Diversity and equality policy

1. Policy

Central YMCA Qualifications (CYQ) is committed to encouraging diversity and reducing discrimination, and accepts the spirit and intention of the various legislation, regulations and codes of practice which separately and collectively outlaw certain kinds of discrimination in selection, recruitment, induction, programme delivery, assessment and unit or qualification development.

CYQ aims to ensure that learners are truly representative of all sections of society and that every learner feels respected and able to give their best.

In the performance of the regulated functions it undertakes, CYQ will comply with the requirements of equalities legislation in force from time to time, and in particular will have systems in place to ensure that is does not discriminate on the grounds of race, disability and gender, ensuring equality of treatment for all. 

CYQ will take steps to address identified inequalities or barriers that may arise: between people of different religions and beliefs, racial groups, ages, marital/civil partnership status and sexual orientations; between men and women generally; between disabled and non-disabled people; between persons of different political opinion; between those with dependants and those without; or on any other ground or status

CYQ will also aim to:

1. ensure awareness is raised around issues of diversity, and
2. acknowledge any issues of discrimination that are brought to the attention of management ensuring they are investigated and rectified promptly and sensitively using an appropriate procedure

2. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy CYQ has adopted the following definitions:

1. Diversity means recognising, valuing and taking account of people’s different backgrounds, knowledge, skills and experiences, and encouraging and using those differences to make the way we work and learn more creative, efficient and innovative
2. Direct discrimination is treating a person less favourably than others due to their age, colour, creed, disability, marital status, race, religion, sexuality, social status etc.
3. Indirect discrimination is the applying of a requirement or condition, which, although applied equally to everyone, is such that a considerably smaller proportion of a particular group can comply with it and it cannot be justified

3. Roles and responsibilities

It is the responsibility of every individual to eliminate discrimination and to ensure the practical application of this policy.

CYQ has a responsibility to:

• Ensure that equality and diversity is embedded in the qualification development process, including the development of units and rules of combination
• Consult with relevant learners and/or their representatives to ensure that there are no barriers to entry to the units and qualifications developed and/or offered for disabled people, for women or men, or people from different racial groups, other than those directly related to the integrity of units or qualifications
• Record details on how any potential barriers will be mitigated, by using access arrangements and reasonable adjustments
• Oversee the fair and consistent application of this policy and procedure
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this policy and determine the nature of any corrective action
• Collect sufficient data to allow for monitoring and compliance with regulatory criteria
• Share information relating to monitoring and evaluation activities with the qualifications regulators on request

CYQ has a responsibility to ensure that its centres:

• Create an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all learners are recognised and valued
• Allow for every learner to learn in an environment that promotes dignity and respect to all and to ensure that no form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated
• Review and amend all practices and procedures to ensure fairness
• Promote equality in the learning environment
• Deal appropriately with any breaches of this policy and procedure
• Are provided with advice and guidance to ensure that equality of opportunity is demonstrated
• Review policies and procedures on a regular basis to ensure that they promote equality of opportunity for all

Learners

Need to ensure that they accept personal responsibility for the application of their centre's own diversity policy.  They are also responsible for bringing to the attention of the teaching staff any examples of discrimination of which they become aware.

Approved centre staff

Need to ensure that good practice in the area of equality of opportunity is applied within their area of control; and that all their learners are aware of the centre’s own as well as the CYQ policy in this area.

4. Procedure

1. Learners who are aware of discrimination of any kind or consider that they are being discriminated against should in the first instance consider whether it may be appropriate to raise their issue informally with the alleged discriminator, who may not be aware that their behaviour is causing offence
2. Where it is not appropriate for an approach to be made to the alleged discriminator, or the learner is unwilling to do this, they should consider to whom they should highlight their issue. In most cases it is envisaged this would be their tutor/assessor. Where their tutor/assessor is implicated in their concerns, they should approach their tutor/assessor’s line manager or the Internal Verifier
3. The manager with whom the matter is raised should either investigate the concerns raised or refer the matter, wherever possible with the agreement of the employee concerned, to a more appropriate manager. Whenever allegations of discrimination are made the manager must inform their HR Department
4. Once the matter has been investigated the student who has alleged discrimination should be informed of the action taken and, where appropriate, the outcome. It may not be appropriate to give details of any disciplinary sanctions applied
5. Where learners are not happy about the action taken they should appeal, within seven working days, to the Quality Manager of their centre, who should appoint an appropriate senior manager to review their concerns.

5. Related documentation

It may be appropriate to use this in conjunction with other policies and procedures.