A note from the Positive Action Team

We are Jill O’Neill and Michelle Cunningham and are Equality, Diversity and Positive Action Officers in Merseyside Police.

Part of our role is to provide Positive Action in the form of support and advice to under-represented groups who are looking to join Merseyside Police. The Equality Act 2010 permits the use of Positive Action for members of the community who have a Protected Characteristic and are underrepresented within Merseyside Police.

The groups that are identified as under-represented in Merseyside Police are:-

  • Disabled–If you have a disability which wouldstill allow you to fulfil the role such as dyslexiaetc (please note that we are not able to advise if a disability would preclude you from joining the police this can only be decided by our Occupational Health Unit during your medical assessment which all applicants undertake).
  • Ethnic Minority Groups
  • Females
  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
  • Minority Religious groups – such as Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh
  • Transgender

If you fall within one or more of the Protected Characteristics as identified above we are able to provide you with support and advice throughout your application toMerseyside Police. The positive action provisions in section 158 of the Equality Act 2010, enable public sector organisations to take proportionate steps to help people overcome their disadvantages or to meet their needs. “up until the recruitment and appointment decisions are taken”.

Positive Action is not about giving certain groups of people any advantage, but creates a level playing field - statistics show that under-represented groups are often disadvantaged in employment. Overall it is simply to give every candidate a fair chance.

Why use Positive Action?

As a whole society and the make-up of our communities are changing.To be able to Police effectively we must understand the needs of our different communities

To do this we must have a workforce which is diverse as the communities we serve, a diverse workforce brings with it many advantages

  • It provides more adaptability in terms of problem solving by offering a wider array of possible solutions;
  • Multi-cultural organisations are better positioned to serve multi-cultural communities, by overcoming language and cultural barriers.

The aim of Positive Action is to achieve this diverse workforce

What can we do for you?

If you fall within one of more of the Protected Characteristics within Merseyside police as stated above, we would welcome you to attend one of theworkshops we are holding to provide an overview of the application process, where we will also provide you with advice and guidance on completing your application form.

These workshops will be held in Merseyside Police Headquarters on the followings dates and times:-

Tuesday 1st March 2016 -10am – 12pm

Tuesday 1stMarch 2016-2pm – 4pm

Wednesday 2nd March 2016-6pm – 8pm

Please note that there will be no parking available for the Tuesday sessions, however there maybe parking subject to availability on Wednesday, requests for a parking space must be made when completing your registration form.

Due to the anticipated high volume of applicants it may not be possible to offer you one to one support with your application therefore we recommend that you do try and attend one of these sessions.

If you are interested in this workshop and these dates are not suitable for you, please email us as per our details below and we will contact you if we will be holding any further workshops.

What’s next?

To attend a session and to receive positive action support you must complete and return the Positive Action Registration Form and send it to us via the email below.

Once we receive your form you will receive an email confirming your attendance at the workshop. Please ensure you have received confirmation of your attendance prior to attending your requested workshop.

For security purposes all candidates must register to attend one of these sessions to the email below:-

Meanwhile, may we take this opportunity to wish everyone the very best of luck with your application to the Merseyside Police.

Jill O’Neill and Michelle Cunningham

Merseyside Police Equality, Diversity and Positive Action Support Officers

Merseyside Police Headquarters, 4th Floor, Canning Place, Liverpool, L1 8JX

Email: