Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Woodcraft Folk’s current strategic plan is focused on increasing and widening participation – seeking to support more children and young people to benefit from a Woodcraft Folk experience. This strategic ambition is strongly linked to:

• • Reducing barriers to participation, for both young people and volunteers

• • Being proactive in making reasonable adjustments and improving inclusion

• • Working in partnership with other organisations and community groups

• • Adapting Woodcraft Folk activities

• • Ensuring our volunteer team and paid workforce reflects the communities we want to reach

In 2022, Woodcraft Folk’s Trustee Board established an Equality Diversity & Inclusion Working Group who have decided to focus their energies on tackling barriers to volunteering for Woodcraft Folk. With this aim in mind they have increased the level of demographic monitoring being undertaken, so we can confidently know who we are engaging and who is currently underrepresented within the organisation.

Demographic monitoring undertaken at Venturer Camp saw volunteers over the age of 21 describe themselves as:

• • 87.5% as white British, 2.8% Irish, 1.4% Gypsy or traveller, 1.4% as Asian or Asian British, 1.4% other ethnic group, 1.4% mixed British Caribbean with a further 4.2% as white other

• • 29.2% as having a health condition which impacts their health

• • 19.4% as having a disability

• • 33.3% as neurodiverse

• • 16.7% as experiencing disadvantage due to their mental health

The group have also contracted 7PK to undertake a review, looking at how Woodcraft Folk recruits, inducts and supports volunteers. Over the next 12 months 7PK will:

• • Oversee demographic monitoring across the organisation, including local volunteer teams

• • Facilitate focus groups and workshops at regional events and online

• • Review Woodcraft Folk’s policies and procedures

• • Deliver training to Trustees, staff and volunteers

Members of the working group include:

• • Cici Carey-Stuart, Fundraiser

• • Debs McCahon, Chief Executive

• • George Fielding, Volunteering Matters

• • Katy Redgrave, Leeds District

• • Morgan Britton-Voss, DF Committee

• • Nadia Asir, General Council

• • Sapna Agarwal, Glasgow Kelvingrove District