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The Jersey Literary Festival Association (JLFA) seeks to bring people together through the pleasure of reading, writing, storytelling and the enjoyment of diverse voices and perspectives. We aim to create equitable, inclusive, warm and friendly festivals, and to invite authors and attract audiences which reflect the society in which we live.

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy

 

1.JLFA recognises the importance and benefits of actively pursuing an environment within our festivals, and all activities associated with them, in which inclusion and diversity are taken into account. We aim to support and celebrate differences and to foster an inclusive culture.

 

2.JLFA is committed to pursuing non-discriminatory policies and practice which aim at eliminating unfair discrimination on grounds of race (including colour, national origin, nationality and ethnicity), sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy & maternity, age, disability, marital status, religion or belief, or social background.

 

3.JLFA will work to take into account equal opportunities in the day-to-day running of its activities and festivals. It aims to ensure that equality of opportunity is considered in its activities, such as recruitment of volunteers, contracting freelance workers, the development of festival programmes, and the opportunities for authors and other contributors to the festivals.

 

4.JLFA recognises that it has a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that all workers, volunteers, participants and festival-goers are treated with respect and in a fair manner.

 

We aim to:

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• have diversity and inclusion as an integral part of the planning process of every festival;

• make it easy for everyone to access new ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity by attracting authors who are fully reflective of the world we live in;

• raise awareness of issues of diversity and inclusion through our festival programme content;

• support the rights of those with disabilities and neurodiversities to write, to read, and to access events;

• create festivals which provide a healthy, kind and supportive environment, taking into account physical health, mental health, and financial inequality;

• provide employment and volunteering opportunities for people of all backgrounds, genders, ages and cultures;

• recognise that we have more to do to realise our ambitions and work to ensure that our strategic policies, our festival programmes, partnerships and other initiatives will progressively reflect the diversity of our community.

   

Our commitments in action:

 

Encouragement of local creative writing through competitions open to all.

Volunteer opportunities open to all.

Festival events reflecting inclusivity and diversity:

Free schools programme

Prison events

Mental health and wellbeing

Celebrating languages and cultures

Jèrriais events

LGBTQIA2S+ Racial equality

Social equality

Women’s rights

 

Charitable partnerships:

Every Child Our Future

Jersey Child Care Trust

Saltgate

Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies

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Consultation:
Eyecan
Jersey Deaf Society