The VN Futures Diversity, Inclusivity and Widening Participation (DIWP) Group was founded by BVNA Council Member Jo Oakden and began in 2021. The group’s aims were to enlist allies and role models to help drive change within the veterinary nursing profession through education, building awareness and offering aspiration to those from all backgrounds on a career in veterinary nursing.
The group is made of several BVNA Council Members, the RCVS VN Futures Programme Leader, and veterinary nurses from a range of different backgrounds. The first campaign of the DIWP Group was centred around veterinary nursing role models. The campaign was a huge success and was set up for veterinary nurses to share stories to inspire others into the profession and widen participation, as well as showing others in the profession that they are not alone, to open-up conversations, address those challenges and change the culture of the veterinary profession. The role model stories can be accessed here: http://bvna.org.uk/blog/category/diwp-role-models/
The DIWP Group is still sharing role models stories, so if you would like to share yours, please email; bvna@bvna.co.uk.
What’s new for 2023?
The DIWP Group will be running a series of smaller campaigns over 2023, these include:
Campaign 1 – Entering the profession later in life/career change into veterinary nursing – two blogs written by BVNA Council Members who changed careers into veterinary nursing and a discussion panel webinar on changing careers and the diversity of the veterinary nursing role (now available on the careers section of the BVNA website)
Campaign 2 – Equity and Inclusion for those who are deaf or hard of hearing by creating a PDF document on how to provide transcript accessibility for meetings and CPD/events
Campaign 3 – Guidance on religious clothing for employers, veterinary nurses and colleges or universities
Campaign 4 – Menopause awareness/support – looking further at how to educate others and create awareness on symptoms and how those not affected (work colleagues etc) can broach the subject and provide appropriate support. Discussion panel on how the menopause can affect veterinary nurses and signposting to support
Campaign 5 – Flexible working – focusing on how to create awareness about the benefits of flexible working and how it can improve work-life balance, job satisfaction and aid with retention of veterinary nurses. Blogs and supportive material to be provided
DIWP have also been working with and supporting BVLGBT and will continue to do so over the next year. This will include sharing blogs, signposting members to BVLGBT for advice and support (including student veterinary nurses) and supporting Pride month. For more information about BVLGBT go to: bvlgbt.org