3.1 Explain how to challenge discrimination to promote change

3.1: Explain how to challenge discrimination to promote change

Course: NVQ Level 4 Diploma In Health And Social Care (RQF)

Unit 4: Equality and diversity in health, social care, or children’s and young people’s settings

LO3: Understand how to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion

Challenging discrimination and effecting change involves taking immediate, respectful, and informed action to expose and deal with unfair treatment based on individual characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, or disability. The first action is to respond quickly to a discriminatory action. If you are going to challenge the action, it is often more effective to challenge the individual at the first opportunity when the behaviour occurs. Ideally, challenge the individual directly, if it is safe to do so, in a calm and non-confrontational way. Within this context, it may be appropriate to use reflective questions to engage the individual in their behaviour or explain why certain comments or actions are harmful, to create awareness and promote thoughtful reflection in the future. 

Another important aspect of challenging discrimination is the support of those who have been discriminated against. Support can involve validating the experience of the person experiencing discrimination and empowering them to challenge the behaviour or report the incident. Support also involves ensuring that they have access to an advocate or an appropriate process for making a formal complaint. To further promote a culture of equality and diversity in the workplace, work to have policies in place to clearly articulate the workplace expectations, along with training/education workshops and reporting mechanisms.

Another approach is to, as a relative or colleague, join with the manager, physician or other external relationships, be an ally and work toward raising awareness with public campaigns or systemic policy change. To challenge discrimination in organisational and personal cultural contexts, it needs to be done with constant commitment, being consistent and constructive. Individuals and organisations involved in systemic and cultural change drive forward to make health and social care environments inclusive, where every individual is treated equally with respect. This will generate a higher sustained impact to ensure change happens within health and social care settings.