Equality Policy
Organisation Details
Name: Stoke Hill Community Association.
Address: St Katherine’s Priory,
St Katherine’s Road,
Exeter,
EX4 7JY.
Email Address: st.katherinespriory@gmail.com
Website: St Katherines Priory
Stoke Hill Community Association
Registered Charity No: 283907
Purpose
Stoke Hill Community Association (hereafter SHCA) manages St Katherine’s Priory, St Katherine’s Road, Exeter, EX4 7JY as a multi-use, multi generational community centre that is widely used by the people of Stoke Hill and surrounding areas.
Our constitution identifies our object as:
To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Stoke Hill and the neighbourhood without distinction.
To advance education and provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure-time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for said inhabitants.
To this end we organise SHCA events and also hire out our facilities to a range of organisations, and we recognise our responsibility in ensuring that these organisations share our commitment to equality and anti discriminatory practice.
10/03/21
Equality Statement
- SHCA recognises and values people’s differences and will assist them to use their talents and abilities to reach their full potential and challenge anything that discriminates against this.
- SHCA recognises the need to provide a safe and caring environment for everyone. We acknowledge that anyone can be the victim of different types of prejudice and discrimination. We accept the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant of Human Rights, which states that everyone is entitled to “all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status”.
- SHCA has therefore adopted this Equality Policy in accordance with statutory guidance (The Equality Act 2010) and are committed to treating people equally and fairly.
- SHCA is committed to:
- Opposing any form of discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation (defined as Protected Characteristics in The Equality Act 2010).
- Building an equality and anti-discriminatory culture where staff, volunteers, members and facility users know how they are expected to behave.
- Ensuring that all staff, volunteers, members and facility users have the right to be free from discrimination because they associate with another person who possesses a Protected Characteristic or because others perceive that they have a particular Protected Characteristic, even if they do not.
- Implementing a procedure for dealing with concerns regarding equality practice.
- Ensuring that all staff, volunteers, members and facility users understand and follow this equality policy, and know what to do if they have a concern.
10/03/21
- SHCA takes equality and anti-discriminatory practice very seriously and ensures that all organisations using St Katherine’s Priory are similarly committed to this. SHCA will ensure that each organisation that uses St Katherine’s Priory upholds their own robust commitment to equality and anti-discriminatory practice by insisting that:
- They sign a letting agreement which makes clear that they are committed to equality and anti-discriminatory practice in any group or activity which they provide.
10/03/21
Definitions
What are protected characteristics?
Under the Equality Act 2010 it is against the law to discriminate against someone because of:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
Responsibilities
All staff (paid or unpaid) have responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in this policy and related policies, and to pass on any concerns using the required procedures.
We expect all staff (paid or unpaid) to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about equality and to positively involve people in developing ant-discriminatory practices.
Additional specific responsibilities
The Executive Committee and the Trustees have a responsibility to ensure that the Equality Policy is publicized and observed.
10/03/21
Responding Appropriately
to an Allegation of a breach of the Equality Policy
If any staff, volunteer, member or facility user feels they have been discriminated against by SHCA or within an activity based at St Katherine’s Priory they should raise this with the Executive Committee or one of the Trustees.
The Executive Committee will investigate the complaint, listening to all persons involved. (If the complaint is against a Committee member or Trustee that member will not be part of conducting the investigation).
If the complaint is against a particular individual, this person will have the opportunity to express their point of view, accompanied by a friend. The person making the complaint will also have this opportunity.
If the complaint is against SHCA as a whole, the Executive Committee and Trustees will work to ensure that this is investigated and that any actual discrimination is not repeated in the future, and must inform the members of how they propose to do this.
Any decision to exclude a person from SHCA membership or St Katherine’s Priory facilities due to discriminatory behaviour will be made with reference to the SHCA Constitution, Centre Rules and Disciplinary Code, and Standing Orders.
SHCA will support people who feel they have been discriminated against and will not victimise or treat them less well because they have raised this matter.
10/03/21
Communicating the Equality Policy
SHCA will make staff, volunteers, members and facility users aware of the Equality Policy through the SHCA website, on-site in the Policies and Procedures file and through letting agreements.
Reviewing
This policy will be reviewed annually, and more often if required if there are changes in circumstances or legal requirements.
This policy will be reviewed by the full Executive Committee and Trustees meeting for agreement.
This policy was last reviewed on: 10th March 2021
Signed: Tim Payne (Interim Chair)
Date: 10/03/2021
10/03/21