliament Buildings.

Improving the visitor experience.

Year 2 (March 2024) Scope out what is possible in terms of technology to support visitor feedback.

Year 3 (March 2025) If appropriate, procure suitable technologies.

Lead: RaISe with support from Equality and Good Relations Unit

Not yet due

4.5 Conduct research to discover how other legislatures accommodate the language needs of minority ethnic communities on their websites.

To gain greater reach and to raise awareness of the services and operations of the Assembly with minority ethnic communities via the Assembly website.

Year 1 (March 2023) Working with RaISe to conduct research to identify how other UK and Irish legislatures accommodate the language needs of minority ethnic communities on their websites and identify solution options.

Lead: RaISe with support from Equality and Good Relations Unit

In Progress

A research request was initiated 1 May 2023 with a target delivery date of end September 2023.