The Diversity & Inclusion Award
A winner of winners from the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Awards; an award that recognises real achievement and success at all levels of the Civil Service.
As millions of people were shielding, Defra set up the Food Vulnerability Directorate to support the food needs of people who were shielding, vulnerable people struggling to access food but not shielding, and people economically vulnerable as a result of COVID-19.The directorate oversaw the delivery of over five million food packages to shielding households, engaged with supermarkets to prioritise shielding people for delivery slots, and built a referral service to enable local authorities and selected charities to refer vulnerable individuals for access to prioritised supermarket slots.The team secured £16m from the DCMS Charity Fund to support economically vulnerable people, providing food to over 5,000 frontline charities.
Analysis conducted by the team suggested that children, ethnic minorities, and young people were disproportionately affected, resulting in the team leading a successful bid to HMT, securing £63m to be administered through local authorities, aimed at 250,000 people experiencing acute hunger.
Heather has made a significant contribution to the success of the Scottish government’s disability network and the Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network (CSDDN) toolkit. She managed the creation of the toolkit, remotely leading a cross-Civil
Service team who she didn’t meet until the launch event. Heather completed an illustration course in her own time to improve her drawing skills, so she could create visuals (later enhanced by a graphic designer) to increase accessibility for those who find it easier to learn from images than written guidance.The toolkit supports conversations between colleagues and line managers about dyslexia and dyspraxia, and helps draft workplace adjustment passports. Heather networks throughout the organisation at all levels to contribute to wide-ranging developments by influencing decision-makers and collaborating with
HR. Heather is connected with other staff networks, sharing her advice and learning about intersectionality challenges. She also provides peer support to colleagues, helping them work through challenges.
The Home Office Gender Equality
Network (GEN) was re-launched by cochairs Kerry O’Dea and Jason Ghaboos in 2019, establishing a diverse core team of over 25 passionate volunteers. GEN takes a programmatic and evidence-led approach, initiating a series of pilots and projects aimed at improving workplace inclusivity for all staff and embedding gender equality in everything the department does.Their evidence draws from departmental data, surveys and focus groups with staff, with a strong focus on outcomes.The network focuses on the personal development of their team, supporting each other to achieve their goals without recognising grade structures - the most junior grade can be working on the highest profile project.