Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 24 April 2024 at 16:07
As part of our ongoing culture work, EEAST has launched its Cultural Ambassador programme. The team behind the ambassadors have put together the following Frequently Asked Questions to provide you with all the information you need about the initiative.
If you have any other questions for the team that have not already been answered then please email Cultural.Ambassadors@eastamb.nhs.uk.
What is a Cultural Ambassador?
The role of a Cultural Ambassador is to identify and challenge any issues of less favorable treatment, discrimination and unconscious or conscious cultural bias, which are observed during formal processes such as disciplinary or grievance hearings and interview panels and ensure that they were taken into consideration in the decision-making process. Cultural Ambassadors will also be required to sit as lay members on all recruitment interview panels for roles of band 6 and above.
What are the benefits of the Cultural Ambassador programme?
The benefits of the programme are:
What is the aim of the Cultural Ambassador programme?
The aim of the Cultural Ambassador Programme is to:
Who are the Cultural Ambassadors?
EEAST currently have 14 Cultural Ambassadors, who you can meet by watching the video below.
How were the Cultural Ambassadors recruited?
An email went out to all staff who had indicated they were from a minority ethnic group on ESR, asking if they would like to volunteer to become a Cultural Ambassador. Those who responded, were invited to make an expression of interest, including an endorsement from their Line Management. Only those who were endorsed by their line managers were selected for training. 15 minority ethnic staff plus two HR representatives and one Trade union representative undertook a 4-day training course, facilitated by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
Why do the Cultural Ambassadors need to be from a Minority Ethnic heritage?
The origin of the programme is to address the proportionate impact on Minority Ethnic staff when involved in informal and formal processes. The programme has been co-designed, and a key requirement is that it remains co-delivered in its implementation.
Initial evaluation has identified that staff from a Minority Ethnic background have more confidence in formal processes being fair, when a Minority Ethnic Cultural Ambassador is assigned to the process.
Will there be Cultural Ambassadors from other minority groups?
The Cultural Ambassadors are made up of different minority ethnic groups and they could be assigned to any case, including those involving staff with other protected characteristics, where there is a need for a Cultural Ambassador. However, at the moment the data only shows a disproportionate impact on Minority Ethnic staff. The Trust may also train additional Cultural Ambassadors in the future.
What training have the Cultural Ambassadors received?
The Cultural Ambassadors attended a theoretical training course and will have the opportunity to observe, and role play formal processes.
As part of the training package from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), in the first 12 months the RCN will provide bi-monthly action learning sets to Cultural Ambassadors and monthly meetings with local programme leads. In addition, the RCN will also deliver a self-care workshop to Cultural Ambassadors. It is also envisaged that local leads will meet with their Cultural Ambassadors monthly.
Can I request for a Cultural Ambassador on my case?
A Cultural Ambassador will be assigned to anywhere they are required to play a role in an informal or formal process, and do not need to be requested by the member of staff it relates to. The team of Cultural Ambassadors work on a rotational basis, and the next available ambassador will be allocated once it has been identified that one is needed.
What happens if I haven’t had a Cultural Ambassador assigned to my case, but I feel that there should be?
Speak to your HR representative in the first instance or the Cultural Ambassador Programme lead.
How are Cultural Ambassadors assigned to a case?
Ambassadors will be assigned by a senior HR representative. The Cultural Ambassador will need to confirm if there is a conflict of interest and will inform the assigning officer, who will check if one exists. The Cultural Ambassador will not be allocated to cases of staff within their practicing area.
Can a Cultural Ambassador be assigned to a case that involved a relative, friend or someone they worked with?
No, they will not be assigned to anyone they work with. If they are assigned to a case that involves a relative or friend, they would inform HR or the programme lead, that they cannot be involved in the case as it would constitute a conflict of interest, and a different Cultural Ambassador will be assigned.
Is the Cultural Ambassador there to support the member of staff involved in a case?
No, the Cultural Ambassador is a full member of the process being undertaken. Their purpose is to support the organisation, using their understanding of bias to act as a role model who encourages open and transparent culture for resolving issues and making the recruitment process fair, and promoting a better understanding of having a protected characteristic.
In the event of an employee relations issue, the member of staff will be represented by their union official or a member of staff side.
What’s the difference between a Union representative and a Cultural Ambassador?
A Union representative provides advice and support to the individual undergoing the process, while Cultural Ambassador is assigned by the Trust, to the whole process being undertaken and is not there to represent the individual.
Does the Cultural Ambassador have to sign a confidentiality clause?
The Cultural Ambassador is required to sign a Data Security Agreement, which acknowledges that they have read, understood, and complied to its contents and agree to abide by the highest standards within it.
Do the Cultural Ambassadors meet and discuss cases as a collective group?
No. However, monthly meetings will take place to check in on the welfare of the Cultural Ambassadors. Within the first 12 months after training, action learning sets are conducted by RCN, every 2 months, to maintain competency of the Cultural Ambassadors.
What happens if a Trade Union rep objects to questions or interference in questions from a Cultural Ambassador?
The Cultural Ambassador is trained so that they are clear of their boundaries but may ask questions in order to clarify certain points - we do not see a reason why a rep should object or bring a dispute against a question. The Cultural Ambassador is a full member of the team.
Can a Cultural Ambassador be a witness at appeals and employment tribunals (ET)?
This can only happen if the Cultural Ambassador is a witness to an incident/event during their attendance at a meeting of the process they are participating in. A Cultural Ambassador should not attend an ET as a general rule for the employer or the member.
Who is in charge of the Cultural Ambassador programme and who do the Cultural Ambassadors report to?
The Cultural Ambassador Programme lead.
If I have any questions about the Cultural Ambassador programme who do I contact?
The Cultural Ambassador Programme lead. Information is also available on the Cultural Ambassador page on EAST 24.