1. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Innovations Equality & Diversity 7th December 2009

2. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Research has found that the fire service has a low image profile as a potential career among under-represented groups, therefore fire services need to be as proactive as possible in promoting the range of career opportunities if the service is to meet its often stated objective of becoming more reflective of the community it serves. The Central Office of Information has produced national career information material which seeks to address the research findings.

3. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Women in Leadership Roles Does it Matter? French Boardrooms to be 50% women by 2015 French Boardrooms to be 50% women by 2015 Norway 2003 (6%) 2009 (44%) Norway 2003 (6%) 2009 (44%) Hudson Consultants 2005 Women’s altruism, openness, people orientated, transformational, value-centered Hudson Consultants 2005 Women’s altruism, openness, people orientated, transformational, value-centered emerging challenges in business emerging challenges in business competition for the best talent competition for the best talent visible demonstration of the organisations values visible demonstration of the organisations values

4. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Women’s Leadership Workshop 28 th -29 th April 2009 Cross-section of Women in Leadership Roles – Facilitated Workshop 28 th -29 th April 2009 Cross-section of Women in Leadership Roles – Facilitated Workshop report of initial findings report of initial findings sub-group to explore way forward sub-group to explore way forward follow-up interviews, personal journals, quantatative/qualatative research follow-up interviews, personal journals, quantatative/qualatative research

5. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Equality & Diversity in the Fire Service Fire services need to take account of both the needs of their staff and the current and potential needs of members of the public visiting fire service premises. Adequate provision needs to be made in order to guarantee privacy and dignity for all. It is recognised that there are practical limitations at some sites, but it is unacceptable not to provide effective privacy. This may include provision of toilet, washroom, shower, changing facilities; separate or partitioned dormitories; child care facilities; disabled access and facilities.

6. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Personal Successes networking with other leaders (Support groups) networking with other leaders (Support groups) broader experiences in different organisations broader experiences in different organisations being brave, courageous, grasping opportunities, stepping into the unknown, not giving up being brave, courageous, grasping opportunities, stepping into the unknown, not giving up learning the current role before moving on and learning from those who move on too quickly learning the current role before moving on and learning from those who move on too quickly learning from adversity and difficulties learning from adversity and difficulties a champion who recognised their potential a champion who recognised their potential

7. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Challenges & Hurdles some senior mangers & elected members who still don’t agree with having women in the FRS – feel unvalued some senior mangers & elected members who still don’t agree with having women in the FRS – feel unvalued lack of role models lack of role models senior managers who don’t believe in leadership development senior managers who don’t believe in leadership development lack of formal and professional coaching and mentoring lack of formal and professional coaching and mentoring self-imposed pressures/barriers ‘impostor syndrome’ self-imposed pressures/barriers ‘impostor syndrome’ failure to sell oneself and value brought to the Service failure to sell oneself and value brought to the Service don’t market & highlight successes as well as other colleagues don’t market & highlight successes as well as other colleagues terminology and language - reference still made to fireman terminology and language - reference still made to fireman

8. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Assessing the Challenges/Hurdles are these challenges/hurdles a direct result of: are these challenges/hurdles a direct result of: –organisational –structural –cultural or –leadership failings? Some would assert that: ‘The position of women will only improve through cultural, attitudinal and structural changes and initiatives within organisations’ (Davidson and Cooper 1992). Some would assert that: ‘The position of women will only improve through cultural, attitudinal and structural changes and initiatives within organisations’ (Davidson and Cooper 1992).

9. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Further Research Findings shadow of the leader – visibility and vulnerability shadow of the leader – visibility and vulnerability feel the fear and do it anyway feel the fear and do it anyway operational v non-operational women, a potential tension operational v non-operational women, a potential tension can we see the road clearly, are there signposts can we see the road clearly, are there signposts the role of women and men in the fire & rescue service the role of women and men in the fire & rescue service external support, helping yourself external support, helping yourself is it me or we – women taking up the ladder is it me or we – women taking up the ladder

10. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Report recommendations national set of equality & diversity policies, to include maternity leave, facilities both on and off station – for all employees national set of equality & diversity policies, to include maternity leave, facilities both on and off station – for all employees national intranet to disseminate good practice national intranet to disseminate good practice highlight initiatives that improve working conditions and staff retention highlight initiatives that improve working conditions and staff retention ‘we just want a level playing field’ ‘we just want a level playing field’ national (good practice) appraisal system national (good practice) appraisal system career prospects, promotion and development opportunities career prospects, promotion and development opportunities

11. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Recommendations cont. targeted selection processes targeted selection processes enable development of new skills enable development of new skills ensure women entering the service understand the physical aspects of the role ensure women entering the service understand the physical aspects of the role senior managers to support training & development senior managers to support training & development coaching and mentoring coaching and mentoring

12. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Next Steps develop and communicate a vision and strategy enhancing and developing the career progression of women develop and communicate a vision and strategy enhancing and developing the career progression of women CFOA HR Director to encourage CFOA Board to actively support career progression of women, capitalising on the talent of women and minority staff in FRS CFOA HR Director to encourage CFOA Board to actively support career progression of women, capitalising on the talent of women and minority staff in FRS introduce formal mentoring and coaching for women, using mentors and coaches both inside and outside the Service introduce formal mentoring and coaching for women, using mentors and coaches both inside and outside the Service

13. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Next Steps enhance support network, market and publicise networks to encourage wider engagement enhance support network, market and publicise networks to encourage wider engagement follow-up with workshop delegates – what is changing follow-up with workshop delegates – what is changing reconvene in 6/12 months to focus on the positive reconvene in 6/12 months to focus on the positive each delegate take responsibility for one or two actions each delegate take responsibility for one or two actions delegates to report back to colleagues in the workplace delegates to report back to colleagues in the workplace bring smaller regional groups together facilitated by CFOA HR Director bring smaller regional groups together facilitated by CFOA HR Director

14. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Proper mentoring schemes are recommended in order to provide support for recruits and trainees in general, and for new and newly promoted women and minority ethnic staff in particular. Training and support should also be provided for fire service mentors. Better retention of women and minority ethnic staff is as important as more effective recruitment. Effective mentoring schemes provide the individual with support and guidance, will benefit the service in progressing its programme for equality and diversity, and assist women and ethnic minorities in furthering their careers. In view of our findings in respect of culture, we have concluded that of all the areas that need attention, it is by changing the culture that the most significant improvements will be gained.

15. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service Inertia, inaction or an inability to make progress? We recommend that each Brigade should take positive steps to introduce a culture that values the contribution that can be made to it by women, that facilities required by women firefighters are introduced as a matter of the highest priority and that these aspects are monitored and reported upon by HM Inspectors. We therefore recommend that the Equal Opportunities Task Group consider a common protocol for working practices and facilities for women and that this is made available to the service.

16. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service ‘a key aspect of knowledge creation is that it is a collective activity, and to marginalise diversity is to deny the organisation access to an enormous amount of knowledge. However, organisational knowledge remains overwhelmingly the interpretation and property of the dominant group at the senior levels, in particular because that is where diversity is least represented….diversity starts at the top. If the senior managers remain from the same mould, the organisation is unlikely to encourage and value diversity other than as a public relations exercise’ ‘a key aspect of knowledge creation is that it is a collective activity, and to marginalise diversity is to deny the organisation access to an enormous amount of knowledge. However, organisational knowledge remains overwhelmingly the interpretation and property of the dominant group at the senior levels, in particular because that is where diversity is least represented….diversity starts at the top. If the senior managers remain from the same mould, the organisation is unlikely to encourage and value diversity other than as a public relations exercise’

17. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service ‘ ‘’…the lack of women and ethnic minority MPs was damaging for Parliament …'It's been an even greater problem for my party and one I desperately want to address and have tried to address.‘’ ‘’…the lack of women and ethnic minority MPs was damaging for Parliament …'It's been an even greater problem for my party and one I desperately want to address and have tried to address.‘’ ‘’in a country where women regard themselves as equal, they are not prepared to see men running the show themselves… I think a balanced team of men and women makes better decisions’’ ‘’in a country where women regard themselves as equal, they are not prepared to see men running the show themselves… I think a balanced team of men and women makes better decisions’’