Equality and Diversity

Equality and Human Rights policy

The Association is committed to ensuring our people and the tenants and residents in our communities do not face discrimination, victimisation, harassment or social exclusion due to any of the following protected characteristics (identified in the Equality Act 2010): age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion and belief; sex or sexual orientation.

The Association’s policy outlines the Association’s commitment to Equality and Human rights. This policy supersedes any previous policy and updates the previous Equality and Diversity action plan.

This new policy has been renamed and brought up to date with any changes in legislation and is accompanied by and update Equality and Human Rights action plan. These were approved by the Management Committee April 2021.

It was developed in collaboration with both staff and Committee members who worked tirelessly to ensure that we met the needs of all our service users and promoted our commitment to Equalities and Human Rights.

The policy is supported by an action plan which sets out what the Association will do on a day-to-day basis to help ensure that the policy’s objectives are achieved and that the Association can be proactive in its work in equality and diversity. The action plan is as a separate document which is updated and reviewed annually.

What have we done so far?

Delivered a programmed of Equality and Human Rights Training for staff and Management Committee. Worked Collaboratory with management committee to produce our Equality and human rights action plan 2021.

Made available all our public documents in translation, large print, CD/Data to voice, and in Braille upon request
Included an article in our newsletter
Guaranteed an interview to all those who have a disability if they meet the minimum criteria for a job being advertised
Identified specific tenant needs (letters and newsletters sent out in translation and in larger font.
Identified specific tenant needs (tenants who may need more time to answer the door etc, assist tenants complete a complaints form)
Have produced an Equalities form to collate data regarding tenants, owners, housing applicants, staff (can use an anonymised form or not)

Our ongoing commitment to our service users:

Programme in refresher training on Equality and Diversity to staff and Management Committee
Embed Equality and human rights policy into our inductions both staff and committee members and our non-management sub-Committees
Provide a sign or language interpreter when requested to do so.
A section will be added (or existing section reviewed) to the welcome pack provided to tenants
To develop links with local support groups who work with under-represented or marginalised groups with a view to identifying how the Association can do to improve its services / support
To sign-post people to relevant support services (i.e., mental health support, financial support, digital support foodbanks)
To develop strategies to address digital exclusion within its community through providing relevant support, sign-posting to IT resources (i.e. local libraries) and sign-positing to relevant IT course