Purpose

To state the policy of Friends of Goadby Marwood Village Hall (FoGMVH) on Diversity and Equality of Opportunity issues in relation to the use of Goadby Marwood Village Hall and our intent to comply with the Equality Act 2010.

 

Scope

The aim of FoGMVH is to make the Village Hall the social hub of the community.  The hall will be used by local people – but also on an ad-hoc basis by others as a venue for various events including weddings and other celebrations. The individuals falling within the scope of this policy include trustees, committee members, employees, job applicants, volunteers and users of the hall. FoGMVH recognises that everyone has a contribution to make to society, and a respect for diversity and equality issues is essential.

 

Definition

No trustee, committee member, volunteer, employee, job applicant or organisation/individual to which we provide services will be discriminated against by FoGMVH on the grounds of:

• Gender (including sex, marital status, gender re-assignment)

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race (including ethnic origin, colour, nationality or national origin)

• Disability

• Sexual orientation

• Religion or belief

• Age

 

Promotion of respect for Diversity and Equality of Opportunity will be achieved by:

• Opposing all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination

• Treating all users of the hall, in whatever capacity, fairly and with respect

• Ensuring that hire of the hall is open to all potential users, subject to availability, agreement to the Terms & Conditions of Hall Hire, and compliance with those terms & conditions. These state a specific requirement to adhere to FoGMVH policies

• Ensuring that any employment vacancies are advertised fairly

• Ensuring that selection for employment, volunteering, any form of training or other benefit is made on the basis of aptitude and ability

• Ensuring that volunteers, employees and users of the hall understand that they have a legal and moral obligation not to discriminate on the grounds stated in the definition - against individuals or groups, and must report any such incident to a trustee of FoGMVH. All responsible parties will be made aware of this policy

• Creating an environment in which individual difference, and the contributions of all volunteers, employees and users of the hall are respected, recognised and valued

• Creating an environment where all users, in whatever capacity, understand that they are part of an environment that promotes dignity and respect for all, and where intimidation, bullying, and harassment will not be tolerated

 

Dealing with Complaints

• The trustees will take complaints of discrimination and harassment very seriously.

• They will investigate them thoroughly, in line with the FoGMVH complaints policy, and provide opportunities for the person making the complaint to speak in a safe environment about their experience.

• If the complaint is against a particular individual, the trustees will hear their point of view.

• The trustees will decide what action to take based on the principle of ensuring the continued inclusion and safety of any member or employee who has experienced discrimination or harassment.

 

This policy will be reviewed annually.

 

Issue: 1

Last Reviewed: Dec 2023

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