Eurovision volunteers are to get the “first of its kind” training ahead of the contest in May.
The training has been designed to “alleviate the fear of saying the wrong thing or worrying about how to communicate when there are language barriers or cultural differences".
Being delivered by Liverpool City Council in partnership with several organisations including National Museums Liverpool and St John’s Shopping Centre, businesses across the region are being given the opportunity to take advantage of free resources to "ensure every single visitor receives the warm, inclusive welcome Liverpool is known for”.
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The resource pack - which consists of a free toolkit and a series of webinars - will also help skill up front-of-house-staff to welcome Eurovison’s long-held fan base in the LGBTQ+ community and support customers with visible and non-visible disabilities.
Tom Lechthaler, manager of Liverpool City Council’s inclusivity and accessibility programme for Eurovision, said: “Inclusion and diversity are at the heart of the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing countries from around the world together to celebrate unity through music.
“It is a massive cultural display of identity, a stage where everybody is welcome and a platform that amplifies a message of LGBTQ+ equality.
“Our partnership with Inclusive Employers is the first of its kind for any host city of the Eurovision Song Contest. Every single one of our volunteers will undertake inclusivity training and we are extending the opportunity to businesses in the city so they can offer their customers the warmest welcome, not just during Eurovision but long after.”
As part of Liverpool’s commitment to being the “most inclusive host city”, Tom Lechthaler is also working alongside Prep for Life students from Wirral Met College and Learning for Life students from Hugh Baird College “to give young adults with learning difficulties or disabilities the opportunity to be part of the buzz via volunteering”.
Ariel Chapman, senior inclusion and diversity consultant, added: “Inclusion really is at the heart of the Eurovision Song Contest and thousands of diverse visitors will be arriving in Liverpool in just a few short weeks. Inclusive Employers and Liverpool City Council are working hard to ensure that every single visitor gets the warm, inclusive welcome that Liverpool is known for.
“As the UK’s leading inclusion and diversity membership organisation, we understand that local businesses are keen to get this right. Our free 'inclusive customer experiences' toolkits and webinars will give businesses across Liverpool the skills they need to bring inclusive best practices into their customer service.
“The Eurovision Song Contest coming to Liverpool is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and 'Inclusive Liverpool’ will not only upskill local businesses but create a lasting legacy of inclusion across the city.”
Businesses can register for their training visit online.
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