Inclusive Engagement

Steering Group

Lils Dobber
Shahnaz Akhter
Helen Luckhurst

This Steering Group is currently recruiting additional members. If you are a WIE Fellow and you'd like to find out more please contact us atwie@warwick.ac.uk

Purpose

The Inclusive Engagement Learning Circle is considering ways in which Warwick Engagement activities can be more inclusive, in line with the University’s Inclusion Strategy. We have previously developed an Inclusive Engagement Statement for WIE which highlights our commitment to embedding inclusive practice into every event that we run. Currently we are developing a toolkit and repository of resources for all members of the Warwick community to use as a starting point and reflection tool to ensure that the events they develop are as inclusive as possible.

Our work so far

Our Learning Circle worked to create an Inclusive Engagement Statement which has been adopted by WIE and applied to all events and activities they both run and support. We have also fed into the commissioning of a toolkit resource for the WIE Skills Festival on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in engagement activity. We have also run multiple sessions at the WIE Conference to help support people to share their practice and give advice on how people can make their work more inclusive.

Inclusive Engagement Statement

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion concern all of us and are the responsibility of all members of our community. We all contribute to ensuring that the University of Warwick and the communities of which it is a part, become safe, welcoming, accessible and stimulating environments for all, where there is equality of opportunity and equity in outcomes, fostered in an environment of mutual respect and dignity.

We believe that inclusive engagement can be recognised both in inclusive practice, which works against historic inequalities and current forms of exclusion, and in the diversity of participants at all levels in that practice. This is reflected in our three core principles of inclusive engagement.

1. The best engagement activities strive to foster long-term relationships with clear and identifiable benefits for the community, and contribute to engaging a diverse range of staff, students, and stakeholders.

2. Engagement should be inclusive by design from start to finish. Inclusion should be at the forefront of our thinking and practice during design, delivery, and evaluation. This will be reflected in our language and behaviours throughout, in how we address issues of power and equity in our practice, and how success is measured and who measures it. Where possible, opportunities for co-design and co-creation of activity should be explored.

3. We acknowledge that our position as a university historically and currently affords our voices more privilege and power. We will work to recognise all the inequalities and inequities (both historic and current) found within the University and beyond. As equal members in the community, we will strive for equitable dialogue, respect, and the inclusion of diverse voices.

Inclusive engagement will ensure that the uniqueness, talents, beliefs, backgrounds, capabilities, and ways of working of all individuals and communities are able to come together, to create a culture of collaboration and belonging, where all people are valued and respected.