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Equality and inclusion at Woodland Ways
We value the range of different people in Moreton Hall, the part of Bury St Edmunds in which Woodland Ways is active, but recognise some people can be disadvantaged and discriminated against as a member or as a service user. We are committed to developing policies to tackle inequality and exclusion, by ensuring services are accessible and our practices fair.
We want to make sure people are not discriminated against for any reason, including their disability, gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, faith, beliefs, culture, nationality, age, sexuality, family circumstances, socio-economic status. This list is not complete and there are other forms of discrimination, which we will not tolerate. We will not tolerate discrimination of any kind.
Social inclusion is about enabling people to take part in society on equal terms with others. This can be achieved in a number of ways and could mean improving a person’s access to Woodland Ways’ activities and services.
We will:
Our policy explains your rights and responsibilities, whether as a:
We will ensure that:
Some of our standards are applicable to all areas of diversity and inclusion (general), whilst others are specific to social exclusion, race, disability, gender, religion & religious belief, sexual orientation & gender reassignment, and age
General
We want to ensure that:
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 states that a person has a disability "if he/she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her normal day to day activities". The definition covers a wide range of physical, sensory and learning disabilities, as well as mental health problems. In our society, non-disabled people have traditionally been in a position of greater power. Unhelpful attitudes have stemmed from ideas of perceived superiority of non-disabled people. We believe in a society where all people are equal, whether they have a disability or not.
The Government defines social exclusion as:
"A shorthand term for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment,
poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown."
Poverty is a key element, but social exclusion can also be associated with one or more of the following:
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Discrimination on the grounds of religion, faith, culture or belief may occur because of commonly held assumptions about a particular religion, custom or because of a lack of understanding of prayer, dietary or other requirements.
We are committed to ensuring that no trustee or volunteer receives less or more favourable treatment on the grounds of their religion, faith, culture or belief. This commitment extends to a person’s allegiance to a society or association as long as such a membership does not conflict with our corporate activities.
We will not tolerate harassment of employees, service users or volunteers for reasons of their religion, faith, culture or belief.
A person’s sexual orientation has no bearing whatsoever on their ability or suitability to participate in Woodland Ways. No volunteer or trustee will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds that they are gay, lesbian or bisexual. We will not tolerate harassment of trustees, service users or volunteers for reasons of their sexual orientation.
Discrimination on the grounds of age usually arises because of assumptions made about a person’s value and abilities because of their age. For example older people can be stereotyped as having outdated ideas and being inflexible with regard to change. Young people are sometimes treated as though their views are unimportant because it is thought they lack experience, maturity or commitment.
We are committed to the following:
In society today, women are particularly affected by having responsibilities outside work, which may impact on their work. However, it should also be recognised that men also have such responsibilities. We will not tolerate discrimination on the grounds of caring responsibilities.
We are committed to providing high-quality services which meet the needs of, and are available to, all our residents. People who use our services should not face discrimination or harassment.
Trustees, volunteers and any other people providing our services are also entitled to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect. We will not tolerate discrimination against or harassment of service users and service providers.
We will aim to:
Consultation has an important role to play to help us implement improvements in the services we provide. Through public involvement we can assess the likely effects of proposed policies before they are introduced. We therefore need to consult with people who are likely to be affected by our policies.
b Access to information and services
We recognise the importance of effectively communicating with our service users. For this reason we are committed to making information about our services accessible by using Plain English (language that is easily understood);
We will continue working towards providing the public with as much information as possible. This policy makes us more accountable and in the process raises our profile in the community we serve.
c Complaints procedure
Comments and complaints can be made by phone, in person or in writing. We will try to put matters right and improve things for the future. A trustee will investigate the complaint. If the complainant remains unhappy with the response, the whole trustees meeting will investigate.
All trustees have a responsibility for working towards equality and inclusion and for implementation of this policy. The following actions by trustees may be regarded as infringements:
Such matters will be addressed by the steering group.
Acknowledgement
This policy is based on the Suffolk County Council policy for Equality.
Access policy at Woodland Ways
Education at Woodland Ways
Complaints at Woodland Ways
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The Woodland Ways Team