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A Deep Dive into Historic England's Vision for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality

Oct 03, 2023
A Deep Dive into Historic England's Vision for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality

Introduction England's heritage is more than its ancient monuments, picturesque landscapes, or century-old manuscripts. It's a vivid tapestry of intertwined stories from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds. Historic England, the public body charged with preserving and championing England's historic environment, recognizes this and is making commendable strides in ensuring that heritage is for everyone.

Historic England's Pledge: A Synopsis The commitment of Historic England to Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality (IDE) isn't just a strategy on paper; it’s a living testament to what the organization believes in:

  • Heritage Accessibility: Ensuring that every individual in England, irrespective of their socio-economic background, race, religion, age, sexuality, gender, disability, or health, can access, relate to, and cherish their national heritage.

  • Inclusive Heritage Sector: A resilient heritage sector is an inclusive one. By ensuring diversity, the sector can address the needs and concerns of the broader society.

Unpacking the Terms: Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality Language is powerful, but it can also be perplexing, especially when it comes to defining terms that represent identities.

  • Inclusion: This isn’t merely about representation but ensuring individuals feel connected, valued, and engaged.

  • Diversity: It's the celebration of differences, whether those are defined by race, age, gender, disability, socio-economic background, or even life experiences.

  • Equality: It’s about creating a level playing field where every individual has an equal shot at opportunities, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Building on Solid Ground: The Progress So Far Historic England's journey from 2020 to 2023 has been transformative:

  1. Empowering Young Minds: By offering apprenticeships, training placements, and work opportunities, Historic England is investing in the future torchbearers of heritage conservation.

  2. An Inclusive Workforce: With the adoption of inclusive recruitment platforms and initiatives like the 'Disability Confident Employer', Historic England is walking the talk on inclusive hiring.

  3. Grassroots Impact: Through initiatives like the 'Everyday Heritage Grants' and 'Place Marker' scheme, Historic England is funding diverse projects that resonate with various communities across the country.

  4. Nurturing the Next Generation: The Heritage Schools Programme is a stellar initiative, ensuring that children in disadvantaged regions are exposed to the richness of their local history and heritage.

  5. Lifting the Sector: Historic England isn't just restricting its IDE efforts in-house. By providing training, research, and insights to the broader heritage sector, it's laying the groundwork for an inclusive and diverse sector.

The Road Ahead Historic England's ambition is clear:

  • A Reflective Workforce: The workforce should be a mirror of the national demographics, ensuring diverse representation across all levels.

  • Universal Heritage Representation: Every community should see their culture and heritage represented in Historic England's work.

  • Nurturing Future Custodians: The young generation should feel proud of their heritage and be actively involved in its preservation.

Conclusion Historic England is not only preserving the tales of yesteryears; it’s also setting a precedent for future narratives. As they embark on their journey from 2023 to 2026, one thing is clear: they are on a mission to weave a tapestry of England's heritage that reflects all its colors, textures, and patterns.

For those who are passionate about an inclusive representation of histories and heritage, now is the time to join hands with movements like these. Because, as Historic England is showcasing, when heritage is for everyone, it becomes richer, more profound, and deeply resonant.

Join us in our mission to champion diversity in the workplace. As trusted partners with Historic England, we at Diversejobsmatter are committed to promoting and celebrating a workforce as diverse as the heritage it represents. Dive deeper, learn more, and see how together, we can ensure a future where every voice is heard and every story is told.