But what exactly is inclusion? Well, it’s closely linked to diversity: different backgrounds, cultures, faiths, sexualities, identities, genders and disabilities. Diverse environments have been shown to bring many benefits to people, both as teams and individually.
Inclusion, specifically, is about how that feels to individuals and how they are fully a part of what is going on. In a workplace, do they have a voice and feel that they belong? Are they able to bring their whole selves to work and achieve their potential, feeling comfortable to share ideas, thoughts and suggestions? To flourish, truly?
And of course, there is the importance of inclusion beyond the workplace. At P3, we work alongside some very socially excluded and marginalised people. How can we help to get them included into our wider society, to fulfil their potential and enjoy mutual benefits among people in their communities?
This is what National Inclusion Week is all about. Over seven days, we’ll be sharing with you suggestions about how to explore inclusion, what it means and how we can bring it about as individuals and as part of groups. We’ll be bringing you resources and ideas, including sharing things about yourself and looking at fun activities on the hub. There’s a different theme every day, from making connections to saying thank you to developing the diversity of your own personal network. We will also look at ways to work in partnership with others and make pledges for future actions.
I really hope you enjoy participating in Inclusion Week and that you find it an enjoyable and fulfilling way of learning more about yourself as well as others. Please be sure to share your activities on Workplace and if you have any suggestions, do let me know!
Zoe Pickering
HR Business Partner
Psst…..save the date for Conference! And watch this space for more info. – Comms
