The city of Ghent is going to discriminate positively to resist society …

The City of Ghent wants more diversity within its own organization and will do so by discriminating positively. This means that people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ community and people with foreign roots are given preference over other equal candidates.

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As an organization, the City of Ghent wants to be a reflection of Ghent society. That is why ships of personnel Bram Van Braeckevelt are launching a new, extensive multi-year plan with various actions. The intention is that the plan should provide a ‘much-needed acceleration’ around diversity and inclusion. The Ghent city council makes more than 600,000 euros available for this every year.

In the multi-year plan, the city council wants to get rid of binary male-female thinking by 2025. With this, the board wants to give place to the spectrum of gender expressions in the workplace. In addition, about 30% of the new colleagues are said to have foreign roots and 2% with a work disability. Actions will also be launched for current employees to work together on diversity. ‘If the City of Ghent is not open to all Gentenaars, who is? It is time to stop talking side by side or about each other. It is time to work with all Gentenaars together. For this, the City needs to catch up ‘, says Alderman Bram Van Braeckevelt.

Adjusted procedures

If knowledge of Dutch is less relevant for the proper performance of a vacant position, the possibility of language lessons and coaching in the workplace will be explicitly stated in the vacancy. That should encourage all suitable candidates to apply. The vacancies at the City of Ghent will also be standard gender-inclusive, so that they appeal to everyone.

When filling certain vacancies, the City of Ghent can decide to only allow people with an occupational disability to apply. The procedures themselves are then also adjusted. Candidates have a say in how they present their assignment to the jury: orally, in writing, whether or not supported by a presentation. In this way, each candidate can make maximum use of their own strengths.

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