A leading health and social care company has launched a Multicultural Network Strategy to empower its staff to make a positive difference to ethnic minority colleagues.
Cygnet Health Care has launched its’ multicultural strategy to ensure the company, which supports individuals with mental health needs, learning disabilities and autism, is an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace where differences are celebrated.
The launch event of the Multicultural Network Strategy 2023-25 was held at Cygnet Raglan House with contributions and insight from members across the network.
In a room decorated with flags representing many of the home countries of its colleagues, images of people from various ethnicities and with a delicious menu of food from across the globe, people wore clothing to reflect the richly diverse backgrounds and cultures represented across the Cygnet Health Care teams.
The vision of the network is to enhance the experience of ethnic minority colleagues by creating an environment of openness and fairness, promoting excellence, delivering person-centred care, and ensuring opportunities for all staff to be their best.
To do this, the network has four main priorities; education and awareness, creating a safe space, career development, and celebration and recognition.
MCN Chair, Rosalyn Mloyi, described the strategy launch as a “big milestone”.
She said: “Cygnet’s Multicultural Network is a vibrant forum that plays an instrumental role in providing a credible and unified voice for Minority Ethnic staff.
“The Network aims to help Cygnet to shape relevant strategies and policies based on the shared unique experiences of colleagues. Launching the network is strategy is an important day for us, it reflects our commitment towards empowering our multicultural staff to have a voice and our pledge to celebrate their identities and the diversity of the company.
“It is vital that we embrace differences and ensure there is a way for us all to come together, regardless of our cultural backgrounds, and work in a collaborative way.
“The strategy demonstrates that we are providing our ethnic minority staff with the necessary support that they need to grow within this organisation.”
Rosalyn said the strategy and the surrounding work allows Cygnet Health Care to define exactly what it means when it says it is progressing race equality and equity.
She added: “Cygnet is committed to wanting staff to feel empowered to challenge the inequalities they may see or face, and contribute towards a positive change.
“We are committed to removing barriers that may hold people back, because we know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to a richer, more creative and innovative environment.”
The Network was first formed at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic in June 2020. Network members were formally consulted on the strategy for their input via a survey to ensure that they have a voice, the strategy best suits the people it represents, and its actions are informed and relevant.
The Network has had a huge impact on Cygnet Health Care already including the introduction of a mentorship programme to support ethnic minority staff with personal and professional development. It is also responsible for developing and introducing Cygnet’s first Race Equality Survey and supported Cygnet’s COVID-19 vaccine myth-busting campaign to counteract misinformation and ensure ethnic minority staff were supported to make an informed decision about the vaccine.
