Equality and Diversity Policy

Purpose of the policy

1. As part of the Activate Learning group, SOFEA is committed to advancing equality of opportunity, respecting and celebrating difference, eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation and fostering good relations.We strive to create and maintain a working and learning environment in which everyone has the opportunity to participate fully, give of their best and achieve their full potential in a climate free from discrimination or harassment. We will treat all trainees, staff, volunteers and others associated with SOFEA with fairness, respect and sensitivity.

   It is the policy of SOFEA to recognise and encourage the valuable and enriching contribution from all who work and learn here and the rights of all individuals who come into contact such as prospective trainees, volunteers and job applicants.

   All staff, trainees, volunteers and visitors to our sites have a right to equality of opportunity in accessing employment or services, irrespective of race, disability, gender, gender reassignment, age, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity status, or socio-economic status, background or class.

   We will actively challenge and tackle all forms of prejudice, discrimination and stereotypical attitudes. Any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation carried out by an individual will be treated as a matter for possible disciplinary action.

2. As part of the Activate Learning group, this policy provides the overarching SOFEA vision, values and commitments in relation to equality and diversity. It has been updated to reflect changes in equality legislation including the Equality Act 2010.

About this policy

1. This policy applies to all staff, trainees, volunteers and visitors to our sites including people using the services on our sites such as the Community Larder, and those providing an onsite service such as contractors and sub-contractors. All of these groups of people will be expected to adhere to this policy. Where staff, trainees or volunteers are working or studying in locations other than our campuses they will still be subject to the policy. The policy also applies to external contractors, employers and other partners that we collaborate with.Behaviour outside working time and outside our sites may also fall within the scope of the policy. Breaches of this policy will be taken seriously and may lead to disciplinary proceedings.

Definitions

1. Discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) recognises the following types of discrimination:
   • Direct discrimination, including associative and perception discrimination
   • Indirect discrimination
   • Harassment
   • Victimisation
   • Discrimination arising from a disability
   • Failure to make reasonable adjustments.
2. Direct discrimination. This occurs when someone is treated unfairly, or less favourably than another person, because they have a protected characteristic. This often arises because of assumptions, stereotyping or prejudice.
3. Associative discrimination. This is direct discrimination against someone because they associate with another person who has the protected characteristic.
4. Perception discrimination. This is direct discrimination against someone because they are perceived to have a protected characteristic.
5. Indirect discrimination. This happens when a “provision, criterion or practice” is applied that appears to affect everyone equally but which in fact puts people who share a protected characteristic at a disadvantage. The Act harmonises the definition of indirect discrimination across protected characteristics (with the exception of pregnancy/maternity). Although pregnancy and maternity are not covered by indirect discrimination, policy and practice that disadvantages pregnant women and new mothers could constitute indirect gender discrimination.
6. Harassment. This occurs when someone behaves in such a way that a person’s dignity is violated, or behaves in such a way that a person’s dignity is violated, or behaves in such a way that they create an environment that is offensive, hostile, degrading, humiliating or intimidating for a person, where this is:
   • Related to a protected characteristic (except pregnancy/maternity or marriage/civil partnerships).
   • Of a sexual nature (sexual harassment).
   • Where a person is treated less favourably because they have either submitted to or rejected to sexual harassment, or harassment related to sex or to gender reassignment (this is known as “consequential harassment”).
7. This happens when someone is treated unfairly or less favourably because they have supported someone in making a complaint or an allegation of discrimination, or because they personally have made an allegation of discrimination.
8. Failure to make reasonable adjustments. This happens when an organisation fails to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled person, to avoid the disabled person being placed at a substantial disadvantage when compared to a non-disabled person.
9. Protected characteristic. The Act introduces the term ‘protected characteristic’ to refer to aspects of a person’s identity explicitly protected from unlawful discrimination. Nine are identified:
   • Race
   • Disability
   • Gender
   • Age
   • Sexual orientation
   • Religion and belief
   • Gender reassignment
   • Pregnancy/maternity
   • Marriage/civil partnership.

   In addition, other aspects of a person’s identity, background or circumstance can cause them to experience discrimination, for example a person’s socio-economic status, class or background. SOFEA is committed to advancing equality and eliminating discrimination on these and other grounds.

10. Advance. Advance involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to:
    • Remove/minimise disadvantages experienced by persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are connected to that characteristic
    • Take steps to meet the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are different from the needs of persons who don’t share it
    • Encourage persons with a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activities where participation by such persons is disproportionately low.
11. Foster good relations. Foster good relations includes having due regard to tackling prejudice and promoting understanding.

Our Commitment

1. 1. We are committed to advancing equality of opportunity, respecting and celebrating difference, eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation and fostering good relations between all who work or learn at, or use the services of SOFEA. We aim to create and maintain a working and learning environment in which all people have the opportunity to participate fully, give of their best and achieve their full potential in a climate free from discrimination or harassment. We recognise that all have a right to equality of opportunity irrespective of race, disability, gender, gender reassignment, age, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity status, or socio-economic status, background or class. Equality and diversity is central to all that we do, and fundamental to our mission and values.
2. Our commitment to staffWe will:
   1. Strive to employ a diverse workforce which reflects the local community and the learner population
   2. Make clear our expectations and commitments to equality and diversity during the recruitment and selection process and again during the induction
   3. Provide ongoing continuous professional development in equality and diversity to equip staff to recognise and embed diversity and to challenge any form of discrimination
   4. Provide reasonable adjustments for staff who are or who become disabled
   5. Embed equality and diversity throughout workforce practice, for example, providing good customer care embedding equality and diversity in teaching and learning and providing a high quality service for all.
3. Our commitment to traineesWe will:
   1. Make clear our expectations and commitments to equality and diversity in our marketing and recruitment materials and events, during the learner and staff admissions processes and again during induction.
   2. Celebrate equality and diversity for example via posters tutorial activities and celebratory events.
   3. Strive to provide an inclusive teaching and learning environment that is personalised to the individual and which takes account of individual need and cultural backgrounds
   4. Embed equality and diversity within all aspects of the learner journey from curriculum planning through to marketing our provision, recruiting our learners, on-course teaching, learning, assessment tutorial and enrichment activities.
   5. Strive to provide support services for learners that meet diverse needs, including additional learning support (ALS) tailored to individual needs for learners who require ALS to support their learning progression
   6. Provide multiple Learner Voice opportunities for all learners to feed into the development of all aspects of the learner experience.
4. Tackling discrimination, harassment and victimizationWe will:
   1. Actively challenge and tackle all form of prejudice, discrimination and stereotypical attitudes
   2. Deal with all allegations of discrimination, harassment and victimization sensitively and investigate fairly and thoroughly
   3. Treat any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation carried out by an individual as a matter for possible disciplinary action.

Summary of responsibilities

All staff, trainees, volunteers and visitors, including contractors, are responsible for following and supporting this policy. Any person can raise, either informally or formally, complaints of unfair and/or discriminatory treatment. Breaches of this policy will be taken seriously and may lead to disciplinary proceedings.

1. The executive body will:
   1. Ensure that SOFEA’s strategic plan has a commitment to equality and diversity.
   2. Receive and respond to staff, trainee and volunteer reports.
   3. Agree relevant equality targets and monitor progress towards these.
2. The senior management team will:
   1. Take an active and visible lead in driving forward equality and diversity.
   2. Oversee the implementation of this policy.
   3. Ensure equality and diversity data is embedded within development plans.
   4. Agree equality targets with relevant managers.
3. All staff and volunteers will:
   1. Attend regular training opportunities to ensure they understand the principles of this policy and the implications for their job role and responsibilities.
   2. Implement the policy in the course of their duties.
4. All trainees will:
   1. Treat everyone with respect and consideration, making them feel welcome.
   2. Behave carefully, avoiding using inappropriate language or saying hurtful or disrespectful things about other people.
   3. Report any concerns they have for themselves or others.

Monitoring and review of the policy

1. This policy is reviewed once a year by our Compliance Officer to ensure that it is achieving its objectives.