Equality, Diversity and Anti-Racism Policy
Equality, Diversity and Anti-Racism Statement
Go Wild Education aims to promote equality and diversity as an employer and seeks to ensure that equality and diversity principles underpin all areas of the organisation’s work and service provision.
Go Wild Education recognises that many people and groups suffer discrimination and face serious barriers when trying to fulfil their true potential. It also recognises that not all forms of unreasonable and unfair discrimination are the subject of legislation. It is the aim of this organisation to take positive steps to redress discrimination, to improve equality of opportunity and to combat any unreasonable or unfair treatment which places people at a disadvantage for any reasons not directly related to their ability to do a job for this organisation or to their eligibility to receive services from us.
In most cases it is unlawful to discriminate against people because of their gender or gender assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin, sexuality/sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, or because they are disabled, married or in a civil partnership, a member of a trade union, work part time or on a fixed- term contract. It is also unlawful to discriminate against people either because they are perceived to have a certain characteristic or because they associate with someone who has a certain characteristic.
However, we recognise that people may experience discrimination for many additional social, educational and economic reasons such as their language, health, caring responsibilities, trade union activity, where they live, how they speak and whether they work flexibly. This policy will apply equally to all these circumstances.
Go Wild Education will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, bullying, victimisation or abuse of people who are staff members and volunteers or of people connected with the services provided by Go Wild Education.
Relevant Legislation and Related Documents
Relevant Legislation: Employment Rights Act 1996 The Equality Act 2010
Related Documents: Complaints Procedure, Data Protection Policy
Management Issues and Delivery Mechanisms
Go Wild Education’s Director has ultimate responsibility for the Equality and Diversity policy. It is the responsibility of the Director to implement, monitor and evaluate the equality and diversity policy in terms of employment practice and service delivery. S/he is also under a duty to ensure that Go Wild Education’s staff and volunteers are regularly kept informed of the policy's implementation and the implications of the Director’s decisions and policies for equality and diversity issues. It is the responsibility of all staff to report any discrimination of which they become aware.
All staff and volunteers will be informed that an equality and diversity policy is in operation and that they are bound to comply with its requirements. The policy will also be drawn to the attention of Go Wild Education’s members, funding agencies, job applicants and those using the services of Go Wild Education.
The Equality and Diversity Statement above shall be easily available in Go Wild Education’s offices, accessible to staff members, volunteers and visitors. Staff members and volunteers are to be given a copy of the whole policy upon appointment and whenever the policy is modified.
Go Wild Education’s grievance and disciplinary procedures will be used to deal with any complaints about discrimination, harassment or bullying involving
staff/volunteers.
Complaints from people using the organisation’s services will be through the complaints procedure for Go Wild Education.
It is expected that when staff members and volunteers or Directors represent Go Wild Education on the committees of other agencies they will endeavour to ensure that equality and diversity principles and practices are adopted by those agencies.
Employment Practices
Go Wild Education aims to promote equality and diversity as an employer and to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justifiable within the context of the policy.
Go Wild Education regards discrimination, harassment, abuse, victimisation or bullying of staff members and volunteers, service users or of others in the course of work as disciplinary offences that could be regarded as gross misconduct. Condoning such behaviour could also be treated as a disciplinary offence. As well as disciplining the perpetrator(s), we will give appropriate support to people who complain of harassment of themselves or others.
Selection, recruitment, training, promotion and employment practices generally will be subject to regular review. Including the media used and search area covered in recruitment to demonstrate the reach to all groups to ensure that they comply with the equality and diversity policy. In particular, selection and recruitment procedures should be reviewed no less than annually in order to try and constantly improve equality and diversity practices. Go Wild Education will attempt to accommodate staff members and volunteers’ requests to work flexibly, whether part-time or some other working arrangement, for whatever reason, so long as agreement is consistent with the needs of the organisation.
We recognise that organisations are obliged under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled people and to enable them to do their job without unnecessary difficulty. We will make adjustments which are reasonable.
We recognise that we are prevented from asking an applicant questions regarding their health until a formal offer of employment has been made. However, we will ensure that any access needs are met to enable an applicant to fully participate.
We accept our obligation not to discriminate against applicants and employees on the basis of their religion or belief. We will try to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs in any way which is compatible with the work of the organisation by, for example, allowing for prayers during the working day and at the workplace; considering employees’ dietary requirements in providing facilities for staff members and volunteers to eat and store food; allowing staff/volunteers to take their holidays for religious festivals; trying to arrange job interviews or other important work meetings at times when they do not clash with important religious festivals; and not imposing a dress code with which people of a particular religion cannot comply.
Go Wild Education will not discriminate on grounds of age in recruitment, promotion, training, or in the availability of benefits such as pension contributions or health insurance.
Go Wild Education will take whatever positive action is required where it can be shown that under- representation of any particular group has occurred in recruitment. Where appropriate and where legally permissible, employees from under-represented groups will be given training and encouragement in order to promote equality and diversity within Go Wild Education.
Service Delivery
Go Wild Education seeks to ensure that its services are accessible to all sections of the community served by Go Wild Education. Go Wild Education will make public its commitment to combating discriminatory attitudes where these are encountered.
Go Wild Education will attempt to ensure that none of its policies discriminate directly or indirectly against any group or individual.
Go Wild Education will adopt a Complaints Procedure that will include its objectives with regard to equality and diversity in service delivery.
Go Wild Education will attempt to find ways of making our service accessible to everyone, including people for whom English is not a first language, people with visual or hearing impairments, and people who live in remote rural areas and/or who cannot easily travel.
Go Wild Education will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all its activities are carried out in premises which are accessible to people with mobility difficulties. In the event that the premises operated by Go Wild Education are not accessible for particular individuals, Go Wild Education will arrange alternative meeting places. This will include committee meetings.
Go Wild Education will be sensitive to the particular needs of service users by trying to provide for example, translations, childcare facilities run by vetted carers and, when providing food, having regard to religious and other dietary requirements.
Go Wild Education will operate a variety of means to allow people to contact staff members and volunteers.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Go Wild Education will regularly evaluate its services and the effectiveness of its equality and diversity policy, by a variety of means.
Go Wild Education is required to monitor all job applications, appointments and promotions for all groups with reasons for such decisions, to ensure that the policy is working.
Monitoring may be carried out by Go Wild Education to provide the data for this regular evaluation. For instance, Go Wild Education may ask service users using our services, job applicants, volunteers and directors for information about their ethnic origin, disability, age or other personal information. We will only do this for a specific defined purpose such as collecting statistical data for funders, for research or for our own monitoring to evaluate this policy’s impact.
Go Wild Education will be sensitive to groups and individuals and will have due regard for the principles of data protection when seeking information. Where sensitive information is gathered, those responding will be explicitly informed of the purpose and that they are at liberty to withhold the information. All monitoring information will be securely stored, aggregated and anonymised.
Staff and Volunteers’ Induction and Training
During the staff member/volunteer induction period staff members and volunteers will be made aware of organisational policies and the responsibilities of staff members and volunteers to maintain these practices and relevant specialist training agreed.
Anti-Racism
In addition to the above policy, Go Wild Education will be actively anti-racist. No one is born racist or anti-racist; these result from the choices we make. Being anti-racist results from a conscious decision to make frequent, consistent, equitable choices daily. These choices require ongoing self-awareness and self-reflection as we move through life. In the absence of making anti-racist choices, we (un)consciously uphold aspects of white supremacy, white-dominant culture, and unequal institutions and society. Being racist or anti-racist is not about who you are; it is about what you do.
Being anti-racist is fighting against racism. Racism takes several forms and works most often in tandem with at least one other form to reinforce racist ideas, behaviour, and policy. At Go Wild Education we choose to be anti-racist, we will strive to be actively conscious about race and racism and take actions to end racial inequities in our daily lives and work. We believe that racism is everyone’s problem, and we all have a role to play in stopping it.
As white people, we acknowledge and understand our privilege, work to change our internalised racism, and will interrupt racism when we see it as an ongoing practice and process.
Antiracist education, while considering class, race, and gender inequity, places race at the centre of its analysis. Focusing on race exposes direct links to unequal power, a system of oppression and privilege, and institutional practices.
Developing routines to make antiracist choices is a daily commitment that must be carried out with intention. The continued efforts of each of us individually can add up to a lasting change in our society. Since racism operates at multiple levels, we have to make anti-racist choices at the various levels - individual, interpersonal, and institutional - to eradicate racism from the structures and fabric of our society.
Review of This Policy
Go Wild Education’s commitment to equality and diversity is an active one. This document should be amended on a regular basis as part of this active commitment.
Go Wild Education’s equality and diversity policy will be reviewed in consultation with staff members and volunteers as and when required and in line with changes in legislation.
Go Wild Education will also seek to keep abreast of new developments in equality and diversity practice and actively seek information on this issue.
December 2020