Hi, my name is Jen.  I’m a financial auditor, musician, a dog pawrent, and a member of the Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual,Transgender,Queer (LGBTQ+) community.

In light of it being pride month, I thought I should share some of my experiences.  Emphasis here on the ‘my’ – I am very aware that each person’s experience as a LGBTQ+ individual can be very different.

About the COVID-19 learning project and some emerging themes on re-introducing service delivery

The purpose of this project is to support public sector efforts by sharing learning through the pandemic. This is not an audit project, it is intended to help prompt some thinking, and hopefully practice exchange. Our first output from this project sets out some learning as some services, closed down as the pandemic took hold, have begun to re-open.

Last year I wrote an internal blog about the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which sparked some interesting discussions. I was recently asked if I fancied updating my blog, reflecting on our shared thoughts. Then the pandemic hit, and other priorities took over and it fell by the wayside. Never mind I was told, there’s a day for everything (they were right, 18 May is ‘No Dirty Dishes Day'! I can get onboard with that!).

I would like to pay tribute to all the public servants who are working so hard to see our country through this crisis. As the organisation responsible for scrutinising so many of these public bodies, we have a privileged insight into how vital they are to everyone’s lives, every day – and even more so at a time like this. As Auditor General, on behalf of everyone at Audit Wales, and simply as a member of the public - thank you.