Equality and Diversity
October 2020
Contents:
Document Control Sheet
Intended audience
Amendments to the document
Approval and sign-off
Scope
Services within scope
Purpose of document
Policy statement
Forms of discrimination
Specific responsibilities
Equal opportunities in the workplace
Key contacts
Abbreviations & terms/definitions
Intended audience
This document is intended to be used by:
- 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) trustees
- 3H Fund (Helping Hands forHolidays) managers
- 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) employees
- 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) holiday leaders
- 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) holiday medical volunteers
- 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) volunteer holiday carers
- 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) volunteers
Other key stakeholders include:
- The Charity Commission
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The Fundraising Regulator (FR)
- The beneficiaries of the services provided by 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays)
Amendments to the document
This document will be reviewed on an annual basis by 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) to ensure continual compliance with Charity Commission requirements and associated legislation, CQC standards and for observing relevant Codes of Practice to measure service performance and to identify any areas for potential improvement, unless requested as part of, or pre-requisite to, any Service Improvement Plan (SIP)
Any changes needing to be made to this document will be made via the 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Change Management Process as described in Section 9 of the Governance Document.
Approval and sign-off
This section identifies who within 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) has approved this document contents and commits on behalf of each party to the working practices and support levels contained therein. This document covers the provision of the 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Group Holiday Programme, Grant Programme, Teens Out Programme and Carer Support Programme.
By signing this document, the trustees nominated agree to commit to the responsibilities identified in this document. The document can be signed with an electronic signature or by typing in the names of the Chair and Deputy Chair as long as accompanied by an email confirming approval of the policy. The emails relating to the approval will be held in the office along with the electronic signatures. The date of approval should be included in the Approval box on the Document Control Sheet and should be the date when both approvals have been received.
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On behalf of 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Signed by: Stephen Clark Name & position in organisation Stephen Clark – Chair of Trustees |
Name & position in organisation Ed Langridge – Deputy Chair of Trustees
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Scope
The scope of this document is in the context of 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) complying with the requirements of its regulatory bodies in relation to the services it provides as follows:
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Governance Strategy
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Service Asset and Configuration Management (SACM)
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Change Management
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Continuous Service Improvement
Services within scope
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Group Holiday Programme
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Grant Programme
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) TeensOut Programme
- The 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Carer Support Programme
Purpose of document
The purpose of this Policy is to communicate our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity with the aims of ensuring that all trustees, employees, volunteers and beneficiaries are treated fairly and equally, and support the Charity’s objectives of providing an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination.
A copy of this policy will be distributed to all trustees and employees. It can be found on the SharePoint and a hard copy is stored in the 3H Fund Speldhurst office. The policy will be made available to volunteers and other beneficiaries on request.
Any questions about this policy should be directed to the 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) Board of Trustees or the Charity Manager.
This policy does not form part of employees’ contracts of employment and the charity may amend it at any time.
Policy statement
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) is fully committed to providing equality in the workplace and all opportunities for, and during employment, will be afforded to individuals fairly and irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race including colour, ethnic or national origins and nationality, religion or belief or sexual orientation (“the protected characteristics”). We aim to create a working environment that is free from discrimination and harassment in any form, in which all trustees, staff, volunteers and beneficiaries are treated with dignity and respect.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will not unlawfully discriminate in the arrangements we make for recruitment and selection or in the opportunities afforded for employment, training or any other benefit. All decisions will be made fairly and objectively. We aim, as far as reasonably practicable, to ensure that all our working practices are applied fairly and consistently and, where necessary, we will take reasonable steps to avoid or overcome any particular disadvantage these may cause and to promote equality.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) respects an individual’s right to choose whether or not to belong to a trade union and membership status will have no bearing on an applicant’s suitability for employment or result in any detrimental treatment when working for the Charity.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) is fully committed to providing a culture that values and respects the differences between individuals and equality of opportunity for all.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) promotes positive and respectful relationships between trustees, employees, volunteers and beneficiaries and takes positive steps to tackle unlawful and unfair discrimination.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will manage the holiday application process effectively to ensure the selection process for volunteers and guests is free from unfair discrimination. Careful consideration will be given to any safe and lawful requests for reasonable adjustments to be made to the service offered.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) aims to ensure all individuals, for all charity programmes, have the same opportunities irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race including colour, ethnic or national origins and nationality, religion or belief or sexual orientation (“the protected characteristics”)
Direct Discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic that they either have or are thought to have. Direct discrimination can also occur by way of association, which is when a person is treated less favourably because, for example, their spouse or partner or other relative has the protected characteristic.
Indirect Discrimination occurs when a provision, criterion or practice is applied equally to everyone, but has a disproportionately adverse effect on people who share a particular protected characteristic. A person with the protected characteristic who is disadvantaged in that way has the right to complain.
To be justified the provision, criterion, or practice must be necessary for legitimate business reasons in circumstances where less discriminatory alternatives are not reasonably available.
Victimisation occurs where someone is treated unfavourably because he/she has raised a complaint under this policy or taken legal action, in relation to any alleged act of unlawful discrimination, against the Charity or because he/she has supported someone else in doing this.
Harassment is unwanted conduct that violates an individual’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Harassment can take many different forms and may involve inappropriate actions, behaviour, comments, emails or physical contact that causes offence or are objectionable.
Harassment may involve a single incident or persistent behaviour that extends over a period of time and can occur even if someone did not mean to cause offence. It also means that a person can be subjected to harassment by behaviour that is not aimed at them directly but which they nonetheless find unpleasant.
Harassment is always unacceptable and where it relates to a protected characteristic it will amount to an unlawful act of discrimination.
Discrimination arising from Disability – In addition to the above, it is unlawful to treat a person unfavourably because of something that is the result, effect or outcome of their disability, unless the treatment is necessary and can be objectively justified. Furthermore, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled applicants, employees or other workers are not substantially disadvantaged.
Specific responsibilities
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) has overall responsibility for the effective operation of this policy and for ensuring compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and associated legislation and for observing relevant Codes of Practice.
The Charity Manager is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the policy and for ensuring that all employment-related policies, procedures and practices adhere to this policy.
All staff have a responsibility not to discriminate or harass other staff, trustees, volunteers and other beneficiaries and to report any such behaviour of which they become aware to the Charity Manager.
The Trustees, Charity Manager, Group Holiday Leaders and Co-Leaders and all other volunteers are responsible for implementing the Policy and must apply the policy as part of their day-to-day management of the Charity.
Equal opportunities in the workplace
There are a number of ways in which 3H Fund (Helping Hand for Holidays) aims to ensure equal opportunities in the workplace, including:
Recruitment and selection procedures will be free from bias or discrimination. Recruitment procedures will be conducted objectively and will be based upon specific and reasonable job-related criteria. Decisions regarding an individual’s suitability for a particular role will be based on aptitude and ability.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will consider making appropriate reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure that disabled applicants are not substantially disadvantaged.
Wherever possible, vacancies will be advertised as being suitable for flexible working, to encourage applications from individuals seeking work on a part time or job share basis.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will consider taking appropriate positive action to enable or encourage applications from persons with a protected characteristic that is under-represented in the organisation.
All staff will be given an appropriate induction to enable them to fulfil the responsibilities of their role.
All employees will be encouraged to develop their full potential and the Charity will not unreasonably deny an employee access to training or other career development opportunities. These will be identified as part of an ongoing performance management process and will be determined objectively, taking into account the needs of the business and available resources.
Selection for promotion will be based on objective criteria and decisions will be made on the basis of merit.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) operates a pay and benefits system that is transparent, based on objective criteria and free from bias to ensure that all employees are rewarded fairly for their contribution and loyalty.
Terms and conditions of employment for part-time employees will be provided on a pro-rata basis to full-time employees. Similarly, the terms and conditions for fixed term employees will be comparable with those given to permanent employees, except when different treatment can be objectively justified. Benefits and facilities will be made available to all staff who should have access to them, as appropriate.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) aims to ensure that employment policies and practices, including any rules or requirements, do not directly or indirectly discriminate and are applied in a non-discriminatory manner. In particular the charity will ensure that all disciplinary decisions are fair and consistent and that selection for redundancy is based on objective criteria.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will consider making appropriate reasonable adjustments to the working environment or any work arrangements that would alleviate any substantial disadvantage these cause disabled staff.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will aim as far as reasonably practicable to accommodate the requirements of different religions and cultures and will consider requests from employees to vary or change their working hours to enable them to care for a dependant, according to the details set out in the Charity’s Employee Handbook (see Flexible Working).
3H Fund (Helping Hand for Holidays) employs a variety of processes to ensure an anti-discriminatory approach to the holiday process and event.
Volunteer and Guest selection procedures will be free from bias or discrimination. Volunteer and holiday guest advertisements aim to be accessible to all individuals. This will be done through various mediums and will include the opportunity for individuals to contact the charity via telephone, email, post and through the website.
All information supplied by 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) relevant to the holiday process and event will be available in an alternative format if required and requested.
Decisions regarding an individual’s suitability for a particular holiday will be based on information given on the application form in the first instance. Further information will be sought via telephone, email or post if necessary, to ascertain whether the charity is able to safely and legally offer a place on the applied for holiday.
All volunteers will be given a code of conduct to read and sign and a copy of the relevant 3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) policies will be made available to every volunteer prior to the holiday start date.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) holiday leaders will give careful consideration to the pairing of volunteers and guests and to the activity groupings to enable positive relationships.
Appropriate information will be shared with the volunteers to enable them to fulfil the responsibilities of their role.
The Charity will provide appropriate training opportunities for volunteers prior to the holiday to ensure all volunteers have the same basic holiday information and training.
All volunteers will be encouraged and supported throughout the holiday to develop their full potential.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) operates a transparent process for holiday costing and payment structures to ensure that all volunteers and guests are aware of holiday costs and available bursaries.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will consider making appropriate reasonable adjustments to the holiday application process, support offered or the event that would alleviate any substantial disadvantage these cause disabled staff.
3H Fund (Helping Hands for Holidays) will aim as far as reasonably practicable to accommodate the requirements of different religions and cultures.
A definition of terms is provided below.
Key contacts
3H Helping Hands for Holidays
| Name | Role | Tel No | |
| Tony Lavender | Policy Owner /Trustee |
01892 860207 | info@3hfund.org.uk |
| Jane Davy | Charity Manager | 01892 860207 | jane@3hfund.org.uk |
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Claire Sanderson
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CQC Registered Manager
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01892 860207
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claire@3hfund.org.uk
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| Robert Sparke | CQC Nominated Individual |
01892 860207
01892 860207 |
bob@3hfund.org.uk
bob@3hfund.org.uk |
Abbreviations & terms/definitions
| Acronym or Term | Definition |
| CQC | Care Quality Commission |
| SIP | Service Improvement Plan |
| RFC | Request For Change |
| SACM | Service Asset and Configuration Management |
| Equality | The right of different groups of people to receive the equivalent treatment. |
| Diversity | The state or equality of being different or varied. |
| Inclusivity | The importance of including people in ways that respect and value their differences. |
| Harassment | Unwanted behaviour which is found to be offensive or which makes a person feel intimidated or humiliated. |
| Discrimination | Treating a person or particular group of people differently especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people. |
| Victimisation | The action of singling someone out for cruel or unjust treatment. |