Yor-OK Equality & Diversity
YorOK and its partners share a common desire to achieve the best possible outcomes for all children and young people in the city.
However, good intentions on their own are not enough, and in recent years there is an increasing emphasis on working to promote equalities.
The Children and Young People’s Plan 2009 - 12 importantly recognises and champions the diversity of the children and young people of York and is clearly expressed in the plan’s vision:
"York is a city making history and its children are our future. Every child and young person in York deserves the chance to reach their full potential and live their dreams. We will stretch the most able, support those who start at a disadvantage, and protect and nurture the most vulnerable."
The Children and Young People’s Plan has a priority, which commits to promoting and enabling an inclusive city. Priority 22: Make sure that a commitment to equalities underpins everything we do by:
- delivering fair services and achieving equitable life outcomes for all children and young people, whilst respecting diverse needs and aspirations;
- recognising that equality is not about treating everyone the same. Children and young people can only achieve their absolute potential if diversity is recognised, valued and supported;
- concentrating support on those children, young people and families struggling against disadvantage and discrimination;
- fulfilling our legal duties in relation to gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, religion and belief, and age.
Across the Trust there are a number of highly-praised initiatives such as for example: mechanisms for listening to disabled children and their families, education services supporting the Travellers and ethnic minority communities, and the website for young people who are unsure about their sexuality.
For more examples of please see our library of 'best practice'.
