Inclusion policy ‘thoughts’



Inclusion policyFeed the Minds is committed to removing the barriers that exist to the inclusion of individuals and communities engaging in our work both in the UK and in our programmes in developing countries (Please refer to the Feed the Minds Staff Handbook for employment information).Feed the Minds works with local partners in developing countries to improve people’s lives. Our projects target marginalised people and communities. Feed the Minds promotes the basic rights of every person and we are committed to the full inclusion of marginalised people in our work. Marginalised people are those who are denied access to their basic rights, struggle to have their voices heard and have limited access to decision-making that affects their lives.We see inclusion as a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down the barriers hindering individuals and communities to fully engage in our work on an equal basis with others.Feed the Minds values diversity. We seek to create inclusive environments where stigma and discrimination of those who are different is challenged and differences are seen as opportunities for enriching learning.We recognise that within excluded groups certain people are particularly vulnerable to multiple layers of discrimination. A person may be marginalised, for example, because they are poor, female, disabled, non-literate, or are living with HIV. If they fall into more than one category the discrimination is often increased considerably. Some examples are shown below:BarrierResponseDiscriminatory attitudes prevent women from being represented on local committeesProvide training on civic education and women’s rights for local people and committee membersDiffering experience and skill sets of volunteersMatch the skills of volunteers with appropriate tasks and if necessary allow extra time to explain thingsInaccessible information about candidates prevent minority and indigenous groups participating in referendumProvide voter information in local languages and appropriate literacy levelYoung people with disabilities denied access to school because of negative attitudes and lack of confidence of teachersProvide teachers with skills training on supporting a diverse range of students and adapting the school curriculumReligious minority not benefiting from community-based interventionEnsure projects provide opportunities for people of all faiths and noneFeed the Minds encourages all partners to be inclusive in the following ways:Consider who is marginalised in the community and mobilse them to participate in development opportunitiesEnsure effective access and participation of marginalised groups in education and training opportunitiesEnsure self-representation of marginalised people in decision-making throughout the projectConsider the needs of marginalised people in organisational policy development and strategic planningEmpower marginalised people to understand and claim their rightsAdopt a proactive approach to identifying and removing barriers and provide appropriate support so that all participants reach their fullest potentialRespect difference and value the contribution of ALL peopleActively challenge stigma and discrimination.Literacy for ALLLiteracy facilitates the achievement of fundamental human rights and is at the heart of Feed the Minds’ work. By literacy we mean more than just the skills of reading, writing and numeracy; we see literacy as a tool for transformation. It is key to inclusion and empowerment because it enables people to have more influence over decision making, as well as increased self-confidence to participate in community life.Poor literacy skills often result in a lack of participation in education, employment and community life. Literacy, therefore, plays a central role in preventing social exclusion.Feed the Minds is committed to Literacy for ALL and works with local partners to promote literacy and inclusion.Feed the Minds encourages all partners to:target people with low literacy levels in communitiesavoid stigmatisation or discrimination of those who are non-literateadapt written materials to reflect the literacy levels of those using theminclude positive images of marginalised people that promote diversity in textual materials such as training manuals and postersensure access to information for all peopleuse literacy for social transformation and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all people. ................
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