The Equality Action Plan
We have 4 main ideas. In this plan we will call our ideas objectives.
Each objective has actions. Actions are the things we need to do to make our objectives happen.
Objective 1: Have accessible and safe transport that people can afford
Action 1: Make sure people can travel safely on public transport.
Some of the things we will do:
- Project Empower: this is work to stop sexual abuse on our buses, trains and trams
- we will carry on using social media to spread the word about safe transport
- we will let more people know about Hate Crime and Road Safety. We will support victims to report hate crimes on public transport
Action 2: Plan for the Commonwealth Games
The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held in Birmingham. This is a big sporting competition.
Lots of people will come to the Games.
We will write a plan to make sure:
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everyone can get around to see the games
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people who live in the West Midlands can still get around to live their lives
Action 3: Make sure that services are good value for money and make sure local people can access jobs, education and activities
Some of the things we will do:
- we will have a new app that helps people use transport easier
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lots of fares are different prices across the West Midlands. We will make all fares the same price in all areas
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we will make public transport tickets cheaper for people looking for jobs
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we will look at new ways we can support vulnerable people to use transport
Action 4: Get more people to travel around in a way that is better for the planet. Things like cycling and walking
Some of the things we will do:
- make sure all our transport services know about climate change and how transport affects this
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have events that support local people to walk and cycle more. We will help more people in poorer areas
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start the West Midlands Cycle Hire Scheme to help people to cycle who do not have a bike
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spend money on community cycling sessions that include disabled people
Action 5: Listen to our customers and make sure we meet their needs
Some of the things we will do:
- make sure all our staff know about making services fair. And understand what the law says about this
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train staff on how to support vulnerable passengers and those with disabilities or hidden disabilities like Autism
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have regular events in the community and talk to passengers. We will use what they tell us to keep making our transport services better
- look at how to give extra support to young people who are not in school or don't have a job, or who have been in care
Action 6: Make using transport equal for everyone
Some of the things we will do:
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start new projects so that everyone can use our railways and it meets everyone’s needs
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check all of our train stations. Look at ways to make them easier to use
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make our Metro Network bigger so people can get to more places easier
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make information easier for people when they travel
Action 7: Plans and policies
Some of the things we will do:
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update all our transport policies. Make sure they include everybody in our communities
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write a new transport plan that will help us to do all our ideas
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work with Mencap to make sure our new cycle routes can be used by everyone
Objective 2: Make sure everything we do makes the West Midlands a fairer place and helps the people who need it most
Action 1: Build accessible housing that local people can afford
Some of the things we will do:
- look for some more money to build more houses that people can afford
- when we give money for housing
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projects we will check: it is really well built and it is accessible
- make sure that when new houses are built, they also build houses that people with less money can afford
Action 2: More jobs and skills for local people
- We will support local people to get the right skills and we will have lots of new jobs.
- We will use more of our local land for houses and businesses to be built on.
- We will do lots of things to support young people and people from poor backgrounds.
Action 3: Make our public services better for everyone
We will work with local organisations to:
- help end homelessness in our region
- support people in trouble with the police
- set up groups to look at what support veterans get in our area
- Veterans are people who used to be in the armed services. This means things like the army, navy or air force.
- work with local councils to make sure local people can access the internet
Action 4: Be a place that supports local people to have a happy, healthy and a good life
Some of the things we will do:
- make sure there are lots of activities that local people can do to keep them healthy in their mind and body
- work with local councils to look at why some people have poor health and then give them extra support
Objective 3: Make sure equality is at the heart of everything we do
Action 1: Talk to local people and make everything equal
Some of the things we will do:
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talk more to our local communities. Find out what they need and what makes services hard to use
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use this information to make sure all our local services meet everyone’s needs. Local people have a say in what happens
Action 2: Make change happen and have leaders from all of our Community Groups
Some of the things we will do:
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make sure everything we do is fair and gives everyone the same opportunities
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make sure our Local Leaders and people in the top jobs are a good mixture of people who live in our area
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support and work with local groups that know their communities well
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set up new groups to look at mental health and what makes things harder for young people
Objective 4: Make sure our staff are a good mix of local people who can help us be more equal
Action 1: Get a good mix of people
Some of the things we will do:
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make sure our staff are from all the different community groups in our areas
This means people from different areas, backgrounds, cultures, races and religions.
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we will give extra support to people who have less money and find it hard to get a job
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give more apprenticeships and chances to get some of the top jobs
Action 2: Give all staff the skills they need to be confident and happy in their jobs
Some of the things we will do:
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train all our staff to understand how important it is that we are fair and equal in everything we do
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run lots of local campaigns and events on different issues that people from our community groups might face
For example, language barriers, disability or women's issues.
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make sure all our staff feel supported with their mental health and wellbeing
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understand mental health and how it can affect our staff. We will find different ways to support them
Action 3: Look at who we have working for us
Things we will do:
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We will collect information about the mix of people who work for us. We will share it with everyone.
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We will look at the mix of people in different jobs and write a report.
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We will look at what makes things hard for people when they apply for jobs with us and try to make things better.