Cultural Competence Award Winners 2026

Cardiff University, Midwifery Teaching Team

"The Cultural Competence Scheme has deepened our collective thinking and enriched our learning as a midwifery community. The support we have received through the scheme has encouraged us to think critically, learn openly, and grow with purpose, allowing us to translate our ideas into meaningful, compassionate practice. The workbook has been a valuable guide, helping us shape all aspects of our midwifery educational provision as well as the way we engage with colleagues and students."

Alzheimer's Society

Being part of the Cultural Competency Scheme has strengthened our Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging work by deepening our cultural awareness, improving communication, and helping us deliver more inclusive, person-centred support. The scheme has offered meaningful guidance and a framework that has helped us align our understanding and support our work to grow. The workbook has been especially valuable in shaping ideas, supporting progress and reflection, and inspiring shared learning across our Wales team.

Barnardos Cymru

"Being part of the Diverse Cymru Cultural Competence Scheme has strengthened Barnardo’s Cymru's ability to better support, engage with, and deliver services to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic children, families and colleagues. The framework has helped us reflect, learn and embed more inclusive, culturally competent practice. We are grateful for this recognition and proud of our progress, but we know our journey continues. We remain committed to deepening our cultural competence and driving lasting, meaningful change."

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Community Midwives

"Being part of the Cultural Competence Scheme has guided our approach as Community Midwives within BCUHB. It has helped us better understand and respond to the needs of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic families, improving communication, trust, and accessibility of care. The Scheme and especially the workbook have demonstrated where we can make ongoing improvements and enabling us to provide more inclusive maternity services while promoting equity in both care delivery and our workforce."

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Therapies Directorate

"The Cultural Competence Scheme introduced a curiosity and platform in understanding, recognising and reflecting on Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity within our workplace and across our patient population. This has evolved into a passion and drive across our team in identifying opportunities or needs for change in shaping our future practice and delivery of Services. "

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Maternity Services

"Our team has used this process to bring together years of committed work toward cultural competence and equitable care. The Diverse Cymru training strengthened our foundation, helping us embed anti racist, inclusive, and intersectional practices across our service. We recognise ongoing systemic and individual biases and remain dedicated to continuous improvement. The training was highly valued, motivating us to drive meaningful, sustained change to ensure all individuals receive compassionate, responsive, and equitable care."

Cardiff and Vale University Heath Board, Memory Team

Cowshed Communications

"Being part of the Diverse Cymru Cultural Competence Scheme has been a valuable and thought-provoking experience for everyone at Cowshed. It has sparked ongoing internal conversations about how we show up for our whole team and has influenced both our recruitment approach and how we communicate externally. We’re committed to building on this momentum, with a clear focus on next steps and embedding this learning into our long-term strategy."

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Corporate Nursing Team

Achieving the Diverse Cymru Cultural Competence Certification has strengthened the Corporate Nursing Team’s role in empowering services to embed inclusive and culturally competent approaches across all workstreams. Through modelling best practice, providing guidance and supporting teams to recognise and respond to diverse needs, the corporate function helps to remove barriers, improve access and promote equitable, person-centred care. This collective focus ensures that inclusivity is consistently upheld across the organisation.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, People's Experience Team

"Supported through the Cultural Competence Scheme, the People’s Experience portfolio at CTMUHB strengthens compassionate and inclusive care across Carers, Bereavement, PALs, Chaplaincy and Volunteer services. By embedding cultural awareness, recognising diverse identities and addressing communication and access barriers, we enhance trust, dignity and emotional safety. This culturally informed approach improves wellbeing, reduces harm and ensures equitable, person centred care for patients, families and communities."

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, People's Services and Organisational Development

"Being part of the Cultural Competence Scheme has made a real difference to our Health Board. It has helped deepen our understanding of the communities we serve, while encouraging more open and meaningful conversations around diversity and culture. It has also strengthened the way we support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, and guided us toward providing outstanding health care for everyone in our community."

Disability Arts Cymru

"The Cultural Competence Scheme has helped Disability Arts Cymru to ensure our work includes disabled people from all communities. The team have been supported to increase awareness of the way disability intersects with race, culture, and faith, and to consider needs associated with culture and identity alongside access needs. Undertaking the scheme has helped us to embed an intersectional approach to all aspects of our work."

Mind Cymru

"The Cultural Competence Scheme has helped Mind Cymru rethink how we engage with Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities across Wales. Staff are more aware of cultural and language needs, including Welsh, and more willing to question assumptions and understand the impact of culture, faith and identity. Writing the workbook highlighted overlooked progress and strengthened how we plan projects from the outset, ensuring that our wider anti-racist approach is more considered, targeted and meaningful."

Children in Wales

"Children in Wales’ organisational values state that ‘We are Respectful: we will ensure that we are inclusive, that those whose voices are not heard as often as others have a place at our table, and that all can have a say’. The Cultural Competence Scheme has provided a useful structure within which to document the positive actions we deliver in line with our stated values, as we seek to progress to making Children in Wales ever-more inclusive."

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Child and Adolescent Learning Disability Service (CALDS)

"The scheme has significantly strengthened our service by embedding cultural competence into clinical practice. It has increased staff confidence, improved communication with families from diverse backgrounds, and encouraged more reflective, inclusive approaches to care. As a team, we now routinely consider cultural perspectives, helping us better understand and support the children and families we support. This scheme has fostered a more respectful, knowledgeable, and culturally responsive environment across our service over the past year."

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cynnwys Therapy Service

"We would like to thank Marilyn for her expertise, support and guidance. Diverse Cymru's Cultural Competence Scheme has helped us to develop our understanding of our own cultural competency and increased awareness of blind spots and barriers to change. The journey for us has only just begun, and we have incorporated changes to sustain and monitor the progress we hope will bring significant improvements for our service users and staff."

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Enfys and Goleudy

We have been so grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Diverse Cymru to develop cultural competence within our teams in the NHS. We are dedicated and passionate and the Scheme has enabled us to drill down into meaningful change and evaluate how far we have come, and the steps needed for future developments.