The challenge
Following our earlier reports with ADSS Cymru, social services directors in Wales had clear recommendations on eliminating racism in recruitment, career progression and complaints handling. The challenge was turning those recommendations into lasting change in practice.
The ARWAP Implementation Programme 2025 to 2026, funded by Welsh Government, was set up to do exactly that, through leadership, lived experience and shared resources, in partnership with local authority leaders, Social Care Wales, the WLGA and the HRD Network.
What we did
- Leading the change: reflective workshops with Directors and Heads of Service on the leadership qualities, behaviours and cultural shifts needed to lead anti-racist change from the top
- A Cultural Ambassador Network: a nominated frontline leader, practitioner or manager in each local authority to support local implementation and act as a bridge between strategy and lived experience
- Leadership development: bespoke workshops equipping leaders and managers to start and facilitate conversations about race with confidence and compassion
The three workstreams were designed to work together, so commitment at the top is matched by support on the ground, and aligned with WRES and the Welsh Government Maturity Matrix.
The outcome
46 leaders took part in the Leading the Change workshops in June and July 2025, and a Workshop Summary Report and Leadership Resource Pack were produced to support local action.
What happens next
The Cultural Ambassador Network and leadership development workstreams carry the work into everyday practice across local authorities.
Interested in similar work? Get in touch to talk it through.