VSO's commitment to diversity
VSO promotes volunteering to fight global poverty and disadvantage. We expressly state that we value diversity, honesty, respect and shared endeavour.
Our purpose can only be achieved in accordance with our values if we make the most of the talents and resources of all our staff, volunteers, supporters and partner organisations. Only by recognising and valuing individual differences and contributions will we achieve the goals we have set ourselves.
We specifically aim to make VSO a more diverse organisation, in our decision-making, in our ways of working, communicating and managing, in our skills and knowledge, in our behaviours towards each other, and in our external identity. These are important, both to our moral integrity and to the vitality and future success of VSO.
What we're doing about it
We have prioritised two areas for concerted action: Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups and people with disabilities. We've focused our activities on removing potential barriers for these groups and on providing awareness training to managers and other staff with specialist responsibilities for diversity.
As a result we've improved significantly the percentage of ethnic minority staff at VSO and are gaining a greater understanding and awareness of disability issues. We have also gained accreditation under the Employment Service's 2-Tick scheme, so now guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet minimum job requirements.
In order to take things further we now also have:
- a Diversity Champion, a senior manager who is responsible for helping VSO identify and implement appropriate action to address its commitment to diversity and implement its diversity strategy.
- a BME Network, a group of BME staff in VSO UK, whose purpose is to provide information and advice on diversity issues from a BME perspective, as well as supporting BME staff within the organisation.
- a Disability Resources Group, a group of staff from our recruiting offices in the UK, Canada, Netherlands, Kenya, and Philippines as well as overseas programme offices. Its purpose is to collate and update our current resources and communicate developments relating to disability.
We are in the process of updating our diversity strategy for staff and volunteers.
