FELL PONY ADVENTURES

Equal Opportunities Policy

1. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

Employees

We aim to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment than another on grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, marital  status, disability, age (within the context of the normal retirement age) or any other factors unrelated to the requirements of the  job and which are not restricted by  legislation.  To this end Fell Pony Adventures will seek to develop employment policies, procedures and practices which will ensure fair and consistent treatment in the areas of recruitment, selection, promotion, training, discipline, grievance handling and the application of terms and conditions of employment.]


2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY

Fell Pony Adventures will be responsible for ensuring that this policy is implemented and maintained within the organisation.  He/she will be responsible for the provision of advice and training aimed at assisting the effective operation of this policy. 


3. PUBLICISING THE POLICY

All employees of Eden Arts will be provided with a copy of the policy and all job applicants will receive a copy of the policy with their Statement of Particulars.  Reference to the policy will also be made as appropriate in training courses e.g. induction and development courses.



4. OBJECTIVES OF FELL PONY ADVENTURES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY

  1. Users

    Fell Pony Adventures will endeavour to ensure that al guests users have access to all that is offered. 

  2. Publicity

    Publicity material will be available in multiple formats, e.g. in a format which is easy to read (plain English, large font) and which is accessible to all members of the public.  Fell Pony Adventures will endeavour to use fully inclusive images wherever possible.

  3. Venues

    Fell Pony Adventures will encourage and promote equal opportunities with regard to both facilities and venues.  Fell Pony Adventures will encourage the inclusion of disabled facilities at all venues wherever possible.

  4. Employees

    Employees will be selected and commissioned on merit, regardless of colour, race, nationality, gender or disability, where premises permit.

  5. Guests

    Guests will be monitored and methods implemented to attract under–represented  groups.  This will include research into audience interests, offering projects to fulfil these needs.

5. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCEDURES

  1. Advertising

    All vacancies will normally be advertised internally and externally concurrently except where reorganisations are in operation or where there is a threat of redundancy.  When posts are advertised externally care will be taken to ensure that the method used does not unreasonably and unfairly restrict the pool of likely applicants.

    All job vacancies will be notified to the job centres

    All advertisements will carry a statement indicating that posts are open to job sharing (unless posts are exempt from this provision).

  2. Job Requirements

    Job descriptions and person specifications will be dispatched with applications for all vacant posts.

    Recruitment literature, including advertisements, will only include those essential and desirable requirements that are necessary and justifiable for the effective performance of the job.

    Reference to specific qualifications should be included only where they are directly relevant to the job.  In such cases it will be made clear that equivalent or alternative qualifications are acceptable.

    Age restrictions should be avoided unless they are justifiably a material factor in the selection process.

  3. Short-listing

    All applicants will be considered together and the criteria for selection applied consistently to all candidates by reference to the criteria listed in the person specification.

    Short-listing and interviewing panels will comprise at least two officers/trustees including a gender mix where possible.

  4. Gurantee Interview Scheme

    Where applications are received from people with disabilities, interviews shall be granted where the minimum essential criteria as outlined in the person specification are met.

  5. Interviewing

    The purpose of an interview is to assess each candidate’s capabilities in relation to the requirements of the job.  Therefore, interviewers will seek to phrase questions in a standard way concentrating on the criteria as identified in the person specification. Questions will not be asked about an applicant’s personal circumstances: in particular questions should not be asked concerning marital status, children or other family commitments, or domestic arrangements. Where there are special requirements attached to a job e.g. unsocial hours, all candidates will be asked whether they understand and are able to fulfil all obligations of the post.

  6. Appointment

    Appointment of candidates will be on the basis of the best match between the individual, identified through the stages of the selection procedure (application from, interview etc.) and the post, identified by reference to the job description and person specification, without regard to any other non-material factors such as sex, race and disability except where there is Genuine Occupational Qualification (GOQ). Thus, the central principle is that the most suitable person for the job is appointed.

  7. TRAINING

    Selection for training will be based solely on the needs of Fell Pony Adventures and the needs of individual employees in carrying out their present duties, in preparing for changes in these duties and for career development. Availability of funds will limit the levels of training activities and the Director will establish priorities accordingly. However, any restrictions on access to training will not directly or indirectly discriminate on the grounds of sex, race or disability.

  8. CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND EMPLOYMENT PROCEDURES

    All conditions of service and employment procedures will be applied fairly and consistently

  9. MONITORING THE POLICY

    The Board of Trustees of Eden Arts will establish procedures for monitoring recruitment, selection and training to ensure compliance with this policy.

  10. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

    Internal and external job applicants who believe that they have been unfairly treated during the recruitment and selection process should direct their complaints to the Director who will initiate and monitor appropriate action.

  11. Employees who believe that they have been unfairly treated with  regard to any decision concerning training, the application of conditions of service or any other matter related to their employment should submit their complaints to the Director and, in the event of failure to reach a satisfactory conclusion, to the Board of Trustees.

  12. HARASSMENT & DISCRIMINATION

    a) We wish to create a working environment where employees are free from sexual, racial and other forms of harassment and discrimination.

    b) As Fell Pony Adventures is responsible for the acts of its employees it will afford those employees who wish to make a specific complaint of sexual or racial harassment the opportunity of doing so and will treat the matter with the utmost sensitivity and confidentiality.  Employees may present complaints verbally or in writing to the Director.

    c) Any employee who commits and act of harassment or discrimination will be liable to disciplinary action.