Equality and Diversity Training Courses

Goldmark Training

Goldmark Training delivers equality and diversity training to organisations across the UK. Our programmes cover the full spectrum of EDI topics — from unconscious bias and cultural awareness to disability inclusion, LGBTQ+ awareness, and the Equality Act 2010 — all grounded in practical application and current UK legislation.

Our equality diversity and inclusion training is developed and delivered by Tahira Hussain, a BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and TEDx speaker whose talk “I’m Not Racist But…” has reached thousands of viewers. Tahira brings 19 years of experience in social work, mental health, housing, and community development to every session, along with the clinical expertise to help participants examine their own biases and change how they think and behave.

We work with housing associations, local authorities, charities, NHS-linked services, education providers, and private sector companies. All programmes are tailored to your sector, your workforce, and the specific equality and diversity challenges your organisation faces.

Who Is This Course For

Equality and diversity training is relevant to every member of an organisation, regardless of role or seniority. We deliver to:

All Staff — Foundation Level

Our introductory equality and diversity training course is designed for all staff. It ensures learners understand what equality and diversity mean in practice, what constitutes discrimination, the current legislation, and their own responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.

Managers, HR Teams, and Senior Leaders

Staff with responsibility for recruitment, policy, team culture, or complaints handling. The training covers how to embed equality and diversity into management practice, how to address discriminatory behaviour, and how to lead inclusively.

Public Sector, Housing, and Community Workers

Professionals delivering services to diverse communities. Our courses are tailored for housing officers, social workers, community development staff, and local authority employees who need to understand how cultural awareness, disability, faith, and sexuality affect service delivery.

Education Staff

Teachers, teaching assistants, and school leaders. The training covers inclusive practice in educational settings, managing diverse classrooms, and meeting Equality Act duties within school policies.

Private Sector and Corporate Teams

Organisations looking to meet compliance requirements, improve workplace culture, and reduce the risk of discrimination claims. Our equality and diversity online training is available for hybrid and remote teams.

Course Modules

Our safeguarding training programme covers a range of topics, each of which can be delivered as a standalone session or combined into a comprehensive programme. All modules are supported by case scenarios, group exercises, and discussion.

Equality and Diversity – An Introduction

An essential course for all staff. Covers what is meant by equality and diversity, what constitutes discrimination, current legislation relating to equality and diversity, when to consider equal opportunities legislation, and how to define your own responsibilities. Aligned with the Equality Act 2010 and the nine protected characteristics.

Unconscious Bias

Covers what unconscious bias is and how it operates outside conscious control. Participants explore how bias affects behaviour and decision-making, the legal implications of bias in the workplace, and strategies for recognising and interrupting their own biases. The course also covers the business case for diversity, understanding prejudice and discrimination in its different forms, and effecting change within organisations. This is one of our most requested modules and draws directly from Tahira’s TEDx talk on race, inclusion, and honest dialogue.

Diversity in the Workplace – Disability

Provides an overview and understanding of the key issues relating to disability and diversity in the workplace. Covers the social model of disability, reasonable adjustments, inclusive language, and removing attitudinal and physical barriers.

Diversity in the Workplace – Sexual Orientation

Covers the key issues relating to sexual orientation and diversity in the workplace. Addresses common misconceptions, inclusive language, creating safe environments for LGBTQ+ staff and service users, and legal protections.

Diversity in the Workplace – Transgender

Provides an overview and understanding of the key issues relating to transgender identity and diversity in the workplace. Covers terminology, legal protections, workplace support, and creating inclusive policies.

Putting Diversity into Action – Islamic Awareness

Designed to enable staff to engage effectively with Muslim colleagues, residents, and stakeholders. Covers core Islamic beliefs and practices, common stereotypes and myths, workplace accommodations (prayer, dietary requirements, religious observance), and how to provide an informed, respectful service. Delivered in a warm, open atmosphere.

Diversity in Action – Cultural Awareness

Explores what culture and awareness mean in practice. Covers the diversity agenda, how cultural awareness relates to service delivery (particularly in housing and landlord contexts), understanding prejudice, identifying how discrimination occurs, defining personal responsibilities for cultural awareness, and demonstrating good practice across different cultural contexts.

Hate Crime Awareness

Covers the different forms of hate crime and incidents — including hatred on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, and disability. Focuses on understanding the cause, impact, and effect of hate crime on colleagues, staff, residents, and stakeholders.

Professional Boundaries

Explores the nature and limits of professional roles, how to recognise ‘grey areas’ where staff are at risk of crossing professional boundaries, and how to maintain appropriate, safe working relationships. Particularly relevant for staff in customer-facing, home-visiting, or community-based roles.

The Care Act 2014 – Overview

Outlines the key changes introduced by the Care Act 2014, details the roles of staff and agencies, specific duties, and key regulatory requirements. Covers how the Act places people’s wellbeing at the heart of the care and support system.

Our Training Approach

Equality and diversity training only works when it goes beyond compliance. Knowing what the Equality Act says is necessary — but it does not, on its own, change how people treat each other at work. Our approach addresses the gap between knowing the law and living it.

Tahira’s background as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist shapes how we deliver EDI training. Cognitive behavioural techniques are designed to surface unconscious patterns of thinking and provide practical strategies to change them. This is directly relevant to equality and diversity work, where the challenge is often not a lack of good intentions but a lack of awareness about how automatic thinking drives behaviour.

Each session combines focused teaching on legislation and protected characteristics with structured exercises, case studies, and group discussion drawn from the sectors we work with. Participants explore real scenarios — not abstract hypotheticals — and practise responding in ways that are fair, informed, and inclusive.

Tahira’s TEDx talk “I’m Not Racist But…” reflects the same approach: honest, evidence-based, compassionate, and willing to sit with the discomfort that genuine equality and diversity work requires.

Course Delivery Options

In-Person Training Delivered on-site at your location across the UK. Particularly effective for equality and diversity topics where group discussion, personal reflection, and facilitated dialogue are essential.

Live Online Sessions Fully interactive virtual sessions with breakout rooms, exercises, and real-time facilitated discussion. Our equality and diversity online training courses maintain the same quality and engagement as face-to-face delivery.

Blended Programmes A combination of in-person and online delivery, suitable for distributed teams or organisations embedding EDI learning over time.

Bespoke Programme Design Most clients request tailored content. We adapt modules, scenarios, and case studies to reflect your sector, your service users, and your organisational policies.

Duration: From 2-hour awareness sessions to full-day and multi-session programmes

Group Size: From small teams to organisation-wide rollouts

Certification: All participants receive a Certificate of Completion for CPD records and compliance documentation. Refresher sessions available.

About Your Trainer — Tahira Hussain

Goldmark Training

Tahira Hussain is the founder and director of Goldmark Training. She is a qualified Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, registered with the BABCP and the British Psychological Society (BPS), with 19 years of experience across social work, mental health, community development, housing, and the charity sector.

Tahira has delivered equality and diversity training as a training associate for national agencies across the housing, health, and care sectors. Her TEDx talk “I’m Not Racist But…” captures her approach to inclusion work — grounded in evidence, personally committed, and willing to address the topics that most trainers avoid.

Why Choose Goldmark Training for Equality and Diversity

Led by a TEDx Speaker on Inclusion

Tahira’s TEDx talk on race and bias has reached thousands. She brings the same honesty and depth to every equality and diversity session.

Clinically Informed

Built on cognitive behavioural principles. Participants gain tools to examine their own thinking patterns and change how bias shows up in their decisions and behaviour.

Deep Sector Expertise

Delivered to housing associations, local councils, charities, NHS-adjacent services, education providers, and private companies across the UK.

Tailored to Your Organisation

Content, case studies, and scenarios are designed around your sector, your service users, and your team’s specific challenges.

Beyond Compliance

We help organisations move past tick-box training toward genuine cultural change. Our sessions create the kind of honest, reflective conversation that shifts attitudes, not just awareness.

Testimonials

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GET IN TOUCH

If you have any questions, or would like to book a chat or a training session with us, you can reach us by phone, email or on our social media platforms.

Podcast Tara Talks

Welcome to the podcast where Company Director and cognitive behavioural psychotherapist at Goldmark Training, Tara Hussain pulls on her extensive experience working in the statutory and voluntary sector within mental health, wellbeing and equality and diversity. Tara discusses situations that arise in our professional and personal lives around these issues.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Get in Touch

To discuss equality and diversity training for your organisation, contact us directly.

Phone:

07476 988566

Address:

Goldmark Training, Blackburn Enterprise Centre, Furthergate, Blackburn BB1 3HQ

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