Community Initiative

April 29, 2014

2:25 PM

Since early 2010, the City has been working on the development of a Diversity Awareness Plan that fully addresses our commitment in recruitment, builds awareness among employees and provides opportunity for community partnerships.

Ethnicity, culture and socioeconomic factors are all contributing to the changing and evolving face of Westerville. As a community, we are all interested in promoting an environment of gender, generational, racial, religious and ethnic diversity that will help us enrich and broaden engagement and interaction in our community. Of special interest to the City of Westerville are talents, skills and abilities that could be attracted to broaden our workforce.

There are several elements to the City’s Diversity Awareness Plan, with professional development and training at its core, and supporting functions to help us identify and create opportunities in and around Westerville. One of those important strategies was the development of a community advisory committee, now known as the Westerville Diversity Advisory Committee. This group, comprised of members representing diverse populations, meets quarterly to discuss and review City initiatives and community opportunities.

With the committee’s help and guidance, several initiatives and opportunities have come into focus, including:

Job Fairs and Recruitment: Attending events that attract diverse job seekers and/or developing/hosting events that help educate and build awareness.
Special Events: Awareness of and participation in special events that attract diverse populations for recreation and leisure.
Education and Outreach: Address perceptions about Westerville and how it is viewed by minority populations.
Partnerships: Work with and develop programs with community partners that support diverse populations, particularly those in need of socioeconomic support.

For more information on employment opportunities with the City of Westerville, visit www.westerville.org/jobs.