New diversity toolkit for HE communicators
MR 17 - joint release from the ECU and HEFCE

Publication date: 22 June 2004

A new toolkit to equip higher education to promote equality of opportunity
is being issued to the sector by the ECU and HEFCE(1) next week.

Good Talking - the HE communicators equality and diversity toolkit is aimed
at PR and communications staff. "In essence, promoting equality and
diversity is a process of culture change," says the toolkit. "That process
is best achieved through influencing, informing, and advising; it is clearly
in the remit of press/PR/marketing professionals."

Promoting equality of opportunity and good race relations is a legal
obligation on all "public bodies" including higher education institutions
under the General Duty of the Race Relations Amendment Act. HEFCE is
committed to supporting HEIs in discharging this duty. The commitment is
expressed in many ways. Among them commissioning the Equality Challenge Unit
to develop a resource for HE communicators to assist them in playing their
part not only in complying with the law, but in embracing best practice.

"Each HE institution will have engaged with the law and gone beyond it - to
its own equality and diversity policies," states the booklet's introduction.
"The communications offices can be central to implementing the policies by
contributing to the institution becoming a self-aware, open, and confident
community that welcomes a diversity of people."

The toolkit - a booklet, and an on-line lexicon and collection of case
studies - was written and designed to make it easy to use. The design of the
booklet is innovative. The booklet's use of boxed text, colour, checklists
and tables should help readers to spot easily what they are looking for.

The booklet aspires to embody good inclusive practice by using large clear
fonts, clear English, colours that contrast helpfully, and by avoiding print
superimposed on images.

The booklet discusses good practice in general, the use of words and
pictures, and formatting to reach diverse audiences. The core of the book is
a glossary of terms. This is because language is a prime vehicle for
conveying inclusivity, and the best way into understanding the new
perspectives involved in true equality and diversity. The toolkit recognises
that "preferred terms change as evolving understandings shift the language.
It is good to keep in touch with the language; it avoids giving offence and
helps develop awareness." Therefore the glossary is also mounted on the
website. Readers are invited to consult the glossary, comment on it, and
their views will be fed back into it, keeping it up-to-date, and stimulating
debate.

The toolkit will be viewable online: www.ecu.ac.uk/GoodTalking
Comments and examples of good practice for the Case Studies page will be
welcome to: [log in to unmask]

Notes
1. The Equality Challenge Unit is the first full-time office devoted to
promoting equality and diversity for all who work or seek to work in higher
education. We work in partnership with universities and colleges of higher
education, trades unions, and agencies across the country. We are owned by
the sector. Our sponsors are HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for
England), SHEFC (Scottish Higher Education Funding Council), HEFCW (Higher
Education Funding Council for Wales), DELNI (Department for Employment and
Learning Northern Ireland), Universities UK and SCOP (Standing Conference of
Principals).
For more information, and a pdf pre-view copy of the booklet contact;
A M Poppy, Communications Manager, ECU
Tel: 020 7520 7064; e-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>;
mobile: 07739-707 217

Or Philip Walker, Corporate Communications, HEFCE
Tel: 0117 931 7363  e-mail: [log in to unmask]

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The Equality Challenge Unit promotes diversity and equality of opportunity for all who work or seek to work in higher education. We are sponsored by the representative bodies (SCOP and Universities UK) and the four UK HE funding bodies.

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