At this year’s Navajo Awards Ceremony, Sefton Council was once again awarded the Navajo Charter Mark for its dedication to the needs of LGBT+ community.

In 2018, Sefton became the first local authority to be awarded the mark and has retained it for the past five years.

Breaking barriers

The event, held today, Thursday 5th October, at Liverpool City College, celebrated local organisations that demonstrated best practice towards LGBT+ staff and residents. Among those to receive or retain the mark was Alder Hey NHS Hospital Trust, Chesterfield High School, and The Sovini Group.

The Navajo Merseyside & Cheshire LGBT+ Charter Mark is an equality mark supported by the LGBT+ Community networks across Merseyside and sponsored by In-Trust Merseyside. It signifies good practice and knowledge of issues and barriers specifically faced by LGBT+ people in Merseyside.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: “I am proud that we have been awarded the Navajo Charter Mark once again. It is proof that we are dedicated to ensuring that Sefton is inclusive and diverse, both as an employer and as place to live and work.

“We will continue to strengthen our commitment to being an inclusive organisation by engaging with the issues people face and providing lasting solutions.

“We are pleased with our progress, but the Navajo Award does not mean that we are finished. Inclusivity is an ongoing process, and we are committed to continually learning and improving.”

Commitment to inclusivity

The assessment for the Charter Mark involves meeting ten criteria, each requiring supporting resources. These include documents such as an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, equality monitoring forms or staff training offers. It aims to identify organisations that are actively involved in developing services to address the concerns of the LGBT+ community.

Organisations wanting to find out more can visit the Navajo Charter Mark website.