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, and 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
3. Actively promote equality of opportunity.
4. 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, removing barriers to services, ensuring that they can be involved in all of our services. Caxton members are valued human beings, included in making decisions about every aspect of their lives, including the service they receive from Caxton Youth Organisation. Caxton is committed to offering a person-centred service, acting 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, volunteering for, or accessing the services of Caxton Youth Organisation. Caxton will be responsible for adopting 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 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, supported by the management committee. The CEO ensures that all staff are aware of the Equal Opportunities Policy and apply these guidelines fairly in all situations. The CEO also ensures that no one is discriminated against regarding 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 that staff, trustees, and volunteers do not discriminate and that 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. Staff will challenge any incidents of bullying, prejudice, racism, sexism, homophobia, biphobia, or 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 and the Race Relations Act, respectively, we have a responsibility to ensure any person concerned with the provision of goods, facilities, or services 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 them 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 that breach this duty, and all instances of such behaviour, or alleged behaviour, will be taken seriously, fully investigated, and, if proven, may be subject to 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 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, using 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 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 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.
• Equal Opportunities will constitute a key element in all of our induction and training programmes and feature regularly as part of the staff development programme.

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

Signed by: R.Swainston_______
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 at does not actually possess the characteristic.

Indirect Discrimination
This occurs when an organisation’s practices, policies, rules, or procedures apply to everyone but have a worse effect on some people than others, putting them at a disadvantage.

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

Harassment
This is 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: Humiliating or abusing a person that can lower their self-esteem and cause them torment. This can be in the form of verbal comments, actions, or gestures.
• Racial Harassment: 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: May consist of sexual language, threats, or gestures, and when touching is involved, it is sexual assault.