Equal opportunities

Written: 01/03/2009
Approved: 05/03/2009

Last reviewed: 20/01/2022

Equal Opportunities Policy & Practice Statements

1. Mission Statement

Youth and Families Matter (YFM) is a voluntary organisation working with children and families through professional practice as a practical expression of the Christian faith in partnership with Testwood Baptist Church.

2. Anti-Discriminatory Policy Statement

Youth and Families Matter are committed to eliminating discrimination, promoting good relations and equal opportunity of access to our services. We aim to ensure that we offer help to children, young people and families in the local community where we work.

This means that no child, young person or adult should be treated in a discriminatory manner on the basis of their race, religion, culture, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or appearance. The implications of this policy are set out below.

3. Equal Opportunities Practice Statement

Youth and Families Matter will seek to implement anti-discriminatory practice for all service users by taking the following steps:

3.1. Access to Services

3.1.1. Working to make the environment welcoming and physically accessible to all users.

3.1.2. Making our publicity materials attractive and usable by those with whom we are involved. Materials should positively reflect our multi-cultural society.

3.1.3. Seeking to work with staff, volunteers and users to ensure staff understand the cultures and values of new users and are able to make them feel welcome.

3.1.4. Broadening the range of people and groups who may have a contribution to make to our activities within the aims and ethos of the organisation.

3.1.5. Effective communication to all potential users, by seeking to offer appropriate languages, signing for the deaf and not using jargon.

3.1.6. Holding meetings at times and in places that people can attend.

3.1.7. Distributing information about our activities as widely as possible.

3.1.8. Ensuring that information held about centre/project users is available to them as per the Data Protection/Information Sharing policy.

3.2. Offering diversity and choice in our services

3.2.1. Offering service users, a variety of ways of being involved with the work and of using their skills, all of which are valued.

3.2.2. Using materials and resources which reflect variety and diversity with positive images of, for example, family structures, gender roles, race, cultures and disability.

3.2.3. Creating opportunities to learn about and benefit from a knowledge of different cultures, races and experiences.

3.2.4. Ensuring staff and volunteers value each other, and respect the variety of contributions each can make to the work.

3.2.5. Ensuring that management structures are responsive and accessible to those with whom we are working and may seek to work. (see also 3.3.2)

3.2.6. Being aware of the full range of facilities in the geographical area and, if appropriate, building links.

3.3. Ensuring quality, relevance and flexibility in the staffing (including volunteers)

3.3.1. Operating staffing arrangements within the needs of the service which maximise the flexibility of working practices e.g. rotas, flexible hours, job sharing. 

3.3.2. Employing managers, staff and volunteers who have an open approach to people and ideas, and come from a variety of backgrounds

3.3.3. Supporting and supervising staff and volunteers to ensure they are able to respond positively to change and development.

3.4. Challenging discrimination

3.4.1. Challenging, as individuals or as a staff group, all discriminatory and/or prejudicial attitudes, remarks, behaviour and offensive jokes.

3.4.2. To raise awareness on issues of discrimination, in order to allow for an exchange of views, thoughts, feelings and information, and appropriate change to take place.

3.4.3. Make the organisation’s values towards service users explicit in promotional material and negotiations, in particular, making explicit the values and purpose of the centre and the equal opportunity policy and practice.

3.4.4. Ensuring that all users are aware of and have access to the complaints procedure

3.5. Developing children and young people’s full potential

3.5.1. Offer a rich, varied, stimulating and multi-cultural affirming environment consistent with each individual’s needs, within the aims and ethos of the organisation.

3.5.2. Encourage good communication with parents/carers and by creating an environment in which all parents feel equally able to contribute their skills.

3.5.3. Make use of research, publications and other materials highlighting and advocating good practice.

3.6. Implications for Employment Practice

3.6.1. Ensuring that those involved in recruitment interviewing are trained in order to implement the organisational policy; that all posts in the organisation are open to men and women regardless of age, race and to people with disabilities.

3.6.2. Seeking to ensure that interview panels include men, women and young people.

3.6.3. Giving consideration for certain posts to be advertised under the appropriate sections of the Sex Discrimination and/or Race Relations Acts in order to recruit the right gender of staff for particular situations.

3.6.4. Regarding disabled employees, where adaptation and erection of buildings takes place wherever possible providing facilities for the people with a disability. If an employee becomes disabled, subject to availability of suitable alternatives and medical advice, an alternative employment would be offered.

3.6.5. Having regard to the needs of staff with parental responsibility and maternity and paternity leave provision. Also to continue to consider posts for job sharing as per 3.3.1.

3.6.6. Confronting and dealing with harassment between staff members, i.e. repeated and unjustified comments, actions and suggestions or physical contact which are found unacceptable and offensive and which might threaten an employee’s job security or create an intimidating work environment. Such actions will not be acceptable to the organisation and will be dealt with within disciplinary procedures.

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