ONE of the East Lancashire’s largest social housing providers is reviewing its recruitment process in a bid to ensure its workforce becomes more diverse.

After recently undertaking Blackburn College's workforce integration ambassador programme Daniel McKay, a recruitment advisor for Together Housing Group, has worked with colleagues to develop the company’s diversity agenda in the area of recruitment and retention of staff from diverse backgrounds.

The training focused on strategies to recruit, retain and develop a diverse workforce, covering such topics as unconscious bias and the disability confident scheme.

The workforce integration ambassadors were recruited from public and private sector organisations of all sizes across the borough of Blackburn with Darwen, and as well as being given diversity and inclusion training, there was also an opportunity to network and share best practice.

Mr McKay said: “The workforce integration ambassador programme has helped support our ambitions to become a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

"Most importantly, it has connected us to other local organisations to allow us to provide a joined-up approach across the borough to maximise prosperity and opportunity for all areas of the local community.”

Together Housing has also started to carry out diversity focus groups including focus groups within local communities.

The company is in the process of surveying internal views on disability, gender, sexuality and the perceived views of opportunities for people from a non-white British heritage background.

Company bosses said the information captured from the research will be used to develop the organisation’s recruitment strategy and ensure Together Housing appeals to a broad group of individuals through a range of diverse employment opportunities.

The company is also linking with other local employers and workforce integration ambassadors to highlight employment opportunities to the borough’s communities. An apprenticeship event is planned to specifically target those sectors of society that are underrepresented within Together Housing Group.

Other workforce integration ambassadors will be invited to participate at the event, promoting their own employment opportunities.

The workforce integration ambassador programme is one of many projects being delivered on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Council and funded through the borough’s social integration programme, Our Community, Our Future.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: “Providing opportunities for people to come together naturally is a key part of our social integration strategy.”

To find out more about employment opportunities with Together Housing, visit www.togetherhousing.co.uk/careers.

For more information about the Our Community, Our Future social integration programme, visit www.blackburn.gov.uk/about-council/social-integration