Access and Participation Statement...ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION - FEBRUARY 2019 1 Access and...
Transcript of Access and Participation Statement...ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION - FEBRUARY 2019 1 Access and...
ACCESSANDPARTICIPATION-FEBRUARY2019 1
AccessandParticipationStatement
CONTENTS
Page1 Overview
Page2 YourAmbitionsandStrategy
Page3 MeasurestoSupportStudents
Page4 EqualityandDiversity
Page5 TheProtectedCharacteristics:KeyPoints5
Page6 SomeKeyChangesYouNeedtoKnowAbout
Page7 EqualityandDiversityGoodPracticewithinLDTrainingServicesLtd
Page2 AdditionalInformation
Excellence in Learning, Development and Training
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1.OVERVIEW
LearningDevelopmentandTraining(LDT)hasverystrongcommitmenttoimproveaccess,successandprogressiontoallofourstudentsregardlessbackground,race,religionandgender.WefocusonimprovingstandardsineducationandhelpaccesstoHEforstudentsformdisadvantagedgroups,underrepresentedgroupsandstudentsformpoorbackground.LDTcomplywiththefollowingregulationsinpromotingaccessandparticipationforallourstudents.
1. OfficeforstudentsRegulatoryAdvice7(OfS2018.07)2. OfficeforStudentEqualityImpactAssessment(OfS2018.09)3. OfficeforFairAccessguidance4. HigherEducationandResearchAct2017sections30to32
Weuseourcurrentstudentdatasourcealongwiththefollowingsourcestotakedecisionson• NationalPupilDatabase• ESFA-ILR• Datarequiredinrelationtothetransparencyinformationcondition(ConditionF1oftheOfS
RegulatoryFramework)• HigherEducationStatisticsAgency(HESA)performanceindicators• UCASnationalandproviderstatistics• TeachingExcellenceFrameworkmetrics• Dataongraduatedestinations• DepartmentforEducationdestinationmeasuresandfreeschoolmealstatistics• StudentLoanCompanydataofstudentsreceivingthemaximummaintenanceloan
LDTwillconsiderthenationalprioritiesaspertotheOfficeforStudentregulatoryAdvice7OfS2018.07)guidanceondevelopingthefollowingthreeareas.
Access
Wehelpstudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups,disadvantagedgroupsandstudentsformpoorbackgroundstoenterintotheUKhighereducationsystem,inparticularreducingtheparticipationgapsforthosefromsocio-economicallydisadvantagedbackgrounds.Wereviseourstrategiestoincreasehighereducationparticipationbymaturestudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups.
Success
LDTaimtoimprovethenon-continuationratesofstudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups,disadvantagedstudentsandstudentsparticularlyfromminorityethnicgroupsandwithdisabilitiestoreducethegapsbetweenthesegroupsandothernormalstudents.Additionallecturesandnumeracyskillssessions,employabilitylessonswillbeprovidedtomakethemsuccess.
Progression
LDTwillworktowardstoimprovetheratesofprogressionofourstudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups,disadvantagedstudentsandstudentsformethnicminorityandpoorbackgroundswithdisabilitiesbyprovidingappropriateInformationadviceandguidancethroughourIAGsessionstoprogressthemtograduate-levelemploymentorfurtherUniversitystudy.
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2.YOURAMBITIONSANDSTRATEGY
LDTcoremissiontowideningaccessandimprovingparticipationforunderrepresentedgroupstudentstoenhancetheircareerforemploymentandfurtherUniversitystudies.Itisimportantforsocialmobilityandeconomiccompetitivenessaswell.WeworkwithOfSequalityimpactassessmentguidanceto
• Eliminateunlawfuldiscrimination,harassmentandvictimisationandotherconductprohibitedbytheAct
• Advanceequalityofopportunitybetweenpeoplewhoshareaprotectedcharacteristicandthosewhodonot
• Fostergoodrelationsbetweenpeoplewhoshareaprotectedcharacteristicandthosewhodonot
LDTrecruitingandsupportingstudentsfromdisadvantagedbackgroundsandstudentswithdisabilitiesandwesueourfundsto
• Widenaccesstotheabove-mentionedgroup• Improveretentionandstudentsuccessamongthesegroupofstudents• SupportprogressiontofurtherUniversitystudyoremployment
Wefoundfromouranalysisthatnationaldataandsomespecificevidenceindicatestherearegapsinequalityofopportunityindifferentgroupsofstudentswithparticularcharacteristicslike
• Thoselivinginareasoflowhighereducationparticipation,householdincome,orsocioeconomicstatus
• Studentsofparticularethnicities• Immaturestudents• Disadvantagedbackgrounds• Refugees• Disabledstudents
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3.MEASURESTOSUPPORTSTUDENTS
LDTgoverningboarddiscussandanalysetheaccessandparticipationstatementinregularbasisandupdatethestatementinourwebsite.Studentrepresentativewillbeincludedinthisdiscussiontogetstudentvoice.OurHeadofQualityisresponsibleforimproveaccess,successandprogressionforparticulargroupofstudentstoreducethegapinattainmentandparticipationinHEwithotherstudents.
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4.EQUALITYANDDIVERSITY
LDTrainingServicesLtdwillensurethatalllearnersandemployersaretreatedfairlyandequally.Wearecommittedtoensuringthatallofouractivitiesarerelevantandmeaningfultoeveryonewhoreceivesourservices.Alllearnersandemployeeswillbehelpedandencouragedtodeveloptheirfullpotentialwithoutdiscrimination.Thismayentailtreatingpeopledifferentlyinordertoavoiddiscriminationbyrecognisingthediversityofindividuals.LDTrainingServicesLtdrecognisesthatalllearnershavearighttoworkinanenvironmentinwhichthedignityofindividualsisrespectedandwhichisfreefromharassmentandbullying.Wecontinuouslystrivetoeliminateintimidationinanyform.LDTrainingServicesiscommittedtoprovidingequalopportunitiestoallandvaluesthediversityofeveryonebyconsideringgender,genderreassignment,race,ethnicorigin,disability,age,nationalityorigin,sexualorientation,religion,belief,maritalstatus,civilpartnerships,socialclass,pregnancy,maternityoranyotherindividualcharacteristic.LDTrainingServicesopposesallformsofunlawfulandunfairdiscrimination.Definitionsoftypesofdiscrimination:-
DirectDiscrimination
Directdiscriminationoccurswhensomeoneistreatedlessfavourablythananotherpersonbecauseofaprotectedcharacteristictheyhaveorarethoughttohave(seeperceptiondiscriminationbelow),orbecausetheyassociatewithsomeonewhohasaprotectedcharacteristic(seediscriminationbyassociationbelow).
DiscriminationbyAssociation
Appliestorace,religionorbeliefandsexualorientation,age,disability,gender-reassignmentandsex.Thisisdirectdiscriminationagainstsomeonebecausetheyassociatewithanotherpersonwhopossessesaprotectedcharacteristic.
PerceptionDiscrimination
Appliestoage,race,religionorbeliefandsexualorientation,disability,gender-reassignmentandsex.Thisisdirectdiscriminationagainstanindividualbecauseothersthinktheypossessaparticularprotectedcharacteristic.Itappliesevenifthepersondoesnotactuallypossessthatcharacteristic.
IndirectDiscrimination
Appliestoage,race,religionorbelief,sex,sexualorientationandmarriageandcivilpartnership,disabilityandgender-reassignment.Indirectdiscriminationcanoccurwhenyouhaveacondition,rule,policyorevenapracticeinyourcompanythatappliestoeveryonebutparticularlydisadvantagespeoplewhoshareaprotectedcharacteristic.Indirectdiscriminationcanbejustifiedifitcanbeshownthattheorganisationactedreasonablyinmanagingthebusiness,i.e.thatitis‘aproportionatemeansofachievingalegitimateaim’.Alegitimateaimmightbeanylawfuldecisionmadeintherunningofthebusiness;butifthereisadiscriminatoryeffect,thesoleaimofreducingcostsislikelytobeunlawful.Beingproportionatemeansbeingfairandreasonable,includingshowingthat‘lessdiscriminatory’alternativeshavebeentakenintoconsideration.
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Harassment
Harassmentis“unwantedconductrelatedtoarelevantprotectedcharacteristic,whichhasthepurposeoreffectofviolatinganindividual’sdignityorcreatinganintimidating,hostile,degrading,humiliatingoroffensiveenvironmentforthatindividual”.Harassmentappliestoallprotectedcharacteristicsexceptforpregnancyandmaternityandmarriageandcivilpartnership.Employeeswillnowbeabletocomplainaboutbehaviourthattheyfindoffensive,evenifitisnotdirectedatthemandthecomplainantneednotpossesstherelevantcharacteristicthemselves.Employeesarealsoprotectedfromharassmentbecauseofperceptionandassociation
ThirdPartyHarassment
Appliestosex,age,disability,gender-reassignment,race,religionorbeliefandsexualorientation.TheActrendersanemployerpotentiallyliableforharassmentofemployeesbypeople(thirdparties)whoarenotemployeesofyourcompanye.g.customersorclients.Theemployerwillonlybeliablewhenharassmenthasoccurredonatleasttwopreviousoccasions,theyareawarethatithastakenplace,andhavenottakenreasonablestepstopreventitfromhappeningagain.
Victimisation
VictimisationoccurswhenanemployeeistreatedbadlybecausetheyhavemadeorsupportedacomplaintorraisedagrievanceundertheEqualityAct;orbecausetheyaresuspectedofdoingso.Anemployeeisnotprotectedfromvictimisationiftheyhavemaliciouslymadeorsupportedanuntruecomplaint.
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5.THEPROTECTEDCHARACTERISTICS:KEYPOINTS
TheEqualityAct2010protectsthefollowingcharacteristics:
Age
TheActprotectspeopleofallages.However,differenttreatmentbecauseofageisnotunlawfuldirectorindirectdiscriminationifitcanbejustified,i.e.ifitcandemonstratethatitisaproportionatemeansofmeetingalegitimateaim.Ageistheonlyprotectedcharacteristicthatallowsemployerstojustifydirectdiscrimination.TheActallowsemployerstohaveadefaultretirementageof65untilApril2011.
Disability
UndertheAct,apersonisdisablediftheyhaveaphysicalormentalimpairmentwhichhasasubstantialandlong-termadverseeffectontheirabilitytocarryoutnormalday-to-dayactivitiese.g.usingatelephone,readingabookorusingpublictransport.THEEQUALITYACT–WHAT’SNEWFOREMPLOYERS?TheActplacesadutyontheemployertomakereasonableadjustmentsforstafftohelpthemovercomedisadvantageresultingfromanimpairment(e.g.byprovidingassistivetechnologiestohelpvisuallyimpairedstaffusecomputerseffectively).Itisdiscriminationtotreatadisabledpersonunfavourablybecauseofsomethingconnectedwiththeirdisability(e.g.atendencytomakespellingmistakesarisingfromdyslexia).Thistypeofdiscriminationisunlawfulwheretheemployerorotherpersonactingfortheemployerknows,orcouldreasonablybeexpectedtoknow,thatthepersonhasadisability.Thistypeofdiscriminationisonlyjustifiableifanemployercanshowthatitisaproportionatemeansofachievingalegitimateaim.Additionally,indirectdiscriminationcoversdisabledpeople.Thismeansthatajobapplicantoremployeecouldclaimthataparticularruleorrequirementdisadvantagespeoplewiththesamedisability.Itisalsounlawful,exceptincertaincircumstances,foremployerstoaskaboutacandidate’shealthbeforeofferingthemwork.
GenderReassignment
TheActprovidesprotectionfortranssexualpeople.Atranssexualpersonissomeonewhoproposesto,startsorhascompletedaprocesstochangehisorhergender.Apersondoesnothavetobeundermedicalsupervisiontobeprotected.Itisdiscriminationtotreattranssexualpeoplelessfavorablyforbeingabsentfromworkbecausetheyproposetoundergo,areundergoingorhaveundergonegenderreassignmentthantheywouldbetreatediftheywereabsentbecausetheywereillorinjured.
MarriageandCivilPartnership
TheActprotectsemployeeswhoaremarriedorinacivilpartnershipagainstdiscrimination.Singlepeoplearenotprotected.
PregnancyandMaternity
Awomanisprotectedagainstdiscriminationonthegroundsofpregnancyandmaternityduringtheperiodofherpregnancyandanystatutorymaternityleavetowhichsheisentitled.Duringthisperiod,pregnancyandmaternitydiscriminationcannotbetreatedassexdiscrimination.Anemployermaynottakeintoaccountanemployee’speriodofabsenceduetopregnancy-relatedillnesswhenmakingadecisionaboutheremployment.
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Race
‘Race’includescolour,nationalityandethnicornationalorigins.
ReligionorBelief
Religionincludesanyreligion.Italsoincludesalackofreligion,inotherwordsemployeesorjobseekersareprotectediftheydonotfollowacertainreligionorhavenoreligionatall.Additionally,areligionmusthaveaclearstructureandbeliefsystem.Beliefmeansanyreligiousorphilosophicalbelieforalackofsuchbelief.Tobeprotected,abeliefmustsatisfyvariouscriteria,includingthatitisaweightyandsubstantialaspectofhumanlifeandbehaviour.Denominationsorsectswithinareligioncanbeconsideredaprotectedreligionorreligiousbelief.Discriminationbecauseofreligionorbeliefcanoccurevenwhereboththediscriminatorandrecipientareofthesamereligionorbelief.
Sex
MenandwomenareprotectedundertheAct.
SexualOrientation
TheActprotectsbisexual,gay,heterosexualandlesbianpeople.
PositiveAction
TheyActallowsemployerstotakepositiveactioniftheythinkthatemployeesorjobapplicantswhoshareaparticularprotectedcharacteristicsufferadisadvantageconnectedtothatcharacteristic,oriftheirparticipationinanactivityisdisproportionatelylow.Protectedcharacteristicsmaybetakenintoconsiderationwhendecidingwhotorecruitorpromotewhencandidatesare“asqualifiedas”eachotherforaparticularvacancy.
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6.SOMEKEYCHANGESYOUNEEDTOKNOWABOUT
Pre-employmentHealth-relatedChecks
Health-relatedquestionswillonlybeaskedpriortoofferingajobinorderto• Assistindecidingwhetheranyreasonableadjustmentsshouldbemadeforthepersontothe
selectionprocess• Decidewhetheranapplicantcancarryoutafunctionthatisessential(‘intrinsic’)tothejob• Monitordiversityamongpeoplemakingapplicationsforjobs• Takepositiveactiontoassistdisabledpeople• Assuretheemployerthatacandidatehasthedisabilitywherethejobgenuinelyrequiresthe
jobholdertohaveadisabilityOnceanapplicanthaspassedtheinterviewandajobhasbeenoffered(whetherthisisanunconditionalorconditionaljoboffer)itispermissibletoaskappropriatehealth-relatedquestions.
EqualPay-DirectDiscrimination
Inmostcircumstancesachallengetopayinequalityandothercontractualtermsandconditionsstillhastobemadebycomparisonwitharealpersonoftheoppositesexinthesameemployment.However,theActalsoallowsaclaimofdirectpaydiscriminationtobemade,evenifnorealpersoncomparatorcanbefound.Thismeansthataclaimantwhocanshowevidencethattheywouldhavereceivedbetterremunerationfromtheiremployeriftheywereofadifferentsexmayhaveaclaim,evenifthereisno-oneoftheoppositesexdoingequalworkintheorganisation.
PaySecrecy
Itisunlawfultopreventorrestrictemployeesfromhavingadiscussiontoestablishifdifferencesinpayexistthatarerelatedtoprotectedcharacteristics.Theethosofequalopportunities,diversity,dignityandrespectinthelearningenvironmentisgoodpracticeandisextendedtoallwecomeintocontactwithasweprovideourservices.LDTrainingServicestakesequalopportunitiesseriously,embracingthefollowingaimsandobjectives.Weaimto:
• Valueandrespectdiversityandbenefitfromourdifferences.• Createapositive,safe,accessibleenvironmentandcultureinwhichdiscriminationhasnopart
andwhereeveryonecanachievetheirfullpotential.• Listto,engageandcollaboratewithawiderangeofpartners,employers,learnersandstaffin
ordertocontinuallyimproveourequalitypractice.• Promoteequalopportunitiesinallaspectsofemploymentandlearning.• Supportpositiveactionprogrammeswherethereisaclearlyidentifiedneed.• Includeequalopportunitiesintothemainstreamofallouremployment,learningprovisionand
businessdecisionbydevelopingsystemsandprocesseswhichareaccessibleandtransparent.• EnsureallprojectsandprogrammessupportedbytheLDTrainingServicesLtdhaveequality
anddiversityascorecomponents.• Toaccountablebysettingtargets,monitoring,evaluationandreviewingprogressonaregular
basis.• Takenecessaryactionwhennon-compliancewithourpoliciesisidentified.• SecureresourcestoensurethatourEqualOpportunities,Diversity,DignityandRespect
Strategiesareimplemented.
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7.EQUALITYANDDIVERSITYGOODPRACTICEWITHINLDTRAININGSERVICESLTD
Weaimforclarity,accessibilityandcomplianceinallareassuchas:
• Planningconferencesandmeetings(isthereabalanceofspeakers?Arecommunicationsinanaccessiblelanguage?Aretimingsworkandfamilyfriendly?)
• Languageandimages(haveweavoidedjargon?Areimagesofpeopleinclusiveandshowingnon-traditionalroles?)
• Advertisingandmarketing(arefontstylesclearandeasytoread?Arecoloursacceptabletothosewithvisualimpairments?Iscoreinformationavailableinalternativeformats?)
• TheLawandPolicy(arekeylawsadheredtoregardingsex,race,disabilityandhumanrights?Canadvicebegivenonhowtoidentifyandimplementapositiveactionstrategy?)
Thesearejustsomeofthequestionsweaskourselveswhenengagingwithlearners,clients,ourownemployees,contractorsandotherpartners.
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8.ADDITIONALINFORMATION
Furtherhelpcanbeobtainedatthefollowingwebsites:
• EqualOpportunitiesCommissiono www.eoc.org.uk
• CommissionforRacialEqualityo www.cre.gov.uk
• DisabilityRaceCommissiono www.drc-gb.org.uk
• DepartmentforWorkandPensionso www.agepositive.gov.uk
Theabovepolicyisunderpinnedbythefollowinglegislation:
• TheEqualityAct2010• RehabilitationofOffendersAct1974• SexDiscriminationAct1975(GenderReassignmentRegulations1999;indirectDiscrimination
andBurdenofProofRegulations2001;EmploymentEquality(SexdiscriminationRegulations)• RaceRegulationsAct1976(RaceRelationsAmendmentAct2000)• DisabilityDiscriminationAct1995• SENDA2001• TheProtectionfromHarassmentAct1997• HumanRightsAct1998• EmploymentAct2002• EmploymentEquality(SexualOrientation)Regulations2003• EmploymentEquality(ReligionofBelief)Regulations2003• CivilPartnershipAct2004• GenderrecognitionAct2004• DisabilityAct2005ERS
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