Equality of Opportunity Policy

Scarborough & District Disablement Action Group (hereafter referred to as "The Group" has adopted a statement of intent to provide a high standard of service to all who ask for The Group's assistance; regardless of age, ethnic origin, religious belief, sexuality or disability.

The intention of this policy document is to provide a practical framework for equality of opportunity, which will help The Group implement its statement.

The equal opportunities policy covers:
1. Membership of committees

2. Use of buildings and equipment

3. Recruitment practices for volunteers and staff

4. Service provision

Within each section the policy will:
A. Outline the objectives

B. Specify practices to be adopted by Scarborough & District Disablement Action Group

Finally, the policy makes a statement to be used to describe the aims of the organisation in equality of opportunity. The policy also considers how progress will be achieved in working towards equality of opportunity and sets aside a budget for implementation.

1. Membership of committees

a. Objectives

Scarborough & District Disablement Action Group is a democratically structured organisation, which relies entirely upon its membership for making and implementing policies.

It is important that the organisation's membership consists of 60% disabled people and the remainder are widely representative of the geographical social and cultural differences within the wider Scarborough District.

The Group is established to benefit those persons in the Scarborough and District area (the area of benefit) who are substantially and or permanently disabled by providing, or encouraging the provision of services which facilitate independence in daily living activities, active participation in and full integration into Society.

To promote the relief of all disabled persons within the area of benefit and to assist those persons by the provision of a direct information and advice service.

b. Practical implementation

i. When committees are being appointed/elected, information will be provided on the current spread of representation on that committee and how effective that representation has been, for example, whether or not individuals have been able to attend;

ii. The Group will look positively on membership from those individuals/organisations who are under-represented;

iii. The Group will seek to make new members of committees feel welcome;

iv. The Group will consider practical ways of ensuring that attendance at meetings is made possible. In particular it will:

- pay travel expenses at rates to be agreed for disabled people who would otherwise be unable to attend committee meetings

v. - pay carers allowance within a budget to be agreed to enable carers to attend meetings who would otherwise be unable to attend

vi. - welcome at meetings assistants who will enable representatives to attend.

vii. The Group will try to ensure that its work programme covers the full range of needs of disabled people and carers within the district;

viii. The Group will publish information about its membership and work in a variety of formats to ensure involvement is as wide as possible;

ix. The Group will develop 'job descriptions' for members of committees, to outline expectations and responsibilities. This will include an expectation that acceptance of this policy on equality of opportunity is part of committee membership.

2. Use of buildings and equipment

a. Objectives

The buildings and facilities used by The Group will be accessible.

b. Practical implementation

i. Car parking facilities are available as close as possible to our offices;

ii. Any meeting room will be provided with aids to facilitate involvement, such as an induction loop;

iii. All washing and WC facilities are adapted with lever taps and mobility aids as standard fittings;

iv. Guide dogs have full access to our offices and meetings;

v. The Group will use the experience it has gained in working alongside other organisations to advise and encourage other agencies to adopt improved practices.

3. Recruitment/employment practices for staff and volunteers

a. Objectives

The Group seeks to ensure that all prospective employees and volunteers are able to compete for positions within The Group in an equal way, to ensure that applications represent a wide cross-section of community interests. The Group will monitor its advertising, application, shortlisting, equal opportunities forms and selection process to ensure that this is achieved.

b. Practical implementation

i. Advertisement for employment or volunteering will be as wide as possible within budgets. The aim is to ensure that groups not traditionally reading job vacancies in the local or national press feel able to apply. This might include for example, seeking an agreement to advertise through the Talking Newspaper, or in local community centres;

ii. Advertisements should also convey the message that The Group positively encourages applicants from all sections of the community - the main purpose being to give encouragement for people to apply who might otherwise have had second thoughts;

iii. The job/volunteer application form is designed to ask applicants questions relevant to the job and not to ask information, which though of general interest, will not determine suitability for the post. In some instances the line between information essential to the post and merely of interest is difficult to determine. The Group wishes to portray an accessible image and will therefore verge on the side of caution in this matter at the application stage. Equal emphasis will be placed on abilities, experience and qualifications;

iv. Job descriptions will be written simply and clearly set out responsibilities, they will also emphasise quality of opportunity. Wherever possible restrictions which may limit applications (such as car owner, home phone) will be kept to an absolute minimum. The importance of 'unpaid' experience will be stressed;

v. A 'person specification' will be drawn up for each post and will be used to assist short-listing and interviewing;

vi. Occasionally re-structuring of work responsibilities may result in internal transfer of staff from one post to another, without the post being advertised externally;

vii. Internal applicants will be treated as external applicants. It is made clear that all posts are open to internal as well as external applicants;

viii. At interview stage, questions will be limited to those, which are necessary for carrying out the job. Questions will be avoided which could be taken to be discriminatory. Since implementation of equality of opportunity is important to The Group, this matter will be discussed within interviews;

ix. Application forms will state that if a candidate has not been invited for interview by a certain date then they have not been selected for interview;

x. Wherever possible posts will be designed which enable a wide variety of applicants to apply and flexibility will be encouraged. If a full-time post can be offered on a job-share basis, or arrangements can be made to encourage parents of dependent children to apply through flexibility over work hours, or special arrangements for holiday periods then this will be positively encouraged. This information should be included in advertisements, job descriptions and terms/conditions of employment within contracts;

xi. Other terms and conditions will be reviewed where necessary to ensure a flexible interpretation, which does not discriminate against some volunteers or staff. For example, non-Christian holidays may be observed, allowance for compassionate leave where appropriate;

xii. People in part-time posts will be encouraged to play a full part in The Group business where it is possible to arrange, for example, staff meetings, to suit a variety of needs;

xiii. Appropriate training for development within the post is positively encouraged and opportunities to identify training needs will be offered through regular staff appraisal interviews;

xiv. The Group will implement a comprehensive induction programme for new employees and volunteers;

xv. Victimisation or harassment resulting in discrimination will be regarded as a cause for grievance, or as a matter of gross misconduct. This may include verbal or physical abuse, pictorial images which show contempt for groups of people or individuals, offensive, intimidating, or humiliating remarks, offensive signs;

xvi. In advertising posts, sufficient time will be left between advertising and closing date to allow as many people as possible to apply for the post.

4. Service provision

a. Objectives

The Group offers a range of services aimed at meeting the needs of disabled people and carers and will continue to work in this way to facilitate independence in daily living activities, active participation in and full integration into society. The Group may also take initiatives, where un-met need is identified through liaison with other organisations or establishing a service of its own, in accordance with its constitution and statement of intent.

b. Practical implementation

i. Services run by The Group will be monitored to ensure that they are meeting the needs of disabled people and carers, that they provide open access and to try to address problems of imbalance in provision should this occur.

ii. It is inevitable that limited resources will result in competition between different needs. The Group will try to ensure that its work plans result in a fair distribution of resources.

5. A brief statement of aims

a. General

"The Group is established to benefit those persons in the Scarborough and district area, who are substantially and or permanently disabled by providing, or encouraging the provision of services which facilitate independence in daily living activities, active participation and full integration into society."

"To promote the relief of all disabled persons within the area of benefit and to assist those persons by the provision of a direct information and advice service."

b. Employment advertisements

"The Group is working towards equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community."

"This post is part-time/full-time. We will try to make flexible arrangements to allow for personal commitments, school holidays etc." (To be used where appropriate).

6. Evaluation

i. The Group will monitor job applications over a period of time to ensure that applications received, short listed and posts offered conform with policies.

ii. Individuals working within The Group will be given responsibility for implementing sections of the policy document and reviewing progress.

iii. This policy will be reviewed at appropriate intervals by The Group, if necessary specific elements of the policy will be evaluated and changes made as required.

iv. An annual budget will be allocated towards the specific costs of travel and carer's costs.

Appendices

1. Existing Group application form (may need to add equal opportunities statement)

2. Existing Group value statement

3. Existing Group Equal Opportunities Form

Reviewed 12 June 2003. Amended 16 June 2003.