Equity, diversity and inclusion at Samaritans: our two-year plan

We’ve worked with people from marginalised communities who’ve used our service, as well as staff and volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds to develop the EDI plan. We’re confident that it is relevant to where we are now and will drive us forward in our EDI commitment. We'll update this plan in 2024 to make sure we keep making progress towards the goals in our EDI commitment.

These are our five goals:

1. Create an inclusive culture and environment
2. Improve our diversity
3. Increase our reach
4. Collaborate with the communities who most need our support
5. Appeal to a diverse range of supporters

Here are some of the things we're doing to help us achieve the goals in our two-year plan. This is only a selection our ambitious plans to begin building an equitable, diverse and inclusive organisation that is truly here for anyone who needs us.

Goal 1: Create an inclusive culture and environment

Support our staff and volunteers to feel confident in taking action to support EDI

We will recruit a network of specialist EDI volunteers across the UK and Ireland. We’ll also work closely with our staff and volunteer leadership to improve their confidence in leading on inclusion in their departments and branches.

Ensure our staff and volunteer policies are inclusive and maximise opportunities for diversity.

We’ll embed a zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory behaviour and improve how people can report concerns. We’re updating all our policies to embed inclusion principles, adding further policies where necessary.

Improve the experience of our minoritised staff and volunteers at Samaritans.

We’ve set up identity-based diversity networks for staff and volunteers. We’ll listen to their feedback through a variety of channels, helping us to develop action plans to support marginalised communities.

Improve accessibility in both our offices and branches, and in our digital spaces.

We’ll audit how accessible we are currently and use that to create an action plan to improve accessibility across our entire organsiation in the coming years. We’ll also make sure accessibility and inclusivity is at the heart of our meetings and events.

Improve accessibility in both our offices and branches, and in our digital spaces.

We’ll audit how accessible we are currently and use that to create an action plan to improve accessibility across our entire organsiation in the coming years. We’ll also make sure accessibility and inclusivity is at the heart of our meetings and events.

Goal 2: Improve our diversity

Measure the success of our EDI programme, with transparent reporting on progress.

We’ll work to improve how we collect data on the demographics of staff and volunteers so that we can set meaningful targets. We’ll establish a strategic EDI advisory group to provide advice and support in delivering our ambitions. And we’ll continue to report our gender pay gap and explore the possibility of providing race/ethnicity pay gap reporting as well as take action based on the results.

Take targeted action to improve our diversity.

We’ll make sure our recruitment process for staff and volunteer positions is inclusive, and that everyone who wants to join us has access to equal opportunities. We’ll measure and take action on our understanding of our staff and volunteer representation to improve diversity. We’ll also continue supporting paid apprenticeship programmes. And we’ll take action to support our trustee boards to be representative of the communities we serve.

Goal 3: Increase our reach

Work to be relevant, accessible and trusted by a more diverse range of communities at risk of suicide.

We want to reach, represent and support marginalised people. We will improve our understanding of those communities by supporting the development of culturally relevant and accessible outreach activities. To do this, we’ll build more partnershipswith organisations led by those communities. We’ll also improve EDI in our existing targeted services (for example, our Listener scheme in prisons and our work with the armed forces and veterans).

Make sure our brand and communications are inclusive.

We’ve committed to using inclusive language in all our communications, as well as representing the communities we serve in our imagery and case studies. We’ll also make sure the events we deliver are as representative and inclusive as possible.

Goal 4: Collaborate with the communities who most need our support

Put the voices of people with lived experience of suicide and self-harm at the centre of our plans.

We’ll continue to expand our Lived Experience Advisory Group and panel approach to help influence our decision making. We’ll also increase partnerships with marginalised community-led organisations that are working with people who have experience of suicide and self-harm.

Improve advocacy for and research into suicide and self-harm risk for marginalised communities.

We’ll publish summaries of known research relating to suicide and self-harm in marginalised communities. We’ll invest in research to fill known gaps about the risk in those communities. We’ll also put equality considerations in place for our campaigning, policy and parliamentary programmes, and improve how we advocate for the needs of marginalised groups with suicide and/or self-harm risk.

Goal 5: Appeal to a diverse range of supporters

Take targeted action to work with a diverse range of communities who support what we’re doing.

We’ll continue to work with partners who share our commitment to EDI and use their experiences to improve our own programme. We’ll also embed equalities monitoring into our supporters’ experiences and create opportunities for underrepresented communities to support us.

If you have any questions or feedback about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Samaritans, please contact us at [email protected]