Equal Opportunities

BLANTYRE FUTURES EQUALITY POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT

  1. Blantyre Futures recognises that discrimination and victimisation is unacceptable and that it is in the interests of the organisation and its volunteers to utilise the skills of the total workforce. It is the aim of Blantyre Futures to ensure that no employee, volunteer or applicant receives less favourable facilities or treatment (either directly or indirectly) in recruitment, volunteering opportunities or employment on grounds of age, disability, gender / gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy / maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation (the protected characteristics).
  2. Our aim is that our volunteer workforce will be truly representative of all sections of society and each employee feels respected and able to give of their best.
  3. We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination or victimisation. To that end the purpose of this policy is to provide equality and fairness for all in our employment.
  4. All volunteers, whether part-time, full-time, volunteers either permanent or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability. All volunteers will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the collective group and will be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
  5. Our volunteers will not discriminate directly or indirectly, or harass customers or clients because of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation in the provision of the Blantyre Future’s goods, services or in the pursuit of investigating and implementing the Community Action Plan 2019 – 2024.
  6. This policy and the associated arrangements shall operate in accordance with statutory requirements. In addition, full account will be taken of any guidance or Codes of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, any Government Departments, and any other statutory bodies.

OUR COMMITMENT

  • To create an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all our volunteers are recognised and valued.
  • Every volunteer is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity and respect to all. No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated. All will be heard.
  • We shall endeavour to provide Training, development and opportunities equally to all volunteers.
  • To promote equality in the workplace and at meetings which we believe is good management practice, makes sound business sense and stimulates enthusiasm and passion for the community.
  • We will review all our engagement practices and procedures to ensure fairness.
  • Breaches of our equality policy will be regarded as misconduct and could lead to removal from the organisation.
  • This policy is fully supported by the elected chairperson, treasurer and secretary and has been agreed with representatives at an annual AGM.
  • The policy will be monitored and reviewed annually

RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHAIRPERSON, TREASURER and SECRETARY (Management of Blantyre Futures Officebearers)

Responsibility for ensuring the effective implementation and operation of the arrangements will rest with the Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary (as Management of the Blantyre Futures Committee), they will ensure that they and all volunteers within the oragnisation operate within this policy and arrangements, and that all reasonable and practical steps are taken to avoid discrimination. Each representative will ensure that:

  • all the volunteers are aware of the policy and the arrangements, and the reasons for the policy;
  • grievances concerning discrimination are dealt with properly, fairly and as quickly as possible;
  • proper records are maintained.

The Blantyre Futures Office bearers will be responsible for monitoring the operation of the policy in respect of volunteers and new applicants, including periodic audits where deemed necessary.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF VOLUNTEERS

Responsibility for ensuring that there is no unlawful discrimination rests with all volunteers lending their time to Blantyre Futures and the attitudes of staff are crucial to the successful operation of fair volunteering practices. In particular, all volunteers should:

  • comply with the policy and arrangements;
  • not discriminate in their day to day activities or induce others to do so;
  • not victimise, harass or intimidate other volunteers or groups who have, or are perceived to have one of the protected characteristics.
  • ensure no individual is discriminated against or harassed because of their association with another individual who has a protected characteristic.
  • inform other volunteers and the if they become aware of any discriminatory practice.

THIRD PARTIES

Third-party harassment occurs where a Committee volunteer is harassed, and the harassment is related to a protected characteristic, by third parties such as clients or customers. Blantyre Futures will not tolerate such actions against its volunteers, and the person concerned should inform their colleagues at once that this has occurred. Blantyre Futures will fully investigate and take all reasonable steps to ensure such harassment does not happen again.

RELATED POLICIES AND ARRANGEMENTS

All engagement policies and arrangements have a bearing on equality of opportunity. The policies will be reviewed regularly and any discriminatory elements removed.

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations)

Blantyre Futures are compliant with the GDPR (EU) Act 2016/679, where any names collected for the purposes of guest lists for events, meetings and bookings of any kind, shall only be made public with the express consent of the individual(s).

Blantyre Futures does not hold any debit or credit card transaction details of any individual or business.

Blantyre Futures does not sell or pass on individuals details to any third party unless asked to do so by the individuals themselves.

In accordance with the ACT, data is removed as soon as the purpose for which it was collected for, expires (e.g names at events).

RIGHTS OF DISABLED PEOPLE

Blantyre Futures attaches particular importance to the needs of disabled people. Under the terms of this policy, the Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary are required to:

  • make reasonable adjustment to maintain the services of an volunteer who becomes disabled, for example, training, provision of special equipment, reduced working hours.
  • include disabled people in training/development programmes;
  • give full and proper consideration to disabled people who apply for positions, having regard to making reasonable adjustments for their particular aptitudes and abilities to allow them to be able to do the job or participate.

EQUALITY TRAINING

A series of periodic briefing sessions will be held for staff on equality issues. These will be repeated as necessary. Equality information is also included in induction and orientation.

Further reading can be provided for volunteers on this policy and the associated arrangements.

MONITORING

  • The Blantyre Futures Office bearers deems it appropriate to state its intention not to discriminate and assumes that this will be translated into practice consistently across the organisation as a whole. Accordingly, a monitoring system will be introduced to measure the effectiveness of the policy and arrangements.
  • The system will involve the routine collection and analysis of information on employees by gender, marital status, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion / beliefs, grade and length of service in current grade. Information regarding the number of volunteering staff who declare themselves as disabled will also be maintained.
  • There will also be regular assessments to measure the extent to which recruitment to first appointment, internal promotion and access to training/development opportunities affect equal opportunities for all groups.
  • We will maintain information on volunteers who have been involved in certain key policies: Disciplinary, Grievance and Bullying & Harassment.
  • Where appropriate equality impact assessments will be carried out on the results of monitoring to ascertain the effect of the policies and our services / products may have on those who experience them.
  • The information collected for monitoring purposes will be treated as confidential and it will not be used for any other purpose.
  • If monitoring shows that the organisation, or areas within it, are not representative, or that sections of our workforce are not progressing properly within the group then an action plan will be developed to address these issues. This will include a review of deployed volunteers or resources and selection procedures, policies and practices as well as consideration of taking more positive action.

GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINE

Volunteers have a right to pursue a complaint concerning discrimination or victimisation.

Discrimination and victimisation will be treated as disciplinary offences and they will be dealt by the Committee Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary.

REVIEW

The effectiveness of this policy and associated arrangements will be reviewed annually under the direct supervision of the Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary.

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