Pillar 2 focuses on the data on and experiences of people with at least one of the protected characteristics of disability, age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and faith. The information we know about the inequalities faced by these groups, and the feedback we received during the engagement phase of this strategy, has informed a raft of targeted measures we will take to break down the barriers to equality.
There will be synergies between these measures and the place-based ones of Pillar 1, but Pillar 2 will also benefit equality groups wherever they live in the borough.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
Better access to transport, facilities for housebound residents, health and
care support, and public buildings.
Better accessible information and engagement with the Council.
Improved hybrid access to public meetings and more face-to-face help.
Improve representation of people with disabilities in employment.
Train staff to recognise needs and difficulties of people with disabilities.
Better engagement with transport team to improve access to transport and parking.
Offer help with filling forms at more sites across the borough.
Improve accessibility of public buildings.
Better support organisations that help disabled and housebound residents.
Improve communication and language offer to those with sensory impairments.
Develop broader offer of support for mental health and other neurodiverse needs.
Improve employment, skills and digital training offer for people with disabilities.
Regular feedback from our Disability and Age Equality Partnership.
Increasing the number of people helped with form filling.
Monitoring an accessibility programme for public buildings.
More Council services working with local disability organisations.
Improved offer for deaf residents.
Improved service access and online access for all disabled residents.
Evidence of opportunities for employment and skills training for disabled residents.
More digital inclusion and training events held.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR OLDER RESIDENTS
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
Need more spaces in accessible transport locations to meet and connect.
Improve parking facilities.
More help with technology and
form filling process.
Provide facilities, access, and resources for those who are older, disabled or housebound
Improve information and communications about services, support and opportunities for older residents.
More wellbeing classes to keep older people active and stimulate minds.
Provide more disabled
parking spaces and improve wayfinding, quality and safety of our car parks.
Review and improve
the Councils’ digital communications to ensure accessibility.
Make best use of Council buildings to extend the opportunity for face-to-face meetings.
Train staff to understand needs of older residents better.
Increase in wellbeing classes.
Updated Parking Strategy and implementation.
Secure feedback from Disability and Age Equality Partnership on online accessibility.
Increased usage of Council buildings for engagement with older people.
More staff undertaking training.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
More affordable leisure activities and cultural events aimed at young people.
More opportunities for young people to contribute to local decision-making and co- designing activities.
More support with getting jobs and work experience.
Provide better financial support to charities that support young people.
Make better use of Council buildings across the borough so young people can use them.
Review access to leisure services for young people and involve youth organisations on planning cultural events.
Set Up a Young People’s Network to increase engagement in local decision- making
Improve the Youth Skills and Employment guarantee and associated information, advice and guidance.
Review opportunities to use the Thriving Communities Fund and raise awareness of funding opportunities to youth organisations.
Improved leisure offer for young people and more events co-designed with young people.
Young People’s Network established with quarterly meetings.
More young people taking part in engagement exercises and decision-making forums.
More youth organisations applying for Thriving Communities funding.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR RACE AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
Celebrate diversity and more cultural events to mix and meet diverse communities.
Improve provision of English language classes to tackle language barriers, improve digital literacy and engagement.
Improve understanding of employment opportunities and how to find higher skilled jobs.
Better access to funding for community groups.
Improve awareness of health conditions which are more likely to affect certain ethnic groups, and access to services.
Tackle poor educational outcomes.
Tackle hate crime.
Support community groups to co- design and host equality events, in partnership with with Hounslow’s Cultural Providers Network.
Improve ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) offer from pre-entry upwards, including for asylum seekers and refugees.
Appoint Digital Champions to help improve digital literacy.
Host employment and skills training events targeted to diverse groups.
Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy to address ethnicity-based health inequalities in each Primary Care Network.
Community Safety Team to ensure staff are trained in awareness of hate crimes and supporting victims.
Improve translations services.
More events co-designed with community groups.
Improved educational achievement measures.
Digital Champions trained to support different ethnicities / languages.
Reduced health inequalities and improved health outcomes.
Work with the Police to deliver hate crime awareness to professionals.
Increased numbers of ethnically diverse residents in work.
New translation services established.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR GENDER
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
Improve and target healthcare services to respond to gender-specific health issues.
More support for women with children to study, learn new skills, or to seek better work.
More affordable childcare provision.
More support for carers.
Improved safety for
women.
Improve cycling and walking opportunities for women.
Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy to address gender-based inequalities in partnership with Women’s Network.
Flexible Adult and Community Education courses to support women and carers to upskill and re-skill.
Targeted employment and skills event for women
Develop new Carers Strategy with carers to set out our vision, aims and key priorities
Community Safety working with police around issues affecting women.
Walking and transport strategies and policies shaped by local women’s groups.
Increased access to health care services and awareness around women’s health.
More employees in the childcare sector and increased childcare places.
Improved carer experience.
Measures taken in areas where women and girls feel unsafe.
Increase in women using public transport, walking and cycling.
More apprenticeships taken up by women.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR LGBT+
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
Support LGBT+ communities who experience poor mental health.
Improve safety for LGBT+ residents and reduce homophobia and transphobia.
Not enough representation of the LGBT+ community in communications and marketing.
Promote better understanding between LGBT+ community and ethnic communities and faith communities
Provide more equalities training for Council staff on LGBT+ needs.
Improve information, access and understanding of services that are available to LGBT+ residents.
Better partnership working between the Council and health partners
to improve communications and engagement with LGBT+ residents.
Community Safety Team training in awareness of hate crimes and supporting LGBT+ residents.
Increase LGBT+ representation in Council materials.
Equality events to mark different days in the year, including LGBT+ History Month and PRIDE.
Work in partnership with Hounslow Friends of Faith (HFoF) to create opportunities to promote awareness and understanding.
Train staff to understand needs of LGBT+ residents better.
Established the LGBT+ Advisory Forum to improve engagement between the Council and the LGBT+ community.
Regular engagement with and feedback from the LGBT+ Advisory Forum.
More examples of LGBT+ representation in communications.
Partnership events co- designed with LGBT+ community.
More staff undertaking LGBT+ awareness training.
Quarterly meeting between LGBT+ residents and the Council and partners.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR BUSINESS COMMUNITIES
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
Improve support to small businesses to adapt, survive and thrive.
Improve skills locally, particularly communications and language.
More opportunities for young people to work in the area.
More inclusive events that bring the community together and promote local businesses.
Explain unconscious biases we might not know we even have
Free educational workshops and Q&A sessions covering different topics.
Set up the free Innovate and Grow business support programme.
Offer small grants for growth and green energy saving to secure between £2k - £4k for businesses to introduce new initiatives
1:1 growth mentoring with experts.
Establish ‘The ‘Loft’ (space and support for micro businesses in the Treaty Centre, Hounslow) and ‘Digital Dock’ (flexible and affordable co-working space in Brentford)
Promotion of digital upskilling opportunities with our corporate partners.
Fortnightly Young Peoples Opportunities Bulletin to provide the professionals supporting young people with up-to-date information.
Increased engagement between the Council and Interfaith organisations.
Work with the Police to deliver hate crime awareness sessions.
More digital inclusion events and support.
Staff have a better understanding of the needs and requirements of Muslim children.
ACTION PLAN: ACHIEVING EQUALITY FOR RELIGION AND FAITH GROUPS
WHAT YOU SAID
WHAT WE WILL DO
PROGRESS MEASURES
Lack of opportunities to buy land to build faith schools.
Lack of multi-faith prayer facilities across the borough.
Low confidence of joining the workforce or accessing services in terms of their own religious needs e.g. wearing religious clothing
Tackle faith-based hate crimes.
Poor digital literacy resulting in
digital exclusion.
Improving engagement between Muslim schools and the Council.
Regular engagement with Hounslow Interfaith Group.
Community Safety working with police and places of worship to support inclusion and facilitate reporting of hate crime.
Greater emphasis of Digital Champions programme supporting religious communities.
Training for staff to better understand needs of religious communities.
Increased engagement between the Council and Interfaith organisations.
Work with the Police to deliver hate crime awareness sessions.
More digital inclusion events and support.
Staff have a better understanding of the needs and requirements of Muslim children.
