Professionals and Practitioners

Equality and diversity

As a department we are committed to promoting equality and good community relations in Hampshire, through our every-day practice as both a service provider and employer.

What does diversity mean?

The term 'diversity' refers to the diverse range of people and communities that exist in today's society - for example, older and younger people, disabled people, and different ethnic groups.

What does equality and community cohesion mean?

Equality isn’t about everyone being the same, for us means treating everybody fairly and giving them the same opportunities, regardless of their personal characteristics. It is also about recognising that sometimes a person’s circumstances mean that it is necessary to make 'reasonable adjustments', so that they can participate in life from the same starting point as everybody else. This is particularly important in the case of disability, and might include for example publishing information not only in just a written format , but also in a form that is accessible to someone with a visual impairment.

It is generally acknowledged that there are seven main diverse groups in society that are particularly likely to experience inequality. These relate to age, disability, gender, religion & belief, race and sexuality and more recently, transgender . These diverse groups are often referred to as the seven ‘equality strands’.

We do not see equality, diversity and inclusion as a charter for ‘political correctness’, more as a commitment to deliver high quality, efficient and appropriate services.

What other help is available?