Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Equity Scan

The agency’s Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppressive and Equity work is focused on creating and fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace environment for all employees and to transform our services to address the disproportionate impact and outcomes on the diverse families, children, and youth who receive services from our agency. 

Our agency believes that knowing how to work with many cultures and individuals of all social identities is extremely important.  We will be conducting an Equity Scan (ES)to help us determine the most helpful ways to work with many different cultures, groups, and intersecting identities, particularly those who are equity-seeking.  Through the ES:

  • We want to learn what our strengths are as an organization in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
  • We want to learn where our gaps are as an organization in meeting the needs of employees, service users, and community partners and collaterals;
  • We want to learn how to become a more diverse and inclusive organization, and how we can make changes to work well across all communities within Frontenac, Lennox and Addington counties; and
  • We want to use the information collected to make changes within the organization to better engage all individuals who come into contact with the agency, as well as those who support and work with and within the organization.

Through the scan, we will look at

  • Our Management, Employees, and Volunteers (including the Board of Directors);
  • Our properties where we do our work; and
  • Our operations (our way of doing things and the materials we use to do them).

We are asking people who have used our services to help us by completing a survey. Capturing the thoughts and suggestions of the people we endeavour to engage with is at the heart of this project.  

It is important you feel comfortable with the questions we are asking. If you would rather not comment, please feel free to skip a question by marking it Not Applicable (N/A).  We hope that you will answer as many questions as possible, and we are asking for your feedback and remarks to help us to become better at the work we do every day with children, youth, and families within the community.

Your participation in this survey is invaluable to our agency, as we are committed to strengthening and improving our equitable approach in everything we do. 

Listening Circles

FACSFLA wants to hear from you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to complete the Equity Scan?

Those eligible to complete the Equity Scan survey includes all employees, volunteers (including Board members), students, foster parents, community partners, and families, children, and youth involved with the agency.

Why are we doing an Equity Scan?

This year, FACSFLA is conducting a local Equity Scan to help us in the refinement of our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plans.  

This Equity Scan will help us gather information to assist FACSFLA in responding to the needs of all employees, support inclusive working environments, and collect the quantitative data needed for equitable and inclusive program, practice, and policy development. 

The information collected will also help to establish how our organizational structure can be adjusted to better support strategic initiatives to improve service delivery to children, youth, and families in our communities. 

We will keep open communication about the progress of this Equity Scan.

Why should I participate in the Equity Scan?

By completing the Equity Scan survey, you are providing feedback to help FACSFLA understand a variety of diverse viewpoints, and to assist in identifying key priorities for change.  Your responses will also help us to understand what is working effectively that we should continue in our work to support children, youth, and families.

How can this information make a difference? Can you give me some examples?

Data helps to give a clearer picture of an organization and its changing needs. 

Here are two examples:

  1. Prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion: Gathering information on the status of diversity and inclusion within the organization is an opportunity to highlight the work that has already been done and to prioritize plans where improvements are needed.

Improved service delivery: The Equity Scan provides a snapshot of our agency; the data will inform policies and programs that directly impact the communities we work with.

How will you protect my privacy?

IMPORTANT: We guarantee the Equity Scan is both confidential and anonymous. Individual data is kept private, and no raw data pertaining to a single individual is ever disclosed.  Participants are not identified by name, and any data that could identify a participant is removed.  

Is the real reason for the Equity Scan to create quotas and targets?

While representation is one important indicator of diversity and inclusivity, it is not the only measure. This Equity Scan will help us understand the trends, gaps, or barriers employees with diverse identities face in our organization. It will also help us begin identifying gaps in our services and practices that require transformation. 

Is the Equity Scan mandatory?

While completing the Equity Scan is entirely voluntary, it is a critical tool in establishing a benchmark for diversity, equity, and inclusion for our organization. The more participants there are who complete the survey, the more accurate and complete our agency Scan will be.

Isn’t it against the law to ask these questions?

No, asking these questions is not against the Ontario Human Rights Code or Privacy legislation. Under the following three conditions, the Equity Scan process is actually recommended by both the Canadian and Ontario Human Rights Commissions:

  • Information gathered is used for equity reporting and program development;
  • Participation is voluntary; and 
  • The results are confidential.

This Equity Scan fulfills all three criteria.

If you can’t tell who filled out the Equity Scan, what is the benefit of the results?

The Equity Scan aims to identify general trends. It does not focus on individual results. Identifying personal information is not necessary to achieve an accurate understanding of the key issues, and this point of view is shared by the professional consultants involved in conducting the Scan.

I don’t feel comfortable answering a specific question, what do I do?

If you are uncomfortable, you can skip a question and move on or answer “N/A” or “not applicable”.  Not providing answers to specific questions will not significantly impact the overall results of the Scan.  We encourage you to answer as many questions as possible because each one contains important information that will help provide a more complete picture of the organization’s equity work.

What if I have additional questions about the Equity Scan?

Please contact Msenwa Oliver Mweneake by email at equityscan@facsfla.ca.

Who is eligible to complete the Equity Scan?

Those eligible to complete the Equity Scan survey includes all employees, volunteers (including Board members), students, foster parents, community partners, and families, children, and youth involved with the agency.