Inclusive Communities

The West Midlands is one of the most diverse regions in the country. This is because it’s home to so many communities of different cultures and faiths.

Our region also includes one of the youngest cities in Europe. Forty per cent of Birmingham’s population is under 25 years old. Many disabled residents also live here. There are around one in 5 people living with a physical or mental condition that affects how they carry out day-to-day activities.

This is why it’s so important that inclusivity, equality and diversity are set into our policies from the start. In June 2019 we set up the Inclusive Communities Portfolio to help achieve this.

The portfolio aims to:

• Set up a diverse Young Combined Authority (YCA) to help shape WMCA policy
• Encourage young leaders of the future in the West Midlands
• Encourage employers across the region to hire more diverse staff
• Promote the business case for diversity, enabling positive action and celebrating success
• Support and enable HR (human resources) best practice across sectors