Diversity and Equity in Disability Sport Wales

DSW identifies its ambitions for diversity within its Diversity Strategy, and uses this understanding and commitment to achieve our mission – to transform lives through the power of sport – whilst embodying our values (Transparency, Respect, and Empowerment), and therefore creating an equitable sporting landscape in Wales with our partners, and for the communities of disabled people.  

All DSW Policy is driven by the fundamental principles of the DSW Diversity Strategy, and all associated and relevant legislation.  The DSW Diversity Strategy therefore provides the foundation for all practice and grounds our delivery in equity.  It shapes our philosophical approach to business, and identifies our Diversity Objectives.

Figure 1:  Policy flow diagram illustrating how Diversity and Equity underpins all DSW Policy (and policy development)

DSW Diversity Objectives

The Federation of Disability Sport Wales work towards the following Diversity Objectives (these are consistent with those identified by Welsh Government, Sport Wales, and is aligned to the Governance and Leadership Framework for Wales):

Diversity Objective 1: 

Ensure a diverse representation of experience, skills, knowledge and competencies throughout the company workforce and DSW Board

Diversity Objective 2: 

Ensure that the DSW workforce, leadership team and membership are supported in the development of their awareness of diversity and equity through access to training and Continuing Professional Learning.

Diversity Objective 3: 

Ensure that recruitment and review processes value diversity and equity, and take positive action to make all communities who share protected characteristics aware of opportunities for employment, and when employed that diversity is respected and valued.

Diversity Objective 4: 

Ensure that all formal DSW business, events and information is accessible to diverse groups within Wales

Diversity Objective 5: 

Ensure that a high-value around diversity and equitable practice remains at the heart of all DSW provision, action, data collection, and consultation.

Diversity Objective 6:

To proactively work with partners to influence and ensure that their diverse and equitable practice is supported and challenged so as to reflect best practice in a Proud Sporting Nation.

Achieving and Supporting Diversity

DSW intend to achieve diversity and equity in all areas of their work.  This is implemented and monitored in the following key ways:

1.  The DSW Board should have a nominated Equity Lead, whose role it is to challenge staff and board specifically around diversity and equity.  However it is the responsibility of all Board members to consider diversity and equity when taking and leading action
    
2. All papers to DSW Board have a specific diversity and equity statement within them
    
3. The DSW national team has a nominated Equity Lead, whose role it is to champion and support staff and board specifically relating to diversity and equity.  However it is the responsibility of all staff to consider diversity and equity when taking and leading action
    
4. All new programmes, projects and initiatives have an initial Equality Impact Assessment (iEIA) completed by the lead staff member, in conjunction with the DSW Equity Lead, during early development stage; and accessibility is built in from the start.
   1. Where it is identified (through the iEIA) that a project, programme or initiative requires further consultation with a diverse group of (disabled) people it will be referred to the DSW Critical Friends group and a full Equality Impact Assessment will be conducted
   2. The lead officer (in conjunction with the DSW Equity Lead) for the project, programme or initiative will then attend to the feedback received through the DSW CF group, and make appropriate changes
       
5. The DSW Recruitment Policy 2016 is explicit about practices which value and respect diversity, thereby ensuring the accessibility of job advert placements, applications, interviewing practices and processes, induction, and retention within role after probation. 
    
6. DSW core staff, Board and membership will ensure that they follow the guidance and practices identified in the Staff Handbook (including their Code of Conduct, the DSW Equity Policy, and the DSW HR Policy). 
    
7. DSW are explicit and transparent about their commitments to diversity and equity, and are accountable to the populations we serve.