68-18 Approving Update to ADA Transition Plan of 2013 and Title VI Plan: Non Discrimination in City Services, Programs & Activities under the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Home Browse Search

South Bend's Diversity and Inclusion Plan In spring 2016, the City hired a Diversity Compliance/Inclusion Officer who helps assure that the City's workforce truly reflects the racial, ethnic, disabled and all other human diversity within the South Bend community. That Officer further acts as a resource for expanding the list of bidders for City contracts to include eligible minority and women owned businesses. Additionally, the Officer works with the City's Department of Community Investment (DCI) and the Mayor's office in developing small, local minority and women business enterprises (MWBE's) that can do business with the City. The Diversity Compliance/Inclusion Officer submitted in July 2016 the City's Diversity and Inclusion Plan (the Plan) having an overall purpose "to remove, reduce,and or address physical, systemic, communication and attitudinal barriers to a more diverse and inclusive City... where ALL can thrive." Within the Plan, diversity and inclusion is defined as "policies and practices of inclusion that promote understanding of cultural differences and that encourage cooperation across the boundaries of diverse coworkers and the public." Among some of the initiatives of the Diversity Compliance/Inclusion Officer have been intense staff and management training to better understand diversity and inclusion,to recognize micro-aggression, and reduce unconscious bias in hiring and on-the-job treatment of workers by coworkers and supervisors. Longer term, ongoing initiatives, among many, are to infuse diversity and inclusion language throughout all city strategic plans, policies, procedures and programs; to conduct training about reasonable accommodations for disabled employees; and to develop website training materials in English and Spanish for existing staff, new employees, and for contract opportunities with the City.These web-based materials will be available in other format for hearing and sight impaired persons.The South Bend Common Council passed an ordinance in 2018 requiring regular sexual harassment awareness and prevention training for all City personnel, including elected or appointed officials. The City's Innovation Department has made efforts to incorporate recent features offered by manufacturers that enable disabled persons to interact with digital content. This includes changing contrast profiles, magnification, and text-to-speech capacity. As changes and upgrades to the City's website are implemented, the City will incorporate the latest, cost-effective technology to provide website accommodation to persons with disabilities. South Bend Human Rights Commission The South Bend Human Rights Commission continues to provide public and civic education about rights of the disabled and other minorities in matters of employment and housing. Such training is done upon request or through outreach to employers, landlords, and others. The Commission has conducted several minority and diversity training programs within Page 13