Pastures new? 💚

For the past few weeks I’ve been thinking about moving my newsletter off Substack. Various reasons including their business model and who they allow to publish here mean that it doesn’t seem the right place to be publishing a newsletter about equality. So I’m investigating alternative platforms, ideally ones where I can incorporate my web site too.

If you have any suggestions or advice, let me know by replying to this email! And if I disappear for a while, it might be because I’m migrating from here to somewhere else. I’ll keep you posted and, don’t worry, I’ll pack you all in my suitcase and take you with me 🥰

I’ve felt a bit weird not campaigning in the local UK elections this week. I’ve almost gone out several times but knocking on strangers’ doors requires a forcefield of resilience. And mine seems to have evaporated.

Job hunting also requires a ton of resilience. One of the standard questions that employers often ask me when we’re talking about workforce diversity is recruitment. My advice is to think much bigger, wider and broader rather than believing recruiting new staff in itself is the answer. This article by Vu Le explores why leaping to recruitment as the answer before you’ve done some deep thinking and internal change won’t magically diversify your workforce.

Even so, I am often thinking and talking about recruitment with my contacts, and am frequently asked which recruitment consultancies I’d recommend. So let’s take a step back.

I’ve been so impressed with the excellent progress made by campaigns such as #ShowtheSalary and #NonGraduatesWelcome so would suggest looking to see which agencies have signed up to support. Which agencies are bcorp accredited, signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, or Inclusive Employers accredited? Which are publishing diversity stats? Civil Society Finance expanded on some of these themes here.

Recruitment agencies have a key role to play in helping to create a healthier and more equal voluntary sector. If you’re using an agency to front recruitment, you’re paying them tens of thousands of pounds of your supporters’ money. Doing your own due diligence about their commitment to the issues that are important to you will benefit everyone and seems, to me, the least you can do.

Interesting and useful links 🖇️

AirBnb have introduced Online Experiences by Hosts with Neurodiverse Guests in Mind

Reach Volunteering published some guidance to help you diversify your trustee board

Day of the Week 📆

It’s Deaf Awareness Week so I thought I’d shine a light on some deaf awareness resources and also share this great article, 'It is time for the charity sector to listen to disabled people and give them the opportunity to succeed', by Rebecca Mansell.

What am I reading? 📚

The Adult Orphan Club: How I learned to grieve the loss of my parents turned out to be a bit of a mistake (as in I found it rather triggering, not as in it’s bad) but there are some useful links and also a whole chapter on how to comfort a grieving person.

What am I watching? 👀

I watched the Line of Duty finale along with 12.8m other viewers which is an amazing number. The best line of the whole series was this one. If only it didn’t ring so true.

(There are zillions of super popular programmes I’ve never watched so don’t feel bad if you didn’t watch this one. It’s just a TV programme.)

What am I listening to? 👂

Being a good 80s alternative kid, I’m more familiar with This Mortal Coil’s (AKA Liz Fraser and Robin Guthrie) version tbh but found Tim Buckley’s original on the internet the other day so here you are:

Joy-giving things 😍

My Swiss cheese turned over a new leaf - a massive green heart 💚

So here’s a green heart from me to you.

Lots of love

Lucy x

I write this newsletter because I believe in sharing progressive ideas that help us work towards a truly equal world.

Share it with your friends so they can read it too 📣

ChangeOut is created by Lucy Caldicott. You can find more about my work at ChangeOut.org. If you’re looking to have a chat about culture, leadership, purpose, equity, or a facilitated team discussion about any of those things, get in touch. You can also find me on Bluesky, Instagram, and, LinkedIn.

If it’s your first time reading this newsletter, find out more here.