Assessment Equality and Diversity Essay

1. What is meant by diversity? It’s meant that every individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies). It’s about understanding each other, understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment, practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from our own, understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing, recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others, building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination . Diversity is a reality created by individuals and groups from a broad spectrum of demographic and philosophical differences. It includes knowing how to relate to those qualities and conditions that are different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong. 2. Describe the community you live in. Highlight some of the variations you may observe in terms of: †¢Interests †¢Beliefs †¢Ages †¢Lifestyles †¢Personal, social and cultural identities. I live in very diverse community. People who surround me – my friends, co-workers, neighbours are different age, they’ve got different lifestyles, interests, beliefs, personal, social and cultural identities. For example: there are many different race and ethnic background people in my community. I live with Lithuanians, one of my neighbours is black, other ones white English. The English ones are pensioners and the black one is young mother, who spend a lot of time in her garden, looking after her plants. My housemates love sports, they go to the gym almost every day. The English couple most of their time spend at home, I often see their children visiting them. They are Catholics. There also are some Muslims living somewhere close to me, I often see them passing by my house. 3. Explain how the variations in question 2 contribute to the diversity of the community. The mixture of tolerant people who are different age, have got different nationalities, interests, beliefs, lifestyle create a diverse community. Different religions contribute into many different kinds of churches and temples, ethnic groups contribute to continental food shops and restaurants, because of different interests there are many different places to spend time – gyms, cinema, theatre, spa centre, etc. and better variety of goods and shops. 4. Give some examples to explain how diversity: †¢Enhances your life †¢Enhances the local community †¢Enhances this country. Just because of the diversity I’ve tried many different kinds of food, learnt to cook continental food. I also know more about different cultures and traditions. The diversity improves tolerance in the community as there are many different people and you have to be kind and tolerate each other if you want to live peacefully. There is a very big diversity in this country and it’s a good thing for its economy: different people have got different needs so there are good conditions for many kinds of businesses. 5. Describe what it means to respect people’s differences and why it is important to respect differences. Respect people’s differences means that we have to tolerate people who are different gender, age, ethnic background, etc. This is important, because we live in a very diverse society and we have to prevent discrimination and ensure equal abilities.