Leading Inclusion makes a real difference for Active Sussex

Following a recent Leading Inclusion Workshop, Active Sussex have found ways to ensure their work to improve opportunities for disabled people will have a real impact.

Active Sussex works to increase physical activity levels in Sussex. To improve their offer for disabled people, they have implemented a Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP).

This plan demonstrates Active Sussex’s commitment to promoting, embedding, and advancing diversity and inclusion on its Board, staff team, and beyond and identifies the actions needed to achieve, support, and maintain their ambitions.

Activity Alliance’s Leading Inclusion Workshop supports organisations in becoming truly excellent for disabled people. It helps organisations provide better services, experiences and activities for everyone.

Nicola File, Strategic Partnerships Advisor for the South East, led a two-day workshop with a team from Active Sussex in May and June.

Since then, they have integrated improvements from the workshop to support their existing Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), aligning both to enhance the impact it will have.

Nicola said: “It’s fantastic to see how organisations can put in place measures that work for them and their teams. In an innovative manner, Active Sussex now has a DIAP that serves as a live document, allowing their whole team to implement changes and continuously update inclusive practices. Changes like this show a real commitment to inclusion and promote a positive culture across organisations.

“By linking the DIAP and Leading Inclusion improvements, Active Sussex will ensure that these initiatives add value to each other, maximising their impact on disability inclusion efforts.

“The ongoing work will make a real difference to the opportunities and experiences disabled people in Sussex will get.”

Since the initial workshop, Active Sussex has prioritised lived experience in their planning and decision-making processes. This is done through the collection of feedback, with the team exploring the idea of a dedicated focus on mental health and wellbeing.

Anthony Statham, Interim CEO at Active Sussex, said: “The Leading Inclusion workshop has enabled Active Sussex to focus thinking in relation to lived experience. As a result, we are more proactively advocating partners to listen to the lived experience of disabled people and embed inclusive practices to support decision-making, such as co-designing projects or programmes.

“The workshop environment created by Nicola was a safe space for open and honest discussions, which is reflected in the subsequent action plan. Overall, it was a fantastic experience for the team to learn, develop and implement positive change.”

Another key piece of work is a review into ensuring diverse and inclusive representation of trustee mentorship and recruitment. An internal Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion steering group is leading efforts, supported by both staff and trustees, to promote disability as a central focus within their plans.

Disability is regularly discussed under Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as a team meeting agenda item, they are planning inclusive communications training and exploring new best practices for digital and online work.

To achieve fairness for disabled people in sport and activity, we need organisations to prioritise disabled people’s inclusion at all levels. The examples provided by Active Sussex show the difference our Leading Inclusion Workshop can make for an organisation.

To find out more, contact your regional partnership advisor or email info@activityalliance.org.uk

Case study shared with permission from Activity Alliance and Active Sussex.