Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

A dedicated group working to ensure our services are safe, supportive and affirming for LGBTQ+ individuals.

All staff attend mandatory LGBTQ+ inclusivity, pronoun and sexual health training sessions.

We work closely with other organisations across Nottingham City to ensure we are best supporting the specific needs of the LGBTQ+ community. For example, in collaboration with the Health Shop, we have created a Chemsex harm reduction booklet, which you can download here.

We’re also proud to display the ‘Your Spaces Too’ sticker from the Notts Pastel Project, recognising our commitment to trans inclusion.

Challenging racism in all its forms and embedding anti-racist practices across our all elements of our organisation. 

NRN’s lead partner, Framework, delivers an Anti-Racism action group that cascades through all associated organisations. You can read Framework’s Anti-Racism statement here.

Actions we have taken to implement this include: 

• A range of online and in person listening events with Black and Brown staff to understand what working for Framework and partner organisations is really like.
• Creation of the first Black and Brown workers safe-space.
• Training all staff, including leadership teams and the board, in anti-racism.
• Including culturally specific posts in multiple contracts.
• Improving our reporting and response to hate crimes using trauma informed approaches.
• Using ‘positive action’ including using specialist recruiters for senior posts.

We are proud to say that a lot of progress has been made since the implementation of the Anti-Racism action group: our percentage of staff and service users from a culturally diverse background has increased, and our board has become more diverse. There has been a positive take-up of anti-racism training from all staff. However, we recognise there is still a long way to go and will continue to listen, learn and improve our efforts to become an anti-racist organisation.

We regularly engage with research and evaluation to make sure our services reflect best practice and meet the needs of all communities.

Alongside our lead partner, Framework, we have a group of research active staff who conduct, collate and share research in relevant fields to ensure we are continually providing the most up to date and informed support possible. The group meet regularly to deliver a wide range of research and evaluation activities that inform policy, improve services, and promote evidence-based practice. The work includes collaborating with people with lived experience, supporting peer researchers and students, publishing academic research, and making evidence accessible across Framework and beyond.

Nottingham Recovery Network works with individuals who are likely to have experienced significant psychological trauma. In order to best support anyone accessing our services, we strive to implement the principles of ‘Psychologically Informed Environments’ (PIEs) and ‘Trauma Informed Care’ (TIC).

We believe that PIE and TIC is relevant to everyone: those using services and staff. This is because we recognise the impact of the direct experience of trauma, and the emotional demand of supporting others who have experienced trauma.

As an employer that values lived experience, this is particularly pertinent to Nottingham Recovery Network. We have a permanent Well-Being Practitioner post that is accessible by all staff for individual psychological support or team support.

Clinical psychologists have produced a brief introduction to PIE and TIC in our induction training for all staff, to promote these principles from the point individuals join the organisation.

We also continually reflect on our work to:

• examine our own assumptions about our work and the work of others
• problem solve and think critically
• learn from our experiences
• access a safe space to get support and feedback
• celebrate achievements and share what works.