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AN INCLUSIVE LABOUR MARKET: DO WE REALLY WANT IT?. Helen Campbell Director Exchange House Travellers Service. Equal at Work Community / Voluntary Site. Aims to promote equality and diversity in relation to recruitment and progression and to identify best practice.
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AN INCLUSIVE LABOUR MARKET: DO WE REALLY WANT IT? Helen Campbell Director Exchange House Travellers Service
Equal at WorkCommunity / Voluntary Site Aims to promote equality and diversity in relation to recruitment and progression and to identify best practice
Community and Voluntary Sector • Very diverse sector • Includes schools, hospitals, large voluntary organisations - small community based groups • Major employer in Dublin and around the country • Funded in a variety of ways but mostly by grant in aid from Government Departments • Social partners
Why should we be inclusive? • Progresses social justice • Increases the efficiency and effectiveness of your business • Saves your company time and money • Fulfils legal obligations
Issues for the Community and Voluntary Sector • Assumption that we are, by nature, inclusive and equality focused • Lack of coherence and sharing of expertise in the sector • Many small organisations without HR resources • Multiple funders without consistency in pay and conditions • Compliance to the legislation
Equal at Work C/V Sector Site • Awareness raising of equality and diversity issues in the sector • Equality Audit being carried out – use as a template for others • North/South co-operation • Identify resource needs
Equal at Work C/V Sector Site • Two pieces of research carried out which • Document current issues for C&V organisations • Identify best practice
Challenges for the sector • To develop a real understanding of equality and diversity and to ensure that this runs throughout the organisation • To identify added value of promoting equality and diversity • Need to ensure stability for existing staff and move beyond year to year funding and therefore contracts • Training budgets are small, particularly for smaller organisations
Challenges cont. • Real need for training on issues of recruitment and selection, legislation, interviewing etc • Competencies vs. qualifications • Providing support for staff in terms of in service training, upskilling • Identifying a career path for staff – can be lateral and vertical • In terms of equality, need attention to all nine grounds