Back in September 2020 we announced the QUK Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Committee: we’re delighted to announce that Rudi Obasi-Adams is joining us as the EDI Chair!
We’re also announcing that the scope of the EDI Committee has been broadened to help to make the community a more inclusive place for all players and volunteers. This update, alongside working to enhance the experiences of QUK members from minority ethnic backgrounds, will also deliver a gendered lens to all of its work. We want to put steps in place to better address some of the longstanding gender inequalities experienced by community members. To start this work we have created a Co-Chair position for someone with lived experience on gender issues to work alongside the Committee to coordinate in this area. If you are interested in this role please check out the QUK volunteering page.
The focus of the Committee will still be listening to the experiences of community members to develop ways to improve playing and volunteering time for all, while also providing safe spaces for members to learn more about the ranges of issues that face our members.
We have an exciting programme of initial projects that will help to make the community more inclusive and safe. We are calling for all community members to get involved in any way possible to build this supportive environment. There are Committee Member volunteer roles open for those who want to get involved with some of these projects, or bring new ideas to the table - whether big or small!
Policies
The committee is working to refine existing policies and put measures in place to ensure that all QUK players and volunteers can feel safe and supported when taking part in the sport. These documents will work towards reducing the potential for racial and gender discrimination, and creating accessible reporting structures for clubs.
Events
We are planning a series of Town Hall events with separate Closed and Open Forums where community members will be encouraged to share their experiences and ideas while offering safe opportunities for members to learn from one another. The committee also plans to hold a series of Speaker Events to engage with experienced individuals from inside and out of the community to raise the profile and foster conversations on inclusivity-focused themes. Building on some of the great work already carried out by clubs and members within the community, the committee would look to support in developing Events and Tournaments to highlight and develop the skills of underrepresented groups.
