Agenda item

To consider a report

23.1     Mr R Jones, the Service Diversity Adviser, presented his report outlining the progress made against the Positive Action Plan. The report also outlined the difference between positive action and positive discrimination and explained the benefits of positive action to the Service and the wider community.

23.2     Nine of the actions set out in the action plan had been completed, including sharing best practice with Bedfordshire Police, providing guidance materials for station open days, engagement events and ‘have a go’ days and on call recruitment campaigns, although it was noted that work on many of these actions remained ongoing.

23.3     The Diversity Adviser reported that he attended conferences and regional meetings to discuss best practice in relation to positive action campaigns. The Service engaged with a wide variety of organisations, such as the Asian Fire Service Association, to better understand and address any perceived barriers to those from ethnic minority backgrounds and females applying for positions within the Service.

23.4     One of the recognised challenges in recruiting males from certain communities was that the breathing apparatus was not currently compatible with beards as the hair compromised the seal. This would have to be considered further as currently the provider of the equipment would not validate the use of the equipment if the users were not clean-shaven.

23.5     In response to a comment on the unconscious bias training provided to managers at the Service, the Diversity Adviser commented that this was currently provided as an online package and that it had been well received. An in-house training programme was being developed.

23.6     It was suggested that the unconscious bias training be offered to Members and that this be recommended by the Group to the Fire and Rescue Authority.

23.7     The Diversity Adviser reported that there were six actions that remained ongoing, including developing relationships with representatives of a wide range of faith groups, distributing recruitment messages at community events, such as the River Festival and Luton Carnival, holding a series of ‘have a go’ events at Community Fire Stations and utilising working with young people such as Cadets and Fire Forward.

23.8     The ‘have a go’ events had proven very popular and recent events in Bedford and Luton had been oversubscribed. Although they were not targeted specifically at individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds and females, a number of individuals from these target groups had attended or signed up for future events. The Service would then track if these individuals went on to sign up to the joining page so that they could be sent information about the recruitment process.

23.9     The Diversity Adviser reported on the positive action initiatives supporting the 2018/19 whole time recruitment campaign. This included the recruitment of 19 volunteer positive action ambassadors from within current Service staff. 7 of these individuals were recent recruits themselves.

23.10   Members were advised that engagement with faith communities was primarily to address perceptions of the Fire Service as a career with the older generation of some ethnic minority communities.

23.11   SOC Peckham reported on initiatives to increase engagement in the recruitment process by the Cadets by decreasing the age at which interest in recruitment can be expressed from 18 to 17.

23.12   It was recognised that the Service was actively promoting a range of positive action initiatives, particularly in relation to the forthcoming whole time recruitment campaign.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the presentation be noted.

2.         That the Fire and Rescue Authority be recommended to support the roll-out of unconscious bias training to Members of the Authority.