Only by our actions will we make WE ARE ALL EQUAL a reality

Triggered by tragedy and momentum behind the #BlackLivesMatter movement, I’m reminded that the simple statement of ‘We are all equal’ remains a societal aspiration for many.

Sadly, today, we cannot own this most basic claim.  Here in the UK, we view our society and communities – on the whole – as fortunate and progressive.  But equality, some of the most basic discriminating factors (race, colour, gender, ability) are yet to be smashed.

What I’ve learned

One of the biggest learnings I’ve taken from recent events is that if you don’t do anything, you are effectively endorsing the continuation of the current status quo. An absence of action can only help to fuel inequality.

My reaction to recent events was positive and quick: to encourage the conversations, ‘like’ and ‘share’ the compelling posts calling for change, ‘blackout’ my Instagram, etc. Admittedly, they are not significant steps in themselves, but they are positive actions I can commit to and build on.

However, my Army of Nannies reaction was more measured.  I paused, but it was with good reason.

How do you meaningfully engage as a brand?

Initially, I reflected on the thought that brands shouldn’t get political.  Or rather, I dislike it when brands bandwagon political issues.  As a member of the LGBT community, I see it all the time in the casting of adverts.

All too often, this is a box-ticking exercise and a shallow version of diversity. Its representation is by visual mix rather than respecting and embracing cultural or attitudinal differences.

I’ve often wondered what ads would look like if they could only reflect the diversity of their boardrooms in their casting for ads.

However, I acknowledge that we begin to normalise differences by seeing diversity in things like ads. But is just ‘seeing’ enough?

So, when it came to the Army of Nannies, I paused so as not to jump on the bandwagon. But to build a response that will contribute to a real and sustainable difference, which we can build on.

Army of Nannies: Working to ‘We are all equal’

Inspired by global events, we must look to our worlds and determine how we can all act to make a difference. We must turn positive thoughts and words into actions.

In that spirit, here are five principles we will adhere to:

From launch, we will make every effort to deliver inclusivity and equality. We will embody ‘we are all equal’ in everything we do.

Everyone is welcome, but this is our initial focus.

Our blog and social spaces will allow our communities to express themselves. We will actively invite and encourage contributions and collaborations that offer an alternative or under-represented point of view.

We are already conversing with nannies who have smashed the traditional moulds and are inspirational.  We will all win if we can provide a space where other aspiring ‘mould-breakers’ can connect, share ideas and find support.

We haven’t got all the answers, but we can find the questions together. Then, with our best efforts, we will find the answers and commit to turning words and thoughts into actions.

We invite you to join our Facebook group to help us get this going. Please help us get the conversation going.

Furthermore, we will publish 6-monthly reports on how we are living by these principles.  And we will appoint a team of ‘mould-breakers’ to judge what we’ve done and encourage us to do better and do more.

Is that a good start?

Please tell us what you think.

We are new and just getting to grips with the industry and its strengths and weaknesses. But we are open and can’t stress enough the importance of engaging with ALL nannies and families within the industry.

We do hope that small efforts like this can contribute to the changes required to stop the same things from happening again and again. 

We are all equal.
Let’s act to make it real.

Please help us live up to our five principles. In doing so, you’ll make sure ‘we are all equal’ is a reality within the nanny industry.

My email is matt@armyofnannies.com

I look forward to hearing from you and perhaps working with you? Hopefully, you can join the conversation in our social spaces.

#StrongerTogether #WeAreAllEqual