Caxton Youth Organisation

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Caxton Youth Organisation is fully committed to the active promotion of equal opportunity in its employment practices, in the work it undertakes and in the provision of its services to disabled young people.

We will treat all beneficiaries of Caxton Youth Organisation with dignity and respect. We will provide services free from unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation.

This policy has been developed using legislations including:

Equalities Act (2010)

Sex Discrimination Act (1975 and amendment 1986)

Disability Discrimination Act (1995)

Human Rights Act (1988)

Protection From Harassment Act (1997)

Employment Relations Act (1999)

Equal Pay Act (1970) and National Minimum Wage Act (1998)

Employment Rights Act (1996)

Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations (1998 and 2002)

Data Protection Act (1998)

Health & Safety at Work Act (1974)

Purpose:

This policy’s purpose is to:

  1. Provide equality, fairness and respect for all in our employment, whether temporary, part-time or full-time
  2. Not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of:
  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage or civil partnership
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
  • religion or belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  • actively promote equality of opportunity
  • actively work to prevent discrimination

 

Inclusion and Accessibility

As an equality organisation, Caxton’s vision and mission are embedded in inclusion and accessibility. We value our service users, their families, our team, and all stakeholders, as part of our community. This means that we include people with disabilities and autism in everything, and remove barriers to services, ensuring that they can be involved in all of our services. It means that Caxton members are valued human beings, who are included in making decisions about every aspect of their lives, including the service they receive from Caxton Youth Organisation. It means that Caxton is committed to offering a person-centred service, and that we will act to protect all members of our community from unlawful discrimination (see appendix 1), harassment or victimisation.

Responsibility for implementation

This policy is mandatory for all people employed by or volunteering or accessing the services of Caxton Youth Organisation. Caxton will be responsible for the adoption of this policy as part of the induction stage for new staff, trustees and volunteers.

Role of the management committee

The Board of Trustees sets out its commitment to equal opportunities in this policy and it will continue to do all it can to ensure that Caxton is fully inclusive to members and responsive to their needs. The management committee seeks to ensure that people are not discriminated against when applying for jobs at Caxton on grounds of the protected characteristics and will provide a fair working environment.

Role of the CEO

It is the CEO’s role to implement Caxton’s Equal Opportunities Policy and is supported by the management committee in doing so. It is the CEO’s role to ensure that all staff are aware of the Equal Opportunities Policy and that staff apply these guidelines fairly in all situations. The CEO ensures that no-one is discriminated against when it comes to employment and training opportunities. The CEO treats all incidents of unfair treatment and any incidents of bullying or discrimination, including racist incidents, with due seriousness. The CEO will also ensure staff, trustees and volunteers do not discriminate themselves and ensure higher levels do not discriminate due to their superior positions.

Role of the staff

All staff will strive to provide material that gives positive images and challenges stereotypical images. All staff will challenge any incidents of bullying, prejudice, racism, sexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and record any serious incidents, drawing them to the attention of the CEO. Staff are personally responsible for their own acts of discrimination, harassment or victimisation carried out during their employment.

 All staff, trustees and employees are free to make complaints and are supported in doing so. They should refer to the complaints procedure.  

Under Section 20 and Section 29 of the Sex Discrimination Act Race Relations Act, respectively, we have a responsibility to ensure any person concerned with the provision of goods, facilities or service to the public or a section of the public does not unlawfully discriminate against a person who seeks to obtain or use those goods, facilities or services:

By refusing or deliberately omitting to provide them with goods, facilities or services; or

 

  • By refusing or deliberately omitting to provide him/her with goods, facilities or services of the same quality, in the same manner and on the same terms as would normally be provided to other members of the public in the same circumstances.
  • We will not tolerate acts which breach this duty and all instances of such behaviour, or alleged behaviour will be taken seriously, be fully investigated and, if proven, may be subject to the Caxton Youth Organisation’s disciplinary procedures.

We will develop, monitor and review appropriate service delivery practices, which help to avoid direct and indirect discrimination where these are not already in place.

Implementation

Caxton Youth Organisation recognises that passive policies will not in themselves provide equality of opportunity and acknowledges that specific positive actions are needed, Caxton Youth Organisation is or will be introducing the following measures to combat direct and indirect discrimination in its employment practices, in the work it undertakes and in the services it provides.

Caxton Youth Organisation will aim to ensure that Equal Opportunities/Anti Discriminatory issues are brought to the attention of staff, volunteers, trainees and service users by all appropriate means and will prepare documentation and materials in such a manner as to attempt to promote awareness and avoid bias.

Caxton Youth Organisation’s recruitment procedure for paid and unpaid staff will reflect the commitment to this Equal Opportunities Policy and it will use appropriate advertising and recruitment procedures to ensure that all eligible people are able to apply for positions within the organisation.  

Caxton Youth Organisation’s advertising materials for its services will also reflect the Policy and staff will use all means at their disposal to ensure that all potential users have access to these services.

Caxton Youth Organisation will, when reviewing its service provision, take account of the needs of underrepresented groups and also the demands of such groups.

Caxton Youth Organisation will encourage all staff and volunteers to develop a programme stressing equal opportunities for the people they work with and to show attitudes consistent with this in their relations with other staff.

Caxton Youth Organisation will endeavour to provide appropriate training for all staff to enable them to work sensitively and effectively with children and young people towards addressing and confronting behaviour and attitudes that discriminate.

In addition Equal Opportunities will constitute a key element in all of our induction and training programmes as well as feature regularly as part of the staff development programme.

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

Signed by:___R.Swainston__________ on date: 05/09/2022

Rose Swainston on behalf of the board of trustees

CEO

Appendix 1

Types of Discrimination

Direct Discrimination

Direct Discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably than another person because of the above stated characteristics. You do not have to have a protected characteristic to be discriminated against.

Perceptive Discrimination

This is direct discrimination against someone because others think they possess a particular protected characteristic, even if the person the discrimination is aimed towards does not actually possess the characteristic.

Indirect Discrimination

This occurs when an organisation’s practices, policies, rules or procedures apply to everyone but it has a worse effect on some people than others and can result in them being put at a disadvantage.

Victimisation

Victimisation is also a type of harassment and also a type of bullying. It can also occur when someone is treated badly because they have made a complaint or supported someone else making a complaint.

Harassment

This any repeated intentional behaviour directed at an employee that is intended to degrade, humiliate, embarrass or otherwise undermine their performance. It can come from any member of an organisation at any level.

Types of Harassment:

  • Psychological harassment which is humiliating or abusing a person that can lower their self-esteem and caused them torment. This can be in the form of verbal comments, actions or gestures.
  • Racial Harassment which is harassment suffered by individuals or groups because of their colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins. This can be verbal or physical and can also include attacks on property.
  • Sexual Harassment which may consist of sexual language, threats or gestures although when touching is involved then it is sexual assault.