Trust – the building block to a more inclusive society
This week saw the one-year anniversary of the launch of Inclusive Britain – the UK Government’s plan to tackle persistent, unfair disparities, promote unity and build a fairer Britain for all (allied to the ‘levelling up’ agenda). In reading through the update report the sheer range of actions taken in the last 12 months – cutting across education, business, health, social care, justice - to create a fairer and more equitable society is striking. It also highlights that inequity is something that is so deeply ingrained within our society (and arguably our economic system) that it will take a sustained effort to provide some semblance of balance and fairness.
A recurring theme in Inclusive Britain is the issue of trust. Trust in public services, public institutions, the media; trust in the ‘system’ (i.e. the political, economic, and social structures that shape our society). Many groups that are more disadvantaged and less heard within UK society have lower levels of trust in Government and service providers because of a heady mix of (negative) past experiences (including discrimination), observable inequalities, stereotypes and perceived biases, misinformation and confusion, all of which undermine the credibility of actors within the system.
Over the last year or two we’ve been privileged to have been involved in various projects for the ONS, the Race Disparity Unit, Cabinet Office and Genomics England exploring issues of self-identity, social identity and representation, including recent work unpicking language and terminology relating to ethnicity. This work consistently demonstrates two key opportunities for building trust:
By engaging people, and doing so in a manner which is authentic and appropriate, it demonstrates a willingness to listen. When public institutions engage with people as citizens, they are demonstrating a commitment to working collaboratively towards solutions that benefit everyone. This can help to build trust by creating a sense of shared purpose and common goals. Key here though is to listen and then to act on this. To be accountable. The Inclusive Britain update report is commendable, but it is crucial that the actions taken off the back of having identified issues are communicated back to those groups most effected.
Related to the above is the importance of transparency. Marginalised groups have historically been excluded from decision-making processes and often have less access to information about how public institutions operate. By providing transparent information about the processes and decisions made by public institutions, marginalised groups can feel more included and empowered to engage in the decision-making process. Transparency can also help to reduce the perception of bias, which can erode trust.
Many of those that are underserved by our ‘system’ are navigating a playing field which (purposefully or not) is not level and has never been level for various minoritised groups. In building an inclusive Britain it is imperative that this is recognised, acknowledged and addressed through a continual programme of positive action within policy making, service provision and communications. We welcome the Inclusive Britain report and applaud the work by a huge number of civil servants, policy makers and service providers. It is a long road ahead but important steps are being taken and we’re really grateful to have had the opportunity to listen to and communicate the views of those who have historically not had the opportunities to have their voices heard by those who can effect change.
