EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
Home
Statement of Intent
The purpose of this equal opportunities policy
is to set out clearly the action that Tameside Third Sector Coalition intends
to undertake in order to combat direct and indirect discrimination in employment
policy, management of the organisation and its service delivery.
Tameside Third
Sector Coalition is actively opposed to all forms of discrimination on the grounds
of:
| Age |
Caring responsibilities |
Race |
Nationality |
| Class |
Disability |
Religion |
Sexuality |
| Gender |
HIV Status |
Long term illness |
Marital status |
The term “Tameside Third Sector Coalition”
refers to staff, management Board members and volunteers of this organisation
including its managed projects.
Code of Practice
Introduction
T3SC celebrates the diversity of the communities of Tameside
that we serve, and values the contributions made by all. This policy aims to
clarify how T3SC will put this into practice and will treat everyone in an open
and equal way. The statement
of intent will be made available to any individual or group who requests it.
It will also be displayed in the Tameside Third Sector Coalition Office and
in any relevant correspondence. A copy of the equal opportunities policy will
be given to all members of Tameside Voice, Board members, volunteers and staff.
When
will this policy be reviewed?
Tameside Third Sector Coalition makes a commitment
to reviewing this equal opportunities policy every three years.
Who takes a lead
on this policy?
The responsibility for this policy is delegated
by the Board to the Director of T3SC.
| 1.1 |
T3SC will regularly examine the potential barriers for groups in accessing
T3SC services, with the aim of addressing these where possible, in order
to make services more accessible to those who may be subject to discrimination
on the grounds outlined in the statement of intent. |
| 1.2 |
T3SC aims to work pro-actively with voluntary and community groups
in Tameside to support them in working in ways that promote equal opportunities. |
| 1.3 |
The organisation’s complaints procedure is available on request
to any group or individual who feels they have not been dealt with in
a fair and non-discriminatory manner. |
| 1.4 |
T3SC will aim to keep up-to-date information about equal opportunities
including legislation, good practice models and where to go for additional
help. This information will be made available to staff, volunteers, Board
members, service users and others who request it. Where appropriate, such
information will be included in the T3SC newsletter. |
| 1.5 |
T3SC will make its information
available in other formats such as on disk, audio
tape, in large print or in other languages, where appropriate and feasible.
|
| 2.1 |
T3SC aims to ensure that no applicant receives less favourable treatment
than another on the grounds stated in the Statement of Intent. |
| 2.2 |
All vacancies will be advertised in national and/or local media, where
appropriate. T3SC will ensure that information about vacancies will be
distributed as widely as possible. |
| 2.3 |
T3SC will record the details of applicants' gender, race, sexuality
and disability on an equal opportunities monitoring form. |
| 2.4 |
T3SC will use procedures that ensure the confidentiality of the applicant;
only relevant information for short-listing will be included. Information
such as race, age and gender will be excluded from this process, unless
of relevance to the post. |
| 2.5 |
Each post will have a job description and a person specification. |
| 3.1 |
Recruitment criteria will be clear and will relate to the skills, abilities
and experiences needed to successfully carry out the duties of the post. |
| 3.2 |
A points system will be used during short
listing based on the requirements of the person specification, to assess
all applicants and candidates for the post(s) concerned. |
| 3.3 |
Potential barriers for candidates in accessing job opportunities with
T3SC will be continuously reviewed, and action taken to address them where
possible. |
| 3.4 |
If requested, feedback will be given to candidates regarding their
application, orally after the shortlisting stage or after interview. The
complaints procedure is available to those who feel they have not been
treated equally and fairly. |
| 3.5 |
A short report will be presented to the Board annually, detailing anonymous
profiles of applicants including race, gender, disability and sexuality. |
| 4.1 |
All employees will receive equal opportunities training, in order to
develop skills in putting equal opportunities into practice in all areas
of work. |
| 4.2 |
T3SC will aim to be open and fair when considering training requests
from staff and volunteers. |
| 4.3 |
In order for T3SC's Equal Opportunities policy to be fully effective,
T3SC will keep a record of employee profiles, including their ethnic origin,
gender, disability and their grade. |
| 5.1 |
T3SC Board members will be briefed on the equal opportunities policy
as part of their induction into the organisation |
| 6.0 |
Grievance, Disciplinary and Disputes
Procedures |
| 6.1 |
Internal grievances and complaints regarding discrimination will be
thoroughly investigated. The process will adhere to T3SC's Grievance,
Disciplinary and Disputes Procedure, detailed in T3SC's Terms and Conditions,
under the appropriate section(s). |
| 6.2 |
Breaches of the equal opportunities policy
by Board Members will also be regarded as a serious matter and will be
taken to T3SC Chair for action. |