Newsletter
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Extern works alongside children, young people, and families facing challenges to empower positive change and support family unity.
We support people who are homeless or facing homelessness, those dealing with mental health issues and the impact of suicide, people experiencing problem drug and alcohol use and people living with problem gambling.
We also support refugees, the Traveller community and people living with an offending past, to enable them to change their lives.
In recognising the social justice case for Diversity, Inclusion and Equality of treatment and opportunity in the workplace, we seek to create an environment that promotes such principles and are committed to embedding these in our practices, policies and organisational culture.
Core Principles of Our Dedication to EDI
What is Equality?
In Extern, Equality means providing for equality of opportunity through fair and consistent application of rules, policies and procedures.
What is Diversity?
In Extern, Diversity refers to all the ways in which we differ, to include both visible and non-visible differences.
What is Inclusion?
In Extern, Inclusion means valuing and celebrating differences and encouraging a workplace environment and culture where all views are valued, respected and listened to.
What does this mean in practice?
- Recruitment and Resourcing: As an Equal Opportunities employer, we ensure we comply with equality laws within Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. As such, we undertake recruitment and selection practices that are open, fair and that enable selection based on merit, following a thorough and robust recruitment process
- Learning and Development: As a learning organisation, we encourage all staff to strive to reach their full potential. We offer a range of training through our Practice Development Unit and our Learning and Development function. The organisation provides equality of opportunity to all employees in accessing training and development opportunities relevant to their role and which enables continuous professional development.
- Work-Life Balance: Extern recognises barriers can exist to some groups in terms of access to employment and retaining employment when personal circumstances change. As such, where a role can accommodate it, we provide a flexible working environment whereby employees can work flexibly in terms of working hours and working location, subject to operational requirements and agreement with their manager..
- Dignity at Work: Extern takes allegations of unlawful discrimination, victimisation or harassment seriously and will ensure staff have a route through which any such concerns can be raised and be listened to.
In 2020 Extern were awarded bronze Diversity Mark NI status as an employer who demonstrated that we have a commitment to championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the workplace. We have maintained this accreditation with the aim of progressing to silver status in the near future.
