Equality and Diversity training contributes to award success

Published by HearFirst for HearFirst in Housing and also in Communities, Education

Manchester-based Great Places Housing Group has won a prestigious award for championing equality and diversity within the workplace and amongst its customers.

The group, which recently won national Social Landlord of the Year at the Housing Excellence Awards for the third consecutive year, has also won a diversity award at the inaugural Rochdale Diversity Awards.

The company was praised for providing equality and diversity training to 600 members of staff and also organising its annual Diversity Week, which helps colleagues to learn and embrace other people’s views, cultures and disabilities.

Judges at the event were impressed by Great Places’ diverse workforce, and the efforts made both as an employer and a housing provider to promote equality and opportunities for all of its tenants and colleagues.

Staff from Great Places Housing Group have been attending equality and diversity training, which has been delivered by award winning workplace training and consultancy company, HearFirst.

The courses have helped staff to understand their legal obligations and have raised awareness of how to provide services in ways that meet the needs of a wider range of customers.

Julie Ryder, Director and Founder of HearFirst, said: “I would like to congratulate Great Places Housing Group for their success in the Rochdale Diversity Awards.  We always enjoy working with members of staff delivering our interactive equality and diversity and disability awareness training, we’re delighted with the impact that it’s made. They have deservedly won this award for investing in their staff but also recognising the benefits that this provides for their customers.  It’s a great achievement, well done.”

Grenville Williams, learning and development manager at Great Places Housing Group, said: “The work that HearFirst has delivered has been very well received and consistently generated very positive feedback.  HearFirst have played a key role in raising awareness of diversity in Great Places and greatly helped us to achieve our corporate objectives.”

Stephen Porter, Chief Executive at Great Places, said: “We are absolutely delighted with this award. The staff and teams Great Places employs throughout our neighbourhoods are representative of the communities and areas in which they operate. Having a workforce that mirrors a diverse cross-section of customers means that we can meet their differing needs and provide them with the best possible service.”

Great Places was also shortlisted in two other categories – the Housing Award, which recognises an individual or organisation in the housing sector that has made an outstanding contribution to improving housing and/or related services within the minority ethnic communities in the borough; and the Contribution To Health Award, for an individual or group that has improved health within those communities.

For more information on equality and diversity and disability awareness training in the workplace, please contact Julie Ryder at HearFirst on 01706 872 816 or visit www.hearfirst.org.uk.