Lighting the way

A new DAWN

Disability advocacy and wellbeing network
Number of members: 119
Contact: dawnnetwork@nice.org.uk

Our disability advocacy and wellbeing network (DAWN) empowers staff with disabilities, both seen and unseen. They do this by enabling staff with disabilities to inform and improve our working practices.

This year, the network has made fantastic progress, as co vice chairs, Kate Birds and Portia Dodds, explain...

What motivated you to help establish DAWN?

Kate: I wanted to be part of something that could help everyone feel they have a space, a voice, and the ability to affect change. To hold those with the power to make substantial changes to account and to help make staff lives, both in work and out of work, better.

I wanted to be able to improve access, make inclusion second nature and remove the stigma that can often be applied to individuals with a disability.

My hope is that through groups like DAWN, those that are advocating for us can affect fair change for the organisation as a whole. So, no one will be left feeling stranded without a place to turn and feel heard. A community where all are welcome and not stigmatized, isolated or marginalised.

Portia: I wanted to build a supportive community for staff with disabilities so they could feel safe, confident and comfortable about bringing their whole self to work. I was motivated by my experience of having fantastic line managers at NICE and wanting to make sure that other staff had similar great experiences.

What are you especially proud of?

For both of us, there are 3 things really:

• Building a community and changing our culture: We’ve seen a visible change in culture. The community we have created within DAWN and how that is being reflected throughout NICE is amazing.
• Disability passports: These are living documents that staff with disabilities can use to have conversations with line managers. Our hope is that in using these passports and the supporting crib sheet, line managers of people with seen or unseen disabilities will provide more considered and more consistent support.
• Quiet and calm office space: We’ve been working on creating quiet and calm office spaces for those with physical and sensory impairments, and neurodiversity. The facilities team has been incredibly helpful, and we look forward to an initial launch soon.

Where do you think NICE is in terms of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)?

There is still more work to be done until EDI is always part of the conversation. But having seen the work that OD and EDI consultant, Nicky Tyson, and her colleagues have been doing and pushing for, we've no doubt that with time, effort and determination to not settle for less than we deserve, we'll get there.

How can colleagues get involved with DAWN?

DAWN is open to everyone interested in making NICE a more accessible place for all, whether you have a disability or not. We have a combination of those with seen and unseen disabilities, along with allies in our community, so please come and join us!

We have monthly meetings, regular coffee chats, monthly carer’s chats and monthly autism spectrum disorder meet ups.

Looking ahead, we’ll be creating more mini-groups for members, inviting more guest speakers, influencing senior leaders and policy, and developing a support plan for neurodiverse staff.

If you’d like to get involved with DAWN you can:

• email dawnnetwork@nice.org.uk
• join the Microsoft Teams channel: shm1ztu
• visit the DAWN page of NICE Space.

Racing towards equality

Race equality network
Total number of members: 165
Contact: ren@nice.org.uk

Our race equality network (REN) tackles issues faced by staff from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. The network challenges discrimination and underrepresentation, as well as providing a safe space for staff to connect and be supported.

Co chairs, Stevie Okoro and Jean Masanyero-Bennie, share their pride for the traction and presence the network has built over the past year.

What motivated you to help create REN?

Jean: Initially, no one else had come forward, and I thought I should not expect anyone else to do the work that I was not prepared to do myself. I then read the equality report and hosted the first listening event. Hearing and seeing the race inequality lit something in me and now I’m very passionate about the cause.

Stevie: I’ve always been drawn to helping people achieve the best of themselves. I originally thought this was an opportunity to meet more people across NICE, but it has been so much more and I love it! I did not understand the gravity of the work that needed to be done but I’m so proud of what we have achieved.

What are you particularly proud of?

As a network, we’ve achieved a lot in just a short time, but we’d particularly highlight:

• Supporting the launch of inclusive recruitment panels. This is very important as a first step to addressing the recruitment bias highlighted in the latest equality report.
• Organising NICE’s first race equality week and hosting events with 2 of the biggest names in race equality, Yvonne Coghill and Lord Victor Adebowale, for International Women’s Day and Black History Month. The engagement has been amazing.
• Engaging with the executive team and having candid discussions about race equality, including being invited to the public board!
• Working with OD and EDI consultant, Nicky Tyson, to build an implementable action plan.

What are your priorities for the coming year?

Maintaining momentum, with everyone engaging. We want all the work this year to be the foundation for next year. We hope to have a full calendar with different activities, starting with Race Equality Week in February. February is LGBT+ History Month, so we’re joining forces with NICE and proud to have a cool selection of inspiring speakers. It would also be great if everyone at NICE received anti-racism training as a minimum.

Where do you think NICE is in terms of EDI?

NICE is aware of its current race inequalities. Our executive team is well informed about this, and the rest of the organisation is becoming aware too. Now we need to act. The good news is we have an action plan and an implementation plan.

Recruitment is an important area. Linked to that is our organisational culture – we're not sure we're transparent enough around career progression. There's a lot of work being carried out by the EDI team in HR around mentoring and sponsorship schemes.

The team is also commissioning a new EDI learning and development offer which will include an anti-racism module. There is momentum and we cannot slow down. 

How can staff get involved?

We meet weekly for tea breaks, and monthly for more formal meetings. Alongside this, we host talks with internal and external speakers on varied topics such as Ramadan or diversity in children’s books – you can find recordings on our REN page of NICE Space.

But we need allies each and every day. Racism plays out in every single area of life. To effectively defeat it, you need to continuously work towards equality for all races.

Here’s some ideas of how you can help:

• Learn more. The more you gain knowledge, the harder it is to ignore.
• Recognise and use your privilege. Acknowledging your privilege does not mean you have not worked for what you have. It simply means that you have not been discriminated against. Once you acknowledge your privilege, you can use it to amplify the experiences of others who may not have been afforded the same advantages as you.
• Speak up! This is very important. If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, say something. Call out racist stereotyping and micro-aggressions - but criticise what was said rather than the person. Do not be afraid of getting it wrong.

If you’d like to get involved with REN you can:

• email ren@nice.org.uk
• join the Microsoft Teams channel: 9ysys2v
• visit the REN page of NICE Space.