14 September 2007
West Yorkshire’s equality champion will take to the worldwide stage later this month when she makes a keynote speech to the Diversity in Emergency Services Conference in Australia.
Maria Tonks, who is Equality and Diversity Manager for the county’s fire and rescue service, will highlight the value of diversity in the workforce and how organisations can attract a wider range of job applicants from non-traditional backgrounds.
“Maria is a highly respected professional whose work is helping to attract increasing numbers of women and people with ethnic minority backgrounds into the brigade,” said Assistant Chief Fire Officer Allan Hughes.
“I’m delighted that West Yorkshire’s commitment to building a workforce which more closely reflects the make-up of the communities it serves is gaining international recognition.”
The conference, to be held at Melbourne cricket ground, 31 October – 2 November, has the full backing of fire service managers and the United Firefighters’ Union of Australia as a means of sharing best practice. Specific topics will cover issues around race, culture, language, disability, gender, socio-economic background, age and sexual orientation.
Maria, who lives in Swinton, has worked in West Yorkshire since July 2006 but has been an equalities specialist for 12 years.
All travel and accommodation costs are being met by the conference organisers.
* West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service employs 42 female firefighters and 41 firefighters from ethnic minorities (the former a 600 per cent increase on 1999 and the latter a 300 per cent increase).
ENDS
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