01702 965959
enquiries@garonparkcic.com
The following statement explains our policy regarding the personal information we collect about you.
From time to time, you may be asked to submit personal information about yourself (e.g. name and email address etc) in order to receive or use services on our website. Such services include newsletters, competitions, “Alert Email”, live chats, message boards and membership (e.g. for support services).
By entering your details in the fields requested, you enable Wellbeing at Garon Park to provide you with the services you select. Whenever you provide such personal information, we will treat that information in accordance with this policy. Our services are designed to give you the information that you want to receive. Wellbeing at Garon Park will act in accordance with current legislation and aim to meet current Internet best practice.
During the course of any visit to www.oldsouthendianassociation.org, the pages you see, along with something called a cookie, are downloaded to your computer (see point 3 for more on this). Most, if not all, websites do this, because cookies allow the website publisher to do useful things like find out whether the computer (and probably its user) has visited the site before. This is done on a repeat visit by checking to see, and finding, the cookie left there on the last visit.
Any information that is supplied by cookies can help us to provide you with a better service and assists us to analyse the profile of our visitors. For example: if on a previous visit you went to, say, the Search Engine pages, then we might find this out from your cookie and highlight Search Engine information on a second visit. We also use cookies to provide functions such as Shopping Carts and the information held in the shopping cart is held in a cookie on your PC.
We do not gather or use personal information from our website other than to use for despatching goods and invoices or for making contact with you as the result of an enquiry or support request. We do not pass on any personal information to other companies unless we are specifically instructed to do so by you.
We do not use cookies or spyware to gather information for use in marketing or any other activity from that stated above.
When you enter a site your computer will automatically be issued with a cookie. Cookies are text files that identify your computer to our server. Cookies in themselves do not identify the individual user, just the computer used. Many sites do this whenever a user visits their site in order to track traffic flows.
Cookies themselves only record those areas of the site that have been visited by the computer in question, and for how long. Users have the opportunity to set their computers to accept all cookies, to notify them when a cookie is issued, or not to receive cookies at any time. The last of these, of course, means that certain personalised services cannot then be provided to that user.
NB: Even if you haven’t set your computer to reject cookies you can still browse our site anonymously until such time as you attempt to purchase products or register for services.
When you supply any personal information to Wellbeing at Garon Park (e.g. for purchase, services or support membership) we have legal obligations towards you in the way we deal with that data. We must collect the information fairly, that is, we must explain how we will use it (see the notices on particular webpages that let you know why we are requesting the information) and tell you if we want to pass the information on to anyone else. In general, any information you provide to us will only be used within Wellbeing at Garon Park and by its service providers. It will never be supplied to anyone outside Wellbeing at Garon Park without first obtaining your consent, unless we are obliged or permitted by law to disclose it. Also, if you post or send offensive or inappropriate content anywhere on or to www.wellbeingatgaronpark.comor otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on our website, and we consider such behaviour to be serious and/or repeated, we can use whatever information that is available to us about you to stop such behaviour. This may include informing relevant third parties such as your employer, school or e-mail provider about the content and your behaviour.
We will hold your personal information on our systems for as long as you use the service you have requested, and remove it in the event that the purpose has been met, or, in the case of support membership you no longer wish to continue your registration as a member. For safety reasons, however, Wellbeing at Garon Park may store messaging transcript data (including message content, member names, times and dates) arising from the use of services such as our forum for a period of six months. Where personal information is held for people who are not yet registered but have taken part in other services (e.g. competitions), that information will be held only as long as necessary to ensure that the service is run smoothly. We will ensure that all personal information supplied is held securely, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
If you are notified on a Wellbeing at Garon Park site that your information may be used to allow us to contact you for “service administration purposes”, this means that we may contact you for a number of purposes related to the service you have signed up for. For example, we may wish to provide you with password reminders or notify you that the particular service has been suspended for maintenance. We will not contact you for promotional purposes, such as notifying you of improvements to the service or new services on our website unless you specifically agree to be contacted for such purposes at the time you submit your information on the site, or at a later time if you sign up specifically to receive such promotional information.
You have the right to request a copy of the personal information held about you and to have any inaccuracies corrected. (We charge £10 for information requests.) Please address requests to: Chairman of Trustees, Wellbeing at Garon Park, The Pavilion, Garon Park, Eastern Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 4FA.
If you are aged 16 or under, please get your parent/guardian’s permission beforehand whenever you provide personal information to any of our websites. Users without this consent are not allowed to provide us with personal information.
If you’re using Netscape 6.0
On your Task Bar, click:
Edit, then
Preferences
Click on Advanced
Click on Cookies
If you’re using Internet Explorer 6.0
Choose Tools, then
Internet Options
Click the Privacy Tab
Click on Custom Level
Click on the ‘Advanced’ button
Check the ‘override automatic cookie handing’ box and select Accept, Block or Prompt for action as appropriate.
If you’re using Internet Explorer 5.0 or 5.5
Choose Tools, then
Internet Options
Click the Security tab
Click on Custom Level
Scroll down to the sixth option to see how cookies are handled by IE5 and change to Accept, Disable, or Prompt for action as appropriate.
If you’re using Internet Explorer 4.0
Choose View, then
Internet Options
Click the Advanced tab
Scroll down to the yellow exclamation icon under Security and choose one of the three options to regulate your use of cookies.
In Internet Explorer 3.0
You can View, Options, Advanced, then click on the button that says Warn before Accepting Cookies.
If you’re using Netscape Communicator 4.0
On your Task Bar, click:
Edit, then
Preferences
Click on Advanced
Set your options in the box that says Cookies.
If you’re using Netscape 6.0
On your Task Bar, click:
Edit, then
Preferences
Click on Advanced
Click on Cookies
Click the View Cookies button
If you’re using Internet Explorer 5.0 or 6.0
Choose Tools, then
Internet Options
Click the General tab
Click Settings
View Files
If you’re using Internet Explorer 4.0
On your Task Bar, click:
View, then
Internet Options
Under the tab General (the default tab) click
Settings
View Files.
Internet Explorer 3.0
On your Task Bar, click:
View
Options
Advanced
View Files.
Netscape Communicator 4.0
Netscape bundles all cookies into one file on your hard drive. You’ll need to find the file, which it calls Cookie.txt on Windows machines.
Just click on a cookie to open it. You’ll see a short string of text and numbers. The numbers are your identification card, which can only be seen by the server that gave you the cookie.
Disclaimer
This Site is owned and controlled by Wellbeing at Garon Park (WB@GP). The information and data on this Site is subject to revision without notice and WB@GP may revise the Terms & Conditions at any time by updating this notice. By accessing and/or browsing the Site, you are acknowledging and agreeing that:
iii) WB@GP shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from, or in any way connected with, your use of the Site or any information contained or derived from it (even where WB@GP has been advised of the possibility of such loss or damage). This includes, without limitation, any damage for loss of profits, loss of information, or any other monetary loss.
Copyright
All Web site design, text, graphics, the selection and arrangement thereof, and all software compilations, underlying source code, software and all other material on this Web site are copyright WB@GP and its affiliates, or their content and technology providers. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Permission is granted to electronically copy and to print in hard copy portions of this Web site for the sole purpose of placing an order with Wellbeing at Garon Park (WB@GP) or using this Web site as a shopping or learning resource. Any other use of materials on this Web site–including reproduction for purposes other than those noted above, modification, distribution, or republication–without the prior written permission of WB@GP is strictly prohibited.
Website Terms and Conditions
Unless otherwise indicated, this Web Site and its contents are the property of Wellbeing at Garon Park (WB@GP) and/or its subsidiaries, affiliates, or assigns. The site and its contents are protected, without limitation, pursuant to U.K. and foreign copyright and trademark laws. By accessing this Web Site, you agree to the following terms and conditions. If you do not agree, you have no right or license to access this Web Site and you should not do so.
GENERAL TERMS
1. You are authorised to download one copy of the material on this Web Site on one computer for your personal, non-commercial use only. In doing so, you may not remove or in any way alter any trademark, copyright, or other proprietary notice. Except as allowed in the preceding sentence, you may not modify, copy, distribute, republish, commercially exploit, or upload any of the material on this Web Site without the prior written consent of Wellbeing at Garon Park (WB@GP) No intellectual property or other rights in and to this Web Site, other than the limited right to use set forth above, are transferred to you.
2. WB@GP MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THIS WEB SITE OR ITS CONTENTS, WHICH ARE PROVIDED FOR USE “AS IS.” WB@GP DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE WEB SITE AND ANY WEB SITE WITH WHICH IT IS LINKED. WB@GP ALSO MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES AS TO WHETHER THE INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE VIA THIS WEB SITE, OR ANY WEB SITE WITH WHICH IT IS LINKED, IS ACCURATE, COMPLETE, OR CURRENT.
It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy and completeness of all information, opinions and other material on this Web Site or any Web Site with which it is linked. Price information is subject to change without notice.
3. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws, WB@GP and its employees, agents, suppliers, and contractors shall in no event be liable for any claims, charges, demands, damages, liabilities, losses, and expenses of whatever nature and howsoever arising, including without limitation any compensatory, incidental, direct, indirect, special, punitive, or consequential damages, loss of use, loss of data, loss caused by a computer or electronic virus, loss of income or profit, loss of or damage to property, claims of third parties, or other losses of any kind or character, even if WB@GP has been advised of the possibility of such damages or losses, arising out of or in connection with the use of this Web Site or any Web Site with which it is linked. You assume total responsibility for establishing such procedures for data back up and virus checking as you consider necessary. POSTINGS (if applicable)
4. To the extent that portions of this Web Site (such as “chat rooms” or “bulletin boards”) provide users an opportunity to post and exchange information, ideas and opinions (“Postings”), BE ADVISED THAT WB@GP HAS NO OBLIGATION TO SCREEN, EDIT, OR REVIEW POSTINGS PRIOR TO THEIR APPEARANCE ON THIS WEB SITE, and Postings do not necessarily reflect the views of Wellbeing at Garon Park (WB@GP) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws, WB@GP shall in no event have any responsibility or liability for the Postings or for any claims, damages, or losses resulting from their use and/or appearance on this Site.
5. WB@GP reserves the right to monitor all Postings and to remove any which it considers in its absolute discretion to be offensive or otherwise in breach of these terms and conditions.
6. You hereby represent and warrant that you have all necessary rights in and to all Postings you provide and all material they contain; that your Postings shall not infringe any proprietary or other rights of third parties; that your Postings shall not contain any viruses or other contaminating or destructive devices or features; that your Postings shall not contain any defamatory, indecent, offensive, tortious, or otherwise unlawful material or content; and that your Postings shall not be used to carry out or solicit any unlawful activity and/or be used to make commercial solicitations.
7. You hereby authorise WB@GP to use and/or authorise others to use all or part of your Postings in any manner, format, or medium that WB@GP or such other parties see fit. You shall have no claim or other recourse against WB@GP for infringement of any proprietary right in Postings.
INDEMNIFICATION
You hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless WB@GP from and against any and all claims, charges, demands, damages, liabilities, losses, expenses, and liabilities of whatever nature and howsoever arising (including but not limited to any legal or other professional fees and the costs of defending or prosecuting any claim and any loss of profit, goodwill, and any other direct or consequential loss) incurred or suffered by WB@GP directly or indirectly by reason of any act or omission which you commit in breach of these terms and conditions and the obligations and warranties contained in them.
WB@GP ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTENT OF EXTERNAL INTERNET SITES
Links to External Websites:
WB@GP is not responsible for the content of external websites. This is because:
Some external links may be to websites which also offer commercial services, such as online purchase facilities.
The inclusion of a link to an external website from WB@GP website should not be regarded as an endorsement of that website or the site’s owners (or their products/services).
Wellbeing at Garon Park
Safeguarding Policy
Approved by WB&GP Trustees January 2022
Next Review Date: April 2022
Wellbeing at Garon Park are committed to ensuring all who organise, work at or visit our facilities and programmes are treated with respect and dignity and protected from abuse and exploitation. We recognise our duty of care to the beneficiaries of our work and those who come into contact with or are affected by the work of our organisation. We are committed to promoting a safeguarding culture within our organisation and ensuring that staff can work in a safe and secure environment. This policy lays out the measures we have put in place to ensure employees, trustees, contractors, volunteers, beneficiaries of our work (particularly children and vulnerable adults) and all those who come into contact with our organisation are protected from abuse and maltreatment and how we respond to concerns. The policy also informs employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. In doing so we aim to:
Exclusions: This policy does not cover sexual harassment in the workplace, this is covered in our Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy. The policy does not cover safeguarding concerns in the wider community unrelated to the actions or activities of WB&GP and its employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers.
Safeguarding means taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm, particularly sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment from occurring; to protect people, especially vulnerable adults and children, from that harm; and to respond appropriately when concerns arise or harm does occur.
This definition draws from our values and principles and shapes our culture. It pays specific attention to preventing and responding to harm from any potential, actual or attempted abuse of power, trust, or vulnerability, especially for sexual purposes.
Safeguarding applies consistently and without exception across our programmes, partners and staff. It requires proactively identifying, preventing and guarding against all risks of harm, exploitation and abuse and having mature, accountable and transparent systems for response, reporting and learning when risks materialise. Those systems must be survivor-centered and also protect those accused until proven guilty.
Wellbeing at Garon Park is committed to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.
Further Definitions
Beneficiaries are any person or group of people who participate / engage in one or more of Wellbeing at Garon Park’s activities / programmes.
Partners Organisation relates specifically to User / Member Organisations and its employees, interns and volunteers.
Abuse is a selfish act of oppression and injustice, exploitation and manipulation of power by those in a position of authority. This can be caused by those inflicting harm or those who fail to act to prevent harm. Abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, gender or culture. It can take a number of forms, including the following: physical abuse; sexual abuse; sexual exploitation; emotional abuse; bullying; neglect and financial (or material) abuse. Please See Appendix A for greater detail and further definitions.
Child is any person under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).
Vulnerable Adult a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited. This may include a person who is elderly and frail; has a mental illness including dementia; has a physical or sensory disability; has a learning disability; has a severe physical illness; has a substance misuser; is homeless or is in need through circumstances.
Survivor the person who has been abused or exploited. The term survivor is used in preference to victim recognising the strength, resilience and capacity to survive that those who have lived through abuse and/or exploitation have. However, we recognise survivors own right to define how they wish to identify themselves.
Safeguarding Lead the person with responsibility for ensuring the safeguarding policy is properly enacted
WB&GP Staff includes all employees, Trustees, contractors, interns and volunteers.
Volunteers includes individuals or groups of individuals who elect to volunteer with WB&GP.
Prevention
WB&GP wants to ensure that all people who come into contact with us are protected and kept safe from harm whilst engaged in any activities organised by WB&GP and delivered by its staff and volunteers or otherwise engaging with our staff.
Disclosure and Baring Service Checks (DBS – Criminal Record Check)
All WB&GP staff, volunteers, trustee and representatives of member organisations attending WB&GP’s activities and programmes must have a been appropriately checked before being allowed on WB&GP site.
Wellbeing at Garon Park will:
WB&GP employee, trustee, contractor and volunteer responsibilities
WB&GP employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers will not:
All employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers will be expected to review and sign the WB&GP code of conduct.
Wellbeing at Garon Park expects their employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers to contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the safeguarding policy. WB&GP employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers are also expected to report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by a fellow representative of WB&GP or members of Partner Organisations to the designated Safeguarding Lead.
Whilst different cultures may have different levels of tolerance, WB&GP will not tolerate what it considers to be abuse or exploitation in any form, which goes against the values and aims of the organisation. It is the responsibility of all who represent WB&GP, in whatever capacity, to raise their concerns regarding possible abuse or exploitation.
Enabling reports
Wellbeing at Garon Park will ensure that safe, appropriate and accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to individuals and the communities we work with.
Staff and volunteers should follow the procedures outlined below and in our ‘Procedures for dealing with and recording safeguarding reports’
Any staff reporting concerns will be protected from any negative repercussions as per the Disclosure of Malpractice in the Workplace (Whistleblowing) Policy.
Wellbeing at Garon Park will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners organisations and official bodies. Our Safeguarding Policy is available on our website providing the public with information about who to contact if they have a safeguarding concern related to the activities of WB&GP.
Employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers must report their concerns if;
If in doubt it’s always best to talk to the Safeguarding Lead.
How to report a safeguarding concern
WB&GP employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to the appropriate Safeguarding Lead. Contact details for the safeguarding leads and alternate contact are below.
If the staff member/member of the public does not feel comfortable reporting to the Safeguarding Lead (for example if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously or if that person is implicated in the concern) they may report to any other member of the trustee board.
| Safeguarding Lead | ||
| Name: | Mark Stanley | |
| Job/Role: | Operations Manager | |
| Contact email |
|
Clive Shiret, has overall responsibility for safeguarding and can be contact through the details below.
| Trustee of WB&GP | |
| Name: | Clive Shiret |
| Job/Role: | Director |
| Address: | |
| Contact email | clive@igotemail.co.uk |
Responding to safeguarding concerns
If you have a safeguarding concern, witness an incident where you suspect abuse, or a person has made a direct disclosure to you it is not your responsibility to decide whether or not abuse has occurred but it is your responsibility to report the incident to the appropriate parties. Wellbeing at Garon Park is committed to following up on safeguarding reports and concerns according to our policy and procedure and legal and statutory obligations.
You must ensure that information on suspected or alleged incidents of abuse are recorded, reported and followed up.
Wellbeing at Garon Park will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found to be in breach of this policy.
Wellbeing at Garon Park will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor and taken under the guidance of appropriate parties as necessary.
Please see our “Procedures for dealing with and recording safeguarding reports” for further information on reporting procedures.
Confidentiality
It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared only on a ‘need-to-know’ basis and records should be kept securely at all times. The legal principle that “the welfare of the individual is paramount” means that confidentiality should not override the right of the individual to be protected from harm.
Associated Policies
WB&GP Statement of Commitment
Safeguarding is a key value of the charity. We aim to ensure the highest standards of safety and ethical behaviour to protect all those who come into contact with our work. Consistent with this value, our philosophy, detailed in induction materials for employees, trustees, contractors and volunteers, is to ensure the safety and well-being of every individual in, or associated with, our programmes. This means that the environment is friendly and that clear procedures are in place for reporting concerns.
The trustees are committed to;
WB&GP Trustees will review this policy annually at the AGM and update it as required.
Safeguarding Policy Approved by WB&GP Trustees January 2022
Next Review Date: April 2022
I confirm that I have been made fully aware of, and understand the contents of, the Safeguarding
Policy and Associated Policies for Wellbeing at Garon Park.
Please complete the below and return a scan of this page to
Clive Shiret at clive@igotemail.co.uk
Name: ___________________________________________
Signature: ________________________________________
Date: __________________
Appendix A
Abuse is a term used to describe ways in which people are harmed, usually by adults and often by people they know and trust. It refers to the damage done to a person’s physical or mental health. People can be abused within or outside their family, at school in the sports environment and elsewhere. Abuse can take many forms:
Physical Abuse – where people:
Sexual Abuse – sexual abuse means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. This could include:
Sexual exploitation – sexual exploitation means any actual of attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially, professionally or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. This includes human trafficking and modern slavery.
Emotional Abuse and Psychological Harm – persistent emotional or psychological harm to a person that causes a severe long-lasting impact on their emotional development this can occur in a number of ways. For example, where:
Neglect – where parents or guardians persistently fail to meet a person’s basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter.
People with Disabilities
People with disabilities may be more vulnerable because:
WB&GP have documented reporting procedures, approved by the Board of Trustees. These must be included in pre-employment training for staff, delivery partners and volunteers and in written orientation/handover materials.
Wherever possible, the child’s family is to be informed if their child is reported to state authorities as a suspected child at risk.
Wellbeing at Garon Park hereinafter referred to as the Organisation, strives for high standards both as an employer, volunteer coordinator and as a provider of services. In so doing, we recognise the need for encouraging diversity and wholeheartedly support a policy of equal opportunities in all areas of our work and responsibilities.
This policy provides guidance to enable all who work with or for the Organisation to comply with anti-discrimination legislation. The policy will also address anti-discrimination issues involving areas that currently fall outside any legislation. Failure to follow the procedures in the policy may lead to disciplinary or other appropriate action.
The Organisation’s aims and objectives will be achieved through action planning, effective monitoring and a willingness to tackle problems where they arise. The Organisation is committed to reviewing this policy on an annual basis. Through our training, publications, interaction with members and other activities, the Organisation will ensure those we work with know our statements of policy.
The Organisation will regularly review the implementation of its Equality and Diversity Policy and strategy. Where evidence is found of ineffectiveness, immediate remedial action will be taken to ensure implementation.
The Organisation urges staff, volunteers, trustees, management committee to be aware of the less obvious types of discrimination which result from general assumptions and pre-conceptions about the capabilities, interests and characteristics of individuals.
Equal Opportunitiesensures that policies, procedures and practice within the Organisation do not discriminate against its employees, volunteers and stakeholders. It is about treating people fairly and equally regardless of whom they are, their background or their lifestyle.
Diversityensures that all people are valued as individuals and are able to maximise their potential and contribution to the Organisation and to the community. It recognises that people from different backgrounds can bring fresh ideas and a different approach, which can make the way we work and learn more fun, more creative, more efficient and more innovative.
Direct Discrimination, as defined in law, occurs when an individual is dealt with less favourably than other people on the grounds of race, ethnic or national origin, disability, sex, actual or perceived religion or belief or sexual orientation. However, in terms of this policy the definition is taken to be wider and includes, for example, colour, nationality, marital status or caring responsibility, age, mental health, political, class, HIV status, employment status, unrelated criminal convictions, union activities.
Indirect Discriminationoccurs when a provision, criterion or practice puts people of a group at a disadvantage and is not justified in relation to the job, for example a rule about clothing that disproportionately disadvantages a racial group cannot be justified.
Victimisationmeans that if a person has made or is making an accusation of discrimination in good faith, it is unlawful to discriminate against them for having done so, or because they intend to do so or it is suspected that they intend to do so. People must be able to act against unlawful discrimination without fear of reprisals.
Harassmentmeans unwanted conduct based on race, sex or age etc. which has the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person. Harassment can be sexual, racial, directed against people with disabilities or indeed related to any characteristic exhibited by the individual.
Positive Actionrefers to measures taken to assist employees, or learners who have been under-represented in specific areas, to reach a level of workplace knowledge and competencies that is comparable with ‘representative’ employees. These measures could take the form of additional training or providing the job application form in other languages to encourage applicants from these communities. ‘Positive discrimination’ at the point of selection for work is not permissible.
The Organisation will actively encourage diversity to maximise achievement, creativity and good practice and to bring benefit to individuals and communities. The Organisation encourages all people it works with, and for, to contribute to an environment in which people feel comfortable expressing how they feel and what they need, knowing they will be treated with respect and that their contribution will be valued.
The way we work, train and learn within the Organisation reflects both the Mission and Objectives of the Organisation and the spirit and intentions of legislation that outlaw’s discrimination and promotes equality and diversity.
The Organisation will make reasonable adjustments to working practices, equipment and premises and offer, where appropriate, additional support to trustees, staff and volunteers to ensure they are able to take a full and active part in the Organisation’s work.
The Organisation will endeavour to deliver services in a way that genuinely recognises the importance of an inclusive society that brings opportunities and access, not barriers to individuals.
The Organisation is an equal opportunities employer and provider of services. No job applicant, employee, volunteer, trustee, member or service user should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin; sex; marital status or caring responsibility; sexual orientation; age; physical, sensory or learning disability; mental health; political or religious beliefs; class; HIV status; employment status; unrelated criminal convictions; union activities. Nor will such person’s sex, disability, race, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, religion, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin, age, trade union membership or non-membership, be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.
This principle applies to all aspects of the Organisation’s activities as an employer and provider of services, including recruitment, promotion, transfer, training, benefits, facilities, procedures and all terms and conditions of employment.
The aims and objectives of the Equality and Diversity Policy are:
The Organisation recognises that passive policies do not provide equality and encourage diversity in employment/training/services. The Organisation will seek to promote equality and diversity within the following framework of responsibilities.
Responsibility for implementing and developing the policy rests with the Trustees. The overall co-ordinating responsibility for equal opportunities and management of diversity is delegated to the Operations Manager
However, the Organisation believes that all who work with or for the organisation have an individual responsibility: to accept the policy and ensure a personal involvement in its application; to co-operate actively to ensure that the environment we desire is a reality. Therefore, the Organisation requires individuals:
The Organisation requires its Line Managers:
The Organisation will take equality and diversity advice:
The person with overall responsibility for Equality and Diversity will:
The Organisation strives to ensure that our trustees, staff and volunteers reflect the wider community.
Clear and accurate information on vacant posts should be available through advertisement, job descriptions, person specifications and interview. Vacancies should be advertised sufficiently widely to reach the widest possible range of candidates, either internal and/or external.
All recruitment material should not imply any preferred group, unless a genuine occupational qualification exists limiting a post to a particular group.
Applicants will be informed, through all recruitment material of the Organisation’s commitment to Equal Opportunities and Diversity.
Person specifications may include ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’ requirements that are necessary and justifiable. Care, and advice where necessary, is needed to ensure these are not discriminatory.
Staff and volunteers should be encouraged to discuss their development and training needs through a process of regular support and annual appraisals.
Job titles that are discriminatory must be avoided.
In line with the intentions of this policy, efforts must be made to select a recruitment panel, which is inclusive in terms of gender, disability and ethnicity.
The shortlisting panel will select candidates on the basis of an objective assessment of their match with the requirements as described in the job description and person specification; this will not take into account the gender, name, race, religion or belief, possible disability or age of the candidate.
The interview panel must take extreme care not to ask discriminatory questions which do not comply with the Organisation’s Equality and Diversity Policy Statements, e.g. questions relating to race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin; sex; marital or civil partnership status or caring responsibility, sexual orientation, age, physical, sensory or learning disability, mental health, political or religious beliefs, class, HIV status, employment status, unrelated criminal convictions, union activities.
In line with the intentions of this policy, the Organisation will not discriminate in the provision of training courses/ opportunities wherever possible.
Appropriate training will be provided to enable trustees, staff, volunteers and committee members to perform their jobs effectively. The training offered will take into account the needs of all people.
Briefing on this policy will form part of the Induction Procedure for trustees, staff, volunteers and committee members
The Organisation recognises the need for a continuing commitment to genuine equal opportunities and diversity within the organisation. The effectiveness of the policy’s aims and objectives can only be judged by how the policy operates in practice.
Policy Enforcement – Grievances
The Organisation regards the collection/analysis of data as vital in informing change and improving performance. Where appropriate, statistics on the Organisation’s services will be collected and analysed in relation to equality and diversity matters. We will review employee turnover and seek information on reasons for leaving. Local and national data or statistics will be used to benchmark our performance.
The Trustees will review annually equality of opportunity relating to the Organisation services. Recruitment and selection procedures will be monitored and reviewed annually by the Operations Manager. All aspects of personnel policies and procedures shall be kept under review to ensure that they do not operate against the Equal and Diversity Policy.
In order to determine the impact of this policy it is important that a monitoring system be developed which will measure commitment, progress and effectiveness. The Diversity and Equality Policy will be monitored and reviewed as follows:
Where it appears that there may have been or there is a breach of the policy, the Operations Managerwill investigate the circumstances and action will be taken to counter any proven breach of policy.
If it is found that the policy is excluding or discouraging the development of trustees, staff or volunteers or restricting service users, the Board of Trustees should take positive action to re-adjust the policy.
Subscribe to our newsletter
