Equality Policy

Policy statement

The Shaftesbury Refugee Group is committed to treating fairly all the people that use our services and who are members, aiming to provide equity of opportunity for all. 

We will avoid discriminating against people, and create a safe and inclusive atmosphere for our members and service users. 

We will make sure that all eligible people have the same quality of service regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We recognise, and make every reasonable adjustment we can, to meet the additional needs of children and vulnerable adults with refugee or asylum status, especially around communication.

Implementation of this policy

The Trustees of The Shaftesbury Refugee Group will work within the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that it does not directly discriminate against people with protected characteristics:

age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation

The definition of these characteristics is here: Equality and Human Rights Commission

Our Charity Constitution has the purpose of supporting refugees in our area and as such it restricts our services to these groups and those who support them. We also aim to prevent any indirect discrimination against people with protected characteristics that arises from our purpose.

We will plan our activities and services with regard for people’s rights of access and to avoid discrimination either direct or unintended.

We will arrange training for trustees, members and people who become volunteers and work with them to make sure they are confident in their roles and can fulfil them in a non-discriminatory way.  

We will not tolerate discriminatory language or harassing behaviours such as racism or sexism, homophobia or misogyny in any of our activities including public events.

Where people are concerned, or do not feel they are being treated equally we will help them through the complaints process here

Review

We will regularly review our practice against this policy and involve beneficiaries and members in that review by surveying their experience.  We will ask whether they feel fairly treated and included, have ever been made to feel uncomfortable because of who they are and whether we have done enough to make the activities we undertake accessible to them.