Swim England
Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2022
12 May 2022Our Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan or ‘DIAP’ lays out the work that we will be doing across the areas of equality, diversity and inclusion in 2022. Following the update of the UK Code for Sports Governance in December 2021, we are committed to producing an agreed DIAP in line with our strategy and publishing a progress update annually.
Whilst we await further guidance from Sport England to be published we recognise the need to communicate our plan as to how we intend to make progress in 2022. This is split into general or ‘core’ work in this area and then the 3 areas of ‘Disability’, ‘Race & Ethnicity’ and ‘LGBTQ+’. We have chosen these in order to address the specific demographics that we know are most underrepresented within our aquatic sports. It is worth noting that many actions aren’t mutually exclusive and there will therefore be crossover between the demographics listed.
Please find a brief overview of all of the actions within the plan below. In order to keep our members up to date with the work we’re doing we will also ensure updates are published in September and December 2022 respectively.
If you have any questions or for further information please contact equality@swimming.org
Core Work
Creation of a DIAP that meets the Sport England criteria and aligns with our wider organisational strategy, due to be published in early 2023.
Clearly articulate our intent with regards to addressing the current inequalities within aquatics.
As holders of the highest level of the existing Equality Standard we will look to maintain this level, or the equivalent, following the standard’s review in 2022.
A hub will be created on the Swim England website including all of the relevant material that exists across this space. Examples include: Our policies, our projects and our partners. The hub will contain information to assist everyone involved in delivering aquatics including teachers, coaches, clubs and volunteers.
Development of a recruitment strategy which will see us increase the diversity of our employed and voluntary workforce.
Updating of all EDI policies, including our core equality policy, to reflect changes in language and approach since their initial publication.
Creation of training to increase awareness of wider aquatics opportunities and pathways. To be delivered as part of our ‘Peers on Poolside’ project (see below).
Analyse and review our current stakeholder engagement groups. Aim to build upon this network and focus on new opportunities/stakeholders with a focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Publish updated guidance on permissible swimwear within our competitions. Ensure this includes specific reference to period swimwear.
Collect baseline data of the demographics within our talent pathways. Improve level of insight via on boarding of athletes and our membership system.
Increase visibility of the Institute of Swimming ‘Recruitment Academy’ as a means to increase diversity of applicants.
Race & Ethnicity
Working towards the ‘Capture’ element of Sporting Equals’ Charter we will deliver a targeted insight campaign into the barriers preventing ethnically diverse communities from accessing aquatics. This insight will be used in the development of our next organisational strategy, and shared with the sector.
Increase the diversity of our educator workforce by offering a minimum of 8 tutor training bursary places to those from underrepresented groups.
Produce and publish an anti-racism statement. Training to be delivered to workforce with regards to identifying potential racist abuse and language and what to do if a complaint is received.
Establish an ethnicity pay gap reporting process to be produced annually alongside our existing gender pay gap reporting process.
Working with new partners we will look to use non-traditional routes and initiatives to increase the relevance of aquatics as a potential career.
Utilising our existing ‘Recruitment Academy’ model we will fundraise and provide training for individuals from ethnically diverse communities to become swimming teachers.
Providing free swimming lessons within a targeted area in order to address the sessions missed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Engage with ethnically diverse communities within Haringey to increase awareness of the value of swimming for all generations. Focus on learning to swim and the introductory ‘Start’ programmes across our aquatic disciplines.
Disability
Increase awareness of our ‘Water Wellbeing’ programme and the accreditation process. The programme involves a range of components related to swimming with health as a primary focus.
Improve inclusive school swimming and water safety practice for pupils with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Increase engagement of pupils with SEND in school swimming and water safety more widely.
Integration of our Para-Swimming and Swimming pathways. Ensuring delivery material is cross-referenced across the entirety of the pathway and highlight where, integration can be developed and where specialisation is required.
Funded by the Spirit of 2012 this 18-month project aims to increase the inclusivity of our volunteering pathway by co-producing solutions with volunteers from a range of national disability sports organisations. The solutions identified will be implemented within the existing pathway to ensure a sustainable impact for current and future disabled volunteers.
Update the ‘Certificate of Swimming Disability’ to make the application process easier for disabled competitors. Furthermore, consider how the certificate can be amended to also take into account swimwear exceptions.
Update the organisation’s ‘PoolFinder’ tool to include categories such as pool lifts, Water Wellbeing accreditation and hydrotherapy pools.
LGBTQ+
Review and update our existing policy taking into account prevailing research in this area and the Sports Council Equality Group guidance.