LBWF Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Community Participatory Involvement

We will commission an organisation with equalities expertise and experience of community engagement or co-production to develop and deliver innovative participatory involvement with our local communities. Guiding the approach for the process are our 10 key principles we believe will be critical to both working together and impactful work: 1. Community groups and individuals' contributions are valued and appreciated through more than words 2. The approach should build new networks and enhance existing ones to positively deliver change 3. Although community groups have been hit hard by COVID and have been working flat-out, they should play an integral role in the process 4. Community participation should be incorporated from the very beginning to shape the approach and direction 5. Consideration should be given to the full diversity of Waltham Forest's communities, and participation must be tailored accordingly 6. Key Council staff, elected members, statutory partners and Academic partners at UCL's Capabilities in Policy Exchange (CAPE) should be engaged with for support and advice 7. Expertise from external sources should be welcomed and encouraged to feed into the process at any and all stages 8. We believe the power of culture can play a meaningful part in developing and telling diverse stories 9. The process should be only the beginning of a longer-term participatory approach to tackle systemic inequalities 10. Open reflection and continuous improvement should guide the process throughout