Equality & diversity policy

Protecting volunteers

This policy is designed to enable us to take positive steps to eliminate direct and indirect discrimination in its employment of staff and volunteers, its committee structure and its provision.

Statement of intent

We are committed to ensure equality of opportunity and to ensure that all our systems are fair, open and objective and visible to those inside and outside the organisation.

We recognise that everyone has a contribution to make to our society and a right to equal treatment. We aim to ensure that no job applicant, staff member, volunteer organisation or individual to whom we provide services will be discriminated against by us on the grounds of

• sex, sexual orientation or gender reassignment status;
• race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin;
• age;
• parental or marital status and caring responsibilities;
• physical or mental disability or ill health;
• political belief, religion, colour, race, ethnic or national origin or socio/economic background;
• trade union membership (or non-membership);
• unrelated criminal conviction or conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable;
• working pattern (ie permanent, fixed term, part or full-time).

We endeavour to promote this approach in those with whom we come into contact. Also we believe that we are all, both paid staff and volunteers, responsible for ensuring that the highest principles of equal opportunities policy are put into effect.

We aim to ensure that both paid staff and volunteers commit themselves to taking positive action against discrimination. All staff, volunteers and users of the Centre are able to challenge discriminating attitudes and practices and have a responsibility to enforce this Policy.

Measures to implement this Policy

We are taking the following measures to implement this Policy:

• all publicity/advertising of our services and opportunities aims to reach all sections of the community;
• we publicise our Policy to job applicants, to potential volunteers and to user organisations, where appropriate in printed material or on our web site;
• as appropriate, we provide training for staff and volunteers to ensure that they understand their responsibilities under this Policy;
• we are developing our complaints procedure to ensure that any issues arising under this Policy — whether from staff, volunteers or user organisations — can be properly and fairly dealt with.

More information

More details of the policy are contained in our current Equality and Diversity policy document.