Case Study: Training and Development - South Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire Council has developed a positive action programme to address the findings of the Council-wide equal pay review conducted in 2005/06. The main objectives of the programme are:

• To address potential barriers to career progression
• To address gender imbalance within the Council through various recruitment and promotional activities
• To develop links with the community/education facilities to affect change in culture of gender stereotyping

The Council’s plan included a variety of proposals from short-term to long-term, designed to be inclusive to women throughout the organisation. Proposals included:

• Mentoring programme for women managers
• Taster days for employees wanting to try out a new career
• Opportunities for both genders to experience working in a non-traditional role

The Equal Pay Review was steered by a group comprising of Personnel Managers and Trades Union representatives. The focus of this group has now been changed to monitoring and ensuring that the Positive Action Programme is progressed The group has now been re-designated as the ‘Delivering a Fairer Future’ Board.

By March 2007 42 women and 7 men had signed up for the programme and had expressed interest in developmental opportunities in non-traditional roles or requested information on career progression. An all female team of Land Service Operatives began a 13-week development opportunity in April 2007. This team, working in a traditionally male dominated environment, is responsible for litter picking, kerb cleaning, clearing areas of fly-tipping and ultimately working with the domestic waste collecting vehicles.

To encourage employee participation and ensure maximum publicity, the second in a series of information awareness days was held on 4 May 2007. The future strategy to raise awareness of the initiative will be to target specific employee groups in their respective work locations.

Vicki Aitken