Tag: Lindsey Ambrose

  • Leo the Lion Champions Diversity & Inclusion

    Lindsey Ambrose July 2015 croppedBy Lindsey Ambrose, Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Lead, St Andrew’s Healthcare

    2015 has been full of fantastic surprises for me – I won the Excellence in Diversity Award (Diversity Champion), led the submission for St Andrew’s Healthcare, a shortlisted finalist in the National Diversity Awards, supported the submission of another shortlisted finalist, and just found I’m in the Global Diversity List Top 50 Diversity Professionals in Industry.  Now, I’m flattered to be asked to write for the Diversity Group.  I think people have heard about how years ago I helped rescue people in a war, and may know that I’ve helped people in the UK facing homophobia and threats of honour-based violence.  So I want to talk about something else, to share my personal thoughts – only mine, not on behalf of anyone else – on some challenges I’ve found of working in “equality and diversity”, and to introduce you to “Leo the Lion”.

    You’re reading this blog, so I guess if I were to ask what you think of when you hear the words “equality” and “diversity”, you might think in terms of what this area of work aims to do and sometimes celebrates success in achieving through awards and benchmarking audits.  Over the years, working in local government, partnerships with business, with community groups and in the courts, I’ve kept a watchful eye on media coverage influencing what the public might perceive about equality and diversity issues. I followed the previous government’s “red tape challenge” and discussions about whether to implement, or even to scrap, the Equality Act 2010. It often strikes me that the world of equality and diversity is one which struggles to communicate – of all things, inclusively. My experience is that many people would perceive “equality” and “diversity” to be the meaningless domain of bureaucratic “bean-counters”, or think of “political correctness” and punitive attacks on their cultural identity.  They are less likely to realise that working inclusively may help make cost-effective, smart business decisions and enhance their reputation as an employer and as a member of the community. They may be unaware of the stress and poorer performance associated with feeling excluded, unwelcomed and in the minority.

    Most people I’ve ever met want to consider themselves decent people. Not all might describe themselves as ‘caring’, but whatever their political colours, their appetite for risk in business, their offender history, or their mental disorder,  and so on, my experience has been that most would not want to feel others judged them to be ‘uncaring’ or ‘nasty’. That ought to mean that organisations– private, public or voluntary sector – easily mainstream and integrate equality and diversity, creating inclusive cultures and practice. But I find there can be a language barrier and people often don’t realise that they don’t know and need to know about how to work inclusively and accessibly. Good intentions at the heart of equality and diversity work risk being thwarted by the jargon “doing equality analysis”, “negative or positive impact”, “significant differential effect” to name just a few. People can react to the language of equality and diversity as humans are hard-wired to do when stressed – “fight” (arguing it’s all bureaucratic red tape nonsense from “the PC Brigade”) or “flight” (claiming it’s not relevant to their work and trying to avoid it). From those who speak the equalities language, and/or who are more diversity aware, I have often heard that some organisations’ proposed courses of action or ways of working seem thoughtless, even discriminatory, failing to show required “due regard” and with seemingly little or no interest in their equality duties. Sometimes this leads to tension, emotional heightening and threats to organisational reputation, going to the media or the courts – and sometimes, sadly,  this is necessary to stop or overturn bad decisions. Sometimes too the equalities jargon, recitals of legal duties and human reactions to it, seem to me to over-complicate and detract from what could have been a friendlier, more effective learning and improvement experience. There’s a risk of reinforcing initial fight or flight feelings rather than achieving inclusive results that can help everyone.

    Over many years, I’ve learned from working with people of all ages, abilities and disabilities, different faiths and cultural backgrounds, the value of “translating” – of making complicated communication simple – whether it’s “council speak”, “equalities speak” or anything else. I’ve learned from people in many different types of role who are not diversity professionals to look for hidden emotion behind illogical-seeming fight or flight behaviours and to respond to the emotion rather than what a person might be saying. I prefer to say things like “Let’s meet up for a chat, over coffee if you like”, “don’t worry – we can make this painless and easy for you”. I meet in places people feel safe, not overheard by people they fear would think them ignorant if they admitted feeling out of their depth. People often emerge from our meetings not just calm, but full of enthusiasm for making change and improvement, able to ask for what they need, with a clear plan of what they want to do next. Some even admit “I was dreading this” because of all that equalities jargon and popular myths about this area of work, but say that they “get it” now. They are keen to learn how to be more inclusive by engaging with people about particular diversity risks and opportunities. It is a pleasure to see them then integrating diversity and inclusion in their work. It makes my day when I find the person I helped has referred a colleague to me because they found it so helpful – and that they’ve helped that colleague to get started because of their own positive learning and improvement experience. Times like those I can see organisational capacity is building, and culture shifting.

    So, about that Lion? What’s it got to do with any of this? Many of the patients I work with have very low English literacy and find abstract concepts difficult. They have taught me a lot as to help them to be aware of everyone’s rights and responsibilities, I have had to go beyond plain English, for example reducing information to Easy Read and British Sign Language and recognising the value of images to convey powerful messages and meanings.

    IMG_20151022_172411Getting information in ways they can understand it has transformed people’s ability and enthusiasm to engage with equality and diversity – and to take the steps to achieve inclusion. Now, Leo is helping do this –for patients, for staff and even community groups and other organisations – removing barriers, getting people to get curious, become diversity aware and inclusive – to become equality allies.

    Decorated by patients to represent equality and diversity, named by patients, on a safari trail around the charity’s hospitals decided by patients, accompanied by themed diversity displays to which people can contribute as equality allies, being the centrepiece of pledge sign ups to show personal support for diversity and inclusion, doing photoshoots at events – including senior staff and the local Police Chief Constable – with future bookings for guest appearances at anti-bullying, LGBT equality conferences, and the launch of supported employment facilities, on T-shirts, stickers and with his own intranet site, Leo is St Andrew’s Healthcare’s diversity and inclusion mascot. Some organisations introduced to Leo are now looking to have their own Leo too!  

    St Andrews Lion champions diversity and inclusion

     

  • Lindsey Ambrose: Diversity Champion – Public Sector

    Lindsey Ambrose - for Excellence in Diversity Awards 2015We caught up with Lindsey Ambrose to catch her response on being crowned the Winner of The Diversity Champion Award for Public at The Excellence in Diversity Awards 2015! Here’s what she had to say:

    ‘ I was so shocked, overwhelmed and numb for quite a while upon being announced the winner of The Diversity Champion Award for Public. I had totally dismissed the idea me even winning the award, especially as the other people shortlisted were so inspirational. I genuinely wasn’t expecting it to be me. But it was!

    The experiences I had of witnessing the murders and violence as a child, led me to have Post-Traumatic Stress for a while. I don’t have that problem these days but I still find it physically difficult to talk about what happened. It’s one thing to know for myself what happened and how it is such a factor in wanting to help people communicate effectively and get on well together, with compassion and understanding for each other. It’s something else when other people recognise it so kindly in their experience of my passion for my diversity and inclusion work.

    The other nominees within my category were awesome! I wouldn’t have liked to have been one of the judges. The awards were a great way of finding some fantastic individuals and bringing them together to meet and find out about one another and our work. We had such a relaxed evening, and I liked the fact that The EiDA Team used Social Media beforehand; it just allowed us all to connect with each other. We wouldn’t have been in touch with each other if it weren’t for the awards – now we are and some of us have been looking to meet up to learn more from one another.

    Where are you going to go from here with your work?

    I work for a charity that helps very vulnerable people with complex disabilities, wherever possible helping them to achieve more independence and to their full potential. My success, which included in relation to my work here, has encouraged patients and staff to feel proud of what we do together – and I know my work is just one small part of that much bigger picture. So I would like to get everyone’s contributions recognised and I’m supporting patients, former patients, volunteers and staff to prepare an entry for the National Diversity Awards – on condition that in the unlikely event we were to win (there are so many fab groups out there!) – other people would be able to attend and I wouldn’t have to be the one on the stage! The experience so far have been very positive for us, including hearing such moving things from people who tell us how we’ve transformed their lives, and what being involved with us means to them.

    I am leading the charity’s work towards the Louder Than Words Charter Mark, run by Action on Hearing Loss. It helps organisations to be Deaf-friendly. Lots of people are involved. Part of the work of raising patient and staff Deaf awareness will include having a stand at patient parties with colleagues from our specialist Deaf service. We did this last year and it was very popular. The theme this year is “magical circus” so we’ll be teaching them British Sign Language about things to do with parties and the event theme, and giving them the chance to try lip-reading games and BSL wordsearch puzzles.

    I’m also working with carers on a guide for people who’s loved one is new to being cared for by St Andrew’s Healthcare. We’re due to launch that at an event we’ve been planning together. That event will also give carers, families and friends of patients the opportunity to have taster sessions of the sorts of activities we offer to patients day to day.

    I’m continuing to support Northampton Carnival, judging again this year and supporting them with funding applications to help them continue and develop this spectacular free event (13 June) which brings together so many diverse communities and people of all ages and abilities; I’ve nominated the Deputy Mayor, Christopher Malpas, for a National Diversity Award (Positive Role Model – Disability) for his work especially with developing Guide Dogs for the Blind Northampton, and have been supporting him with the process for that; and I’ve nominated Northampton Inter Faith Forum, for a National Diversity Award (community organisation: race/faith/religion) as they do some fabulous work helping people of different cultural and religious beliefs learn about different faiths and get on well together through community events and more too.

    What does Diversity & Inclusion mean to you?

    It’s about making sure that everybody can be involved as much as they want to be in making decisions that affect their lives and that they can be supported with opportunities that help them to achieve to their potential. Working with very vulnerable people who have complex disability needs and also often suffer from social disadvantages – perhaps very disrupted schooling due to disability and/or neglect – it’s important to me to recognise the individual, who they are, and to work with them, recognising their unique diversity, as this can help them to progress and achieve, to develop empathy and make changes in services or behaviours, which in turn can inspire and help others on their recovery and development journeys too.

    Where does this rank within your Diversity & Inclusion achievements?

    It’s unique because it’s about me personally. I’m usually behind the scenes, supporting other people to get an award, or helping youth or others to develop and run awards to find local unsung heroes. It’s been great when the work we do is recognised but this is really different because this is my own award. I have been really flattered, amazed, humbled by people’s response – so many people have gone out of their way to get in touch and congratulate me, to show their support for me getting this award. It’s been very, very, special.

    What were yours and your colleague’s thoughts on the awards?

    I had another lady with me and she was in tears, she was pleased and had a fabulous evening. It was really nice, really well done, the whole thing is an absolute joy, and I loved the #hashtag you had in the background. I would absolutely recommend to other people to get involved and nominate for the awards in future years.