Why work for Islington Council

About Islington

Islington is a small, densely populated, inner London borough serving approximately 215,000 residents. We’re one of the most vibrant parts of London, with a diverse population, a unique cultural identity and a wealth of open spaces, theatres, museums, cinemas and galleries.

Islington is easy to get to and easy to get around. We have office locations across the borough and there are excellent transport links.

Islington stretches from the edge of the City of London to the Zone 2/3 boundary in Archway and Tufnell Park. It is home to many neighbourhoods with distinct identities, from Kings Cross, Clerkenwell and Old Street in Central London to Barnsbury, Canonbury, Highbury, Holloway and Finsbury Park as you head north.

The attractions are far too many to list here, but Islington has something for everyone: parks, markets, shops, restaurants, live music, nightlife, sport (many of our service users are passionate Arsenal fans).

Our mission and values

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here is able to thrive. To do this, we’ve set ourselves five missions which are detailed in our Islington Together 2030 Plan.

Everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.

With an unrelenting focus on our residents, their experiences, their opportunities and their futures, our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer. We know that our staff feel either a direct or indirect resident impact in the work they do, and we want to continuously build on an organisation that empowers staff to achieve our mission of creating a more equal Islington.

There is a warmth and genuine sense of welcome when you join Islington. Our in-depth engagement with our staff draws out that our people are given possibilities and opportunities and that the training and development prospects are greatly valued. They are proud to be part of Islington and the palpable sense of building momentum for continuous improvement is keeping them here.

To hear more about our mission and how you can help us achieve it, watch our short film from Leader of the Council, Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz

An inclusive workplace

We can't achieve our mission of creating a more equal Islington, without creating an inclusive workplace. We are challenging inequality in our workplace through a variety of initiatives which align to our values and the communities we serve. These include but are not limited to:

• Career development programmes, designed especially for staff under-represented at management and leadership levels.
• A diverse recruitment scheme, which supports staff to apply for opportunities, ensures our job roles are advertised on specialist job platforms promoting to diverse communities and that our recruitment panels are diverse.
• Safe spaces for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff to share concerns and get support.
• Training for all staff on equality, diversity and inclusion, gender identity and expression, and unconscious bias.
• Staff forums for LGBTQ+, disabled and Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff, women and carers, who feedback their views and provide peer support.
• Regular events to celebrate our diverse workforce and raise awareness throughout the year.

A more equal Islington is one where everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to realise their potential and enjoy a good quality of life. Tackling inequality requires dedicated attention, effort and leadership to be bold, ambitious and drive forward changes that challenge the status quo.

We’re a diverse borough with a proud history of championing equality for all. We believe our diversity is our strength, with difference enriching our lives and helping us towards our collective goals. This strength and inclusive ethos is something we should celebrate. Yet, it is also a borough of contrasts, where the gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is stark, and where one in three children is growing up in poverty. There is still too big a gap between those with secure, good-quality housing and those without; between those with the confidence, networks and qualifications to seize opportunities and those who feel such opportunities are out of reach.

To find out more about our approach to tackling inequality watch our Fairer Together film and take a look at our Challenging Inequality strategy.