Younique Talent’s Equality and Diversity Policy

Younique Talent wishes to secure genuine equality of opportunity in all aspects of its activities. This applies to job applicants, staff members, volunteers, our customers and the young people and their parents and carers. The policy has been implemented within the framework of current legislation, the Equality Act 2010.

Policy

Younique Talent recognises that in our society groups and individuals have been and continue to be discriminated against. Younique Talent also recognises that young people are often subject to discrimination specifically on grounds of their age. Younique Talent is committed to achieving Equality in all aspects of its work.

Younique Talent will aim to ensure that no volunteer or staff member, either current or potential, is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, colour, nationality, cultural origin, religion, disability, experience of mental distress, HIV status, caring responsibility, class, education, employment status, political belief or unrelated criminal conviction (this is not an exhaustive list).

Younique Talent believes that volunteers should not be excluded from any opportunity without due reason.

Younique Talent is committed to a programme of action to make this Equality and Diversity Policy effective. Our policy aims to ensure that no job applicant, staff members, volunteers, customers and young people and their Parent/carer:·

• Receives less favourable treatment due to their membership of a protected characteristic group(s)
• Is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements, which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

We will ensure that referral, selection criteria and procedures are frequently reviewed to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities.

Volunteers will not be discriminated against in the advice and support they are given. Nor will they be denied access to opportunities because of their assumed abilities, skills or behaviour and each volunteer will be judged on his/her own merits. Younique Talent will actively encourage and support young people to participate in the planning and implementation of their work.

Recruitment and Selection

It is the intention of the Younique Talent that recruitment decisions are based solely on the relevant merits and abilities of candidates. The organisation will require, therefore, that those involved in staff selection and volunteer recruitment do not discriminate, whether directly or indirectly, in the making of those decisions.

All applicants for posts with the organisation shall be given as much clear accurate information in advertisements, job descriptions and interviews as necessary to enable them to gauge their suitability for the post.

Recruitment literature shall not imply that there is a preference for one group of applicants unless this is relevant to the post and specific exemption from equality legislation has been sought.

Vacancies will be aimed at as wide a group of suitable candidates as possible.

Application forms shall be as clear as possible and shall not be phrased in too narrow or restrictive terms. The application form will be free of personal questions, particularly those about marital status and number and ages of children.

All applicants and prospective volunteers shall be informed that the organisation operates an Equality and Diversity Policy. Such information will be conveyed in all application forms and advertisements. A copy of the Policy Statement will be provided to all job applicants and prospective volunteers.

The staff members who conduct the recruitment interviews will be trained to take an unbiased approach regardless of the applicants race, gender, marital status, and to ask only questions, which relate to the job or volunteering opportunity, that are non-discriminatory. Questions relating to the following topics will not be asked at interviews - marriage plans, marital status, occupation of spouse, number and age of children, family intentions, religious or political beliefs, race/nationality, sexual orientation.

Training

Training and development opportunities will be given to any staff members/volunteer to discuss career development and training with the Director and/or the Management Committee.

Every attempt is made to ensure learning materials, where possible, portray positive images of people while also reinforcing anti-discriminatory language and images of all individuals and groups.

Equality and Diversity will be considered in all activities and resources. It is crucial that all volunteers are able to participate and enjoy the activities without discrimination. Younique Talent will actively encourage members of groups from all sectors of the community to offer themselves for volunteering opportunities within Younique Talent.

Sex Discrimination

The provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act apply to both Men and Women. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 makes it unlawful, unless the job or volunteering opportunity is covered by an exemption, to discriminate on the grounds of sex or marriage. Discrimination occurs when a condition, or requirement is applied which cannot be justified. Alternative Construction Education fully supports the Sex Discrimination Acts.

Direct Sex Discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably on the grounds of sex than a person of the other sex would be in the same circumstances.

Indirect Sex Discrimination may still occur when a requirement or condition is applied equally to men and women. Such a condition may nevertheless discriminate against one sex because the proportion of one sex, which can comply with it is much smaller than the proportion of the other sex that can comply with it.

Marriage Discrimination occurs when a married person is treated less favourably on the grounds of marital status than an unmarried person of the sex would be in the same circumstances, this discrimination may be direct or indirect as explained above.

Sexual Harassment

Younique Talent wishes to make it quite clear that sexual harassment is unlawful and views harassment very seriously.

The definition adopted by Younique Talent is:

Repeated and unwanted verbal or sexual, sexually explicit derogatory statements or sexually discriminating remarks which are offensive to the worker or volunteer involved, which cause the worker or volunteer to feel threatened, humiliated, patronised or harassed or which creates a threatening or intimidating environment.

Racial Discrimination

The Race Relations Act 1976 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person directly or indirectly in the field of employment. Younique Talent fully supports the Race Relations Act.

Direct discrimination consists of treating a person differently and less favourable on the grounds of their racial origin.

Indirect discrimination consists of treating everyone the same but in a way, which results in some people not being able to comply where others from another racial background can.

Demands of Religion (e.g. prayer times and religious holidays) and of culture (traditional dress) are accepted.

Racial Harassment

It is imperative that employees and volunteers are aware of legal commitments under Race Discrimination legislation and of its opposition to all forms of racism. Incidents include:

• Physical assaults/threats against a person or group because of colour or ethnicity.
• Racist insult/joke/name calling.
• Racist graffiti/any other written insult.
• Provocative behaviour (e.g. wearing racist badges or insignia).
• Racial comments in meetings conversation/workshops.
• Attempting to recruit for racist organisations or groups.
• Racist literature (leaflets, comics, magazines) brought into the organisation's premises.
• Providing a platform for racism.

Sexuality

Members of the LGBTQ+ as a protected charachteristic have a legal protection against discrimination.

Younique Talent is an equal opportunities organisation it is fully committed to the following policy provision.  Younique Talent will seek to overcome indirect discrimination by:

• Acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ+ community, either as staff members, volunteers or service users.
• Provision of information about relevant support organisations.
• Provision of regular training for all staff members/volunteers.
• Offering training opportunities for our service users.
• Making clear its expectations of staff in the conduct of their duties in any circumstances where they represent Younique Talent.

People who are known (or perceived) to be members of LGBTQ+ community, regularly experience harassment, verbal or physical assault in many areas of their lives including the workplace. Younique Talent will not tolerate this in an indirect or direct for discrimination.

Disability

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 introduces new laws and measures aimed at ending the discrimination which many disabled people face. Alternative Construction Education supports the Disability Discrimination Act.

It is against the law for an employer or voluntary organisation to treat a disabled person less favourably than someone else because of his or her disability, unless there is good reason. This applies to all employment matters (including recruitment, training, promotion and dismissal.)

It is unlawful to victimise people or to knowingly help another person to discriminate. Younique Talent wishes to encourage opportunities for people with disabilities and/or mental health issues.

Monitoring, review and responsibility

The management will be responsible for implementing the equal opportunities policy. This may be delegated to a sub-group (HR and personnel sub-committee). The Director will report to the group.

Any complaint or grievance should be made to the Director then who will refer the matter to the Directors of Younique Talent LTD, or directly to the chair, whichever is the most appropriate.

If the matter has Director involvement, then directly to the Directors of Younique Talent Ltd.

The Equality and Diversity policy will to be reviewed annually. All aspects of the policy are monitored as an ongoing practice. An annual review will be carried out by the management committee.

Name:………………………………………………………………………………….

Signed:…………………………………………………………………………………

Date:…………………………………………………………………………………….