Equity, equality, diversity and inclusion (EEDI) is at the heart of the work that NAVCA and our members do in supporting and working with local communities.
We support NAVCA members to be allies, and to champion equity, equality, diversity and inclusion in their local communities.
Through shared learning, practical tools and peer-led leadership, we are building the confidence and capacity of local infrastructure organisations to challenge inequality, shift power and create lasting, community-led change.
The NAVCA Allyship Programme supports local infrastructure organisations to take practical, collective action to advance equity, equality, diversity and inclusion across their work and networks. Through expert-led training and peer networking and support, the programme helps members develop the skills and knowledge needed to become Allyship Champions.
NAVCA members can get involved by joining the programme, which creates a safe space to share learning and experiences, collaborate with likeminded colleagues, and develop their understanding and awareness of allyship (delivered through a pro bono partnership with Diversity Marketplace). The programme supports members to influence practice locally — helping to create fairer, more inclusive places where everyone can participate and thrive.
Applications for the programme are now open, with the next cohort starting in April 2026. Find out more here.
NAVCA member Harrogate and District Community Action
The EEDI Audit Framework for NAVCA members is a practical tool designed to help local infrastructure organisations reflect on where they are as an organisation and identify meaningful next steps to develop their equity, equality, diversity and inclusion approach and activity. Focused on the specialist nature of local infrastructure work, it gives a clear structure for self-assessment across strategy and governance, people (workforce), and operational activity and services.
The framework is intended to be used as a learning and improvement tool — enabling organisations to build confidence, strengthen practice, and better meet the needs of diverse communities through their roles as convenors, advocates and system partners.
The EEDI Steering Group is made up of NAVCA members and trustees from across the network, bringing together lived experience, professional expertise and local insight to shape NAVCA’s approach to equity, equality, diversity and inclusion.
The group provides strategic guidance, challenge and support, helping to ensure our work is rooted in the realities of local infrastructure and responsive to communities. By sharing learning, testing ideas and shaping resources such as the EEDI Audit Framework, the Steering Group plays a vital role in strengthening inclusive practice across the NAVCA network and supporting collective progress on EEDI.
NAVCA member CVS Tendring
