Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA)
Municipal services touch the lives of every resident and visitor. Addressing social inequities means services can address the needs of all citizens and improve the well-being of the community.
IDEA Action Plan
The Municipality of Kincardine is committed to developing actions to improve inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA).
Ongoing IDEA Initiatives
We provide support, resources, learning, and engagement opportunities for the community for a variety of IDEA related elements.
The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Lens
Our community is becoming more and more diverse and so are the needs and aspirations of its residents and visitors. For this reason, we need to incorporate this reality into how we communicate, engage, plan, and deliver services so we can remain relevant, meaningful, and effective.
To help us apply equity and inclusion to our work, we can ask some practical questions to improve IDEA:
Providing Services
- Who is and who is not included in your service?
- What could contribute to exclusion?
- What could we do differently to ensure inclusion?
- What are we already doing to promote inclusion?
- Have we consulted with groups that are not accessing our services?
Working with People
- When I interact with people, do I check assumptions?
- Do I hold assumptions about people that get in the way of how I work with them?
- Do I avoid stereotypes so I can see the individual for who they really are?
- Am I able to respect our differences and yet recognize what we have in common?
- Am I paying attention to those who are not expressing their ideas?
- Do I discourage jokes, insults and negative comments that are offensive to people?
Engaging the Community
- What approaches and outreach will help to ensure that everyone is able to fully participate?
- How can we create opportunities for people least likely to be heard to ensure they share their specific concerns?
- Have we consulted with people who are impacted by the work or program we are offering?
- Have we consulted with people from diverse communities?
- Which employees, department or community agencies with experience in these specific communities can help us do outreach?
- How does the engagement foster inclusion, respect and equity?
Holding Meetings
- What steps can we take to remove barriers to people’s full participation? (e.g., dependent care, transportation, safety, language, accessible location, time, multiple formats, avoid religious and cultural holidays, culturally appropriate.)
- Is the location accessible for people with disabilities?
Could we assist with transportation and /or child care needs of participants? - Is the environment welcoming to participants who may be reluctant to share their views? If not, what can we do to change this?
- Have we asked participants if there is anything we can do to remove barriers to attendance/participation in meeting? e.g., prayer space, large print materials, etc.
- Have we included a land acknowledgement at the beginning of the meeting’s agenda?
Communications
- Have we made sure that the written materials follow AODA standards?
- Is the written message the best approach or could we use infographics, social media, radio/newspaper ads to promote the information?
- Have we considered what populations will be missed by only using certain methods? (e.g., online or social media communications) What other approaches might we use?
- Do the images and photos represent the full diversity of the community?
- Is everyone portrayed in positive images that promote equity and break stereotypes? Consider: who is active and passive, who is at the centre, who is serving and being served.
- Is the language we use in our promotion materials plain and easily understood?
- How can we make sure that this information reaches diverse groups?
- What modifications could we make to improve access?
Staff and Volunteer Recruitment
- Do staff and volunteers in our work area reflect the diversity of the community we serve? Who is under-represented?
- What knowledge, skills, experience and diversity would enhance our team’s capacity to serve the diversity of clients?
- Do job requirements and selection criteria unnecessarily limit who would qualify?
- Have we considered where best to post this employment opportunity to ensure that the widest diversity of people are able to access it?
Policy Development
- What are the equity and inclusion concerns related to this policy issue? (e.g., accessibility, affordability, safety, culture, gender identity.)
- Are the groups most affected by the policy consulted from the early stages of the policy development? How can we ensure their perspectives are included?
- How can we communicate the policy so as to reach the full diversity of people affected?
Contact Us
The Municipality of Kincardine
1475 Concession 5, R.R.
#5, Kincardine, ON N2Z 2X6
Phone: 519-396-3468
F.: 519-396-8288
Sign up to our Newsletter
Stay up to date on the city's activities, events, programs and operations by subscribing to our eNewsletters.