What does inclusion mean at Sense?

Our head of Inclusion and Wellbeing, Benjamin, wraps up our Black History Month blog series. He shares his insights into Sense’s journey towards becoming a truly inclusive organisation.

At Sense, inclusion is at the heart of our organisational culture. We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.

Inclusion means embracing diversity in all its forms. It means ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and thrive, and that the people we’re dedicated to supporting are never left out of life.

Sense’s journey to developing an inclusive culture

Sense’s journey towards developing an inclusive culture has been an evolution. We’ve made significant strides in recent years, proactively embedding inclusion into our core values and practices.

A significant milestone in this journey was the development of our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy in 2021. This strategy serves as a roadmap for creating a truly inclusive workplace. It outlines key actions and initiatives – like new inclusive policies and practices – that’ll help us to achieve this goal.

Challenges faced in creating an inclusive culture

We’ve made great progress, but continue to face challenges relating to the organisation’s size and complexity. Sense has a wide range of services, operating in very different environments. This can make it difficult to engage with all our people at once.

We want to reach more people so we can raise awareness and signpost support, where required, to ensure that all employees are fully aware of Sense’s commitment to inclusion.

The role of people and leadership in Sense’s inclusion journey

Our staff, the people we support and the leadership at Sense have played a crucial role on our journey to developing an inclusive culture. The leadership team has been vocal and visible in its advocacy for inclusion and wellbeing, making it a top priority across all levels of the organisation.

Sense’s employees have also actively participated in initiatives promoting inclusion. The organisation has established a number of employee networks that provide support and advocacy for different groups of employees.

Celebrating and supporting Black History Month 2023

We actively celebrate and support Black History Month. We recognise the invaluable contributions of black individuals throughout history, acknowledging their significant influence on our society. By reflecting on this each year, we renew our commitment to the pursuit of racial justice and equity.

This year, we’ve held a variety of events and activities throughout the month, open to all our staff, the people we support and our wider community. We encouraged our staff and the people we support to learn more about black history and culture. Together, we’ve been celebrating the achievements of black people throughout history and within our organisation.

Hopes for the future of inclusion at Sense

I hope that by sharing our stories and experiences, we can inspire others to embrace inclusion and diversity, creating a more equitable and just world.

Sense is still on a journey towards becoming a truly inclusive organisation. My hope is that it we’ll create a space where everyone in our community feels valued, respected and empowered to contribute their unique talents and perspectives.