We were delighted that Cllr Nita Solanki hosted our fifth Diversity and Inclusion webinar for our staff members on 27th January.
As a City Council member, Nita was first elected in May 2019. Since she grew up around local politics and took an interest from a young age, she has moved into local politics to support the underrepresented communities. Ward councillor for Belgrave, Nita takes an active role in advocating for people and making sure the needs of the community are met.
As part of our series of webinars to remove barriers to people's participation, Leicestershire Cares seeks to learn from Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland's rich cultural diversity and to build collaboration across community groups, businesses, and local government.
Our key learning from today was to recognise the contributions that communities make to their communities, how we can support them better and areas of opportunities.
It was highlighted that the language barrier prevents some people from reaching out for services and support. In addition to language barriers, we discussed the need for support and services for people in the following areas.
-Many communities are affected by domestic abuse, especially during pandemics, and raising awareness to encourage more communities to make their voices heard.
- Many people are living in overcrowded housing as there are not enough homes to accommodate growing families. While privately rented homes are typically twice as expensive as social housing, this makes them more affordable for people with low incomes.
- The digital divide causes generational gaps within households and impedes access to vital information, since everything is digitalised today, from how to claim benefits to how to support your child with homework to how to organise parents' evenings.
- There is a lot of fantastic work being done, but sometimes people work alone rather than in collaboration.
In addition, individual members of the community organised food parcels and provided support during Covid to help those hit the hardest.
In conclusion, it highlights the important work that communities do despite adversity, and the need to acknowledge and celebrate it. As well as the vibrant culture and celebrations they bring.
Our thanks to Cllr Nita Solanki for her insightful and informative presentation. Staff members have learned a lot during the conversation and will take that knowledge to prevent barriers to participation in our services.
Great to hear how we can support the wonderful communities of Belgrave from the inspiring Cllr Nita Solanki
CEO Kieran Breen
A great lunchtime session, talking to you about the areas of opportunities we have worked on and how we can continue to work together with communities and partner organisations
Cllr Nita Solanki
If you would like to know more about our diversity and inclusion work, please contact ZamZam Yusuf ZamZam@leicestershirecares.co.uk
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