Diverse Matters

Diverse Matters

Diverse Matters is a diversity and inclusion consultancy that works with organisations to embed diversity and inclusion within their practices.  We use a tailored approach to ensure that the services required meets the specific needs of the organisation and is fit for purpose as 'one size does not fit all'.

We offer a range of solutions including our diversity and inclusion audit, training, policy review, toolkit and guidance development, coaching and mentoring, thought leadership events, diversity and inclusion seminars and positive action programmes.

We also look at the wider diversity issues with a strong focus on service delivery and meeting the diverse needs of service users in addition to areas affecting our communities including hate crime, and community cohesion

The Diverse Matters team have several years’ experience and expertise in working within the diversity and inclusion field.

We provide our services in an engaging and supportive way ensuring that all activities/offerings have a positive impact and ensures results for our clients!

We have a holistic approach to diversity and inclusion and work with our partners to provide support to fully embed an inclusive workplace including coaching, mentoring, personal development programmes, Mindfulness and more.

Diverse Matters will support you at whatever stage in your journey in enhancing Diversity and Inclusion practice. Whether you would like to enhance the skills of your teams, develop your Inclusion strategy or meet the needs of your diverse clients we use a bespoke and tailored approach to ensure that the approach works for you.

Our Services

Diverse Matters offer a range of services to support organisations to address inclusion in the workplace and in service delivery.

This includes:

• Diversity and Inclusion training
• Personal development and leadership training
• PSHE/Inclusion support in school/colleges
• Inclusion Teacher Training
• Policy reviews
• Policy and strategy development
• Diversity and Inclusion audit
• Diversity research and analysis
• Equality analysis (equality impact assessment) support, training and guidance
• HR advice and support
• Events management – diversity and inclusion focused seminars, panel events
• Providing guest speakers/facilitators for events
• Coaching
• Support to develop well mental health and well-being frameworks
• Bespoke EDI consultancy
• E learning and video briefings
  

We can also provide a range of other diversity and inclusion consultancy support as a one-off piece of work or over an agreed period of time.

More information about these services can be found on our website

Why Does What We Do Matter?

Research has evidenced that by recruiting diverse teams and implementing an inclusive culture, this enhances the performance of organisations. Organisations want to provide the best service and ensure their teams can be their authentic selves at work and be supported to reach their potential.

Diversity and inclusion really is key to an organisation’s success.

Embedding Diversity and Inclusion will:

• Enhance service delivery
• Increase retention of employees and volunteers
• Improve performance
• Increase morale of teams
• Reduce recruitment costs
• Enhances reputation
• Enhance creativity
  

Embedding a diverse and inclusive culture is an ongoing process but the journey is worth it! If you would like to ensure that your organisation is meeting the needs of your service users, your teams are supported and your leaders/managers are equipped with the right skills to get the best from their teams, then you need greater awareness of diversity within the company.

Our Partners

Diverse Matters works with a wide range of partners to provide organisations with the best support possible:

• Inspire Inclusion - an innovative and empowering training consultancy providing expertise in equality, diversity and inclusion.
  
• Adjust Training and Consultancy - set up to provide employers with a clear and practical understanding of autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD. Employers may often miss out on the unique strengths and skills brought to the workplace by these individuals.
  
• Sign Solutions - a language and learning company, specialising in BSL interpreting, BSL courses, Sign Language training, deaf awareness training, e-learning, BSL apps, legal services, expert witness, face to face spoken language interpreting, and telephone and video interpreting.
  
• Phoenix One Consulting - experienced Learning and Organisational Development professionals whose aim is to release the potential in individuals and organisations.
  
• Leadership3sixty - exists to inspire highlight and celebrate Diversity and Inclusion in Business and leadership.
  
• Phoenix Yoga - provide yoga therapy and mindfulness for Autism and mental health.
  
• Diverse Minds - enables organisations to invest in their staff to create an open, healthy workplace to enhance a positive and productive working culture.
  
• Me Included – a social enterprise whose aim is to improve the lives of millions of people by giving them a collective, more powerful and influential voice that lead to changes that make a real difference
  
• H.O.P.E Training & Consultancy (Helping Other People Everyday) - offers high quality training & consultancy in domestic abuse, sexual violence/abuse and safeguarding.
  
• CMTalent - an organisation that eliminate the barriers that hold women back from progressing in their careers.
  
• Tamarind Centre - provide a health and wellbeing support services to the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic community.
  
• Families Blossoming - provide professional coaching and emotional wellness services for parents, professionals, and organisations.
  
• Teichler Consulting - support organisations to ensure the workplace and services accessible and inclusive.
  
• POINT3 Wellbeing - a mental health and wellbeing training provider, working within the corporate world.
  
• Zeus Ltd - registered psychologists with experience of working with high performing people and teams, often in unique or challenging contexts.
  
• Kameleon Solutions - are passionate about using psychology to enable organisations, teams and people to get better at what they do and, if they aspire to be high performing, supporting them on that journey.
  
• Rebalance Workplace Wellness - provides a range of upbeat and interactive workplace webinars to support your employee wellness goals.

Meet Our Founder

Natasha is the founder and Director of Diverse Matters.

Natasha has over 25 years’ experience of working within the diversity and inclusion field, and prior to setting up Diverse Matters and was the Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Victim Support.  Natasha led the organisation to become a Stonewall top 100 employer, achieve the ‘Leaders in Diversity’ and ‘Investors in Diversity’ accreditation from the National Centre for Diversity and the charity was the first national charity to achieve ‘Leaders in Diversity’ status. Natasha achieved further recognition with through being shortlisted in both the 2015 ‘Excellence in Diversity Awards’ and ‘National Diversity Awards’ in the ‘Diverse Company’ category. Victim Support was also shortlisted for the Pink News Equality Award (2018/19).

Natasha continued to carry out a consultant role for Victim Support.  Within this role she supported the organisation to remain the top charity in the Stonewall top 100 2017/2018/19/20 Workplace Equality Index, Top Trans Inclusive organisation and Star Performing Organisation, become the top charity in the National Centre for Diversity’s Top 100 diverse organisations (2017), Best Employer for Race 2018, win the Business Disability Standard ‘Know How’ award for their support to victims with mental health issues as well as being a top 50 Inclusive Employer during 2016 and 2017 awarded by the Excellence in Diversity.

Natasha also worked as the Head of Development for Equal Approach and worked with organisations from a wide range of sectors including finance, recruitment, design, retail, legal and the public sector to support them to become more inclusive in their practices. This included a wide range of services including audits, training, policy and strategy development.  Natasha also currently supports law firm Mills & Reeve as the lead for Diversity and Inclusion development.

Over the years Natasha has gained a wealth of experience in working within the Black and Minority ethnic community, disabled community including mental health, LGBT+ community and young people. She also set up and managed a ‘highly commended’ regional mentoring programme and is also experienced in leadership development.

Due to this experience and knowledge Natasha has developed and delivered a wide range of diversity and inclusion programmes to companies nationally that focused on areas including unconscious bias, disability/mental health and embedding diversity and inclusion, supporting diverse communities, race inclusion and LGBT+ training. Natasha is also an experienced guest speaker, facilitator, chair and has held senior positions including chairing regional and national panels within the public and voluntary sector.

Natasha currently carries out Associate roles for Pearn Kandola, Business Disability Forum (BDF), National Centre for Diversity (NCD), Irish Centre for Diversity and Righttrack learning consultancy as a Diversity consultant/trainer. Board roles include the Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners (IEDP) and Advisory board for Supporting Justice.

Natasha has achieved:

• Stonewall Cmyru's LGBT+ 'Ally of the Year' Award 2018
• Runner up/Special mention - National Centre for Diversity 2016 'Inspirational person award’
• Named in ‘Class of 2021 for the Women, Influence and Power’ in Law UK for her work at Mills & Reeve