formal Re-opening of our shed

Dunstable Men in Sheds aims to encourage, value and manage diversity and is committed to

providing equality for all. Dunstable Men in Sheds wishes to secure genuine equality of opportunity

in all aspects of its activities.

Dunstable Men in Sheds is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity

amongst volunteers and users of its services. Equality and diversity will be considered in all

activities and resources. This policy will be implemented within the framework of current legislation.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide equality and fairness for all in Dunstable Men in Sheds

volunteering and service delivery and to eliminate discrimination on grounds of:

Gender (including sex, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment)

Women and men are fully and properly represented and rewarded for their contribution at all levels

of the organisation through:

     * challenging gender stereotypes 

     * supporting employees and volunteers in balancing their life at work and at home

Volunteers and service users are treated fairly and equally irrespective of their marital/civil

partnership or family status.

Dunstable Men in Sheds will take positive steps to support a transgender person and ensure they

are treated with dignity and respect.

Race (including ethnic origin, colour, nationality and national origin)

The racial and cultural diversity of the local community is represented through:

    *challenging racial stereotypes

    *understanding, respecting and valuing racial and cultural difference and perspectives

    *encouraging and enabling members of minority ethnic groups to volunteer for Dunstable

      Men In Sheds at all levels

Disability

The abilities of disabled people are recognised and valued through:

     *focussing on what people can do rather than on what they cannot

     *challenging stereotypes about people with disabilities and in particular, not making false

      assumptions that disabled people are unable to do certain things

     *making appropriate adjustments in the workplace so that people can reach their full

      potential regardless of any disability.

Sexual orientation

People are treated fairly irrespective of their sexuality through:

     *respecting the rights of everyone irrespective of whether or not they are open about their               

       sexuality

     *respecting different lifestyles even if someone’s different lifestyle conflicts with one’s own

      religious or cultural beliefs

     *challenging negative stereotypical views

     *celebrating and welcoming significant lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) events in the same

      way that similar events of importance to heterosexual people are celebrated

Religion or belief

People are treated fairly irrespective of their religious beliefs, faith or lack of belief. Demands of

religion (e.g., prayer times and religious holidays) and of culture (traditional dress) are accepted.

Age

Age diversity is promoted and valued through:

     *challenging age stereotyping, recognising that the new ideas and fresh approaches can

      come from anyone irrespective of their age

     *recognising the benefits of mixed-age volunteers

Eliminating discrimination

Discrimination occurs when a condition or requirement is applied which cannot be justified. Forms

of direct discrimination include less favourable treatment (denial of access to or a poor level of

service), harassment or victimisation.

Harassment occurs when someone's actions or words, based on the relevant grounds, are

unwelcome and violate another person’s dignity or create an environment that is intimidating,

hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive.

Dunstable Men in Sheds will not tolerate harassment in any form and in particular:

Racial harassment is unlawful. Incidents include:

     *physical assaults/threats against a person or group because of colour or ethnicity

     * racist insult/joke/name calling

     *racist graffiti/any other written insult

     * provocative behaviour (e.g., wearing racist badges or insignia)

     *racial comments in meetings conversation/workshops

     *attempting to recruit for racist organisations or groups

     *providing a platform for racism

Sexual harassment is unlawful. The definition adopted by Dunstable Men In Sheds is:

     *Repeated and unwanted verbal or sexual advances, sexually explicit derogatory statements

      or sexually discriminating remarks which are offensive to the person involved, which cause

      them to feel threatened, humiliated, patronised or harassed or which creates a threatening

      or intimidating environment.

Harassment against disabled people. It is unlawful to subject a disabled person to harassment

by engaging in unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating the disabled

person's dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive

environment for him/her.

Victimisation means treating someone less favourably because they have made a complaint of

discrimination (a "protected act"), or are thought to have done so; or because they have supported

someone else who has made a complaint of discrimination.

Indirect discrimination occurs where the effect of provisions, criteria or practices imposed by an

employer have an adverse impact disproportionately on one group or other. Indirect discrimination

generally occurs when a rule or condition, which is applied equally to everyone, can be met by a

considerably smaller proportion of people from a particular group; the rule is to their disadvantage

and it cannot be justified on other grounds.

Dunstable Men in Sheds will seek to overcome indirect discrimination by:

     *provision of training for volunteers, and where possible service users

     *provision of information about relevant support organisations

     *making clear its expectations of volunteers in the conduct of their duties in any

      circumstances where they represent Dunstable Men in Sheds

Responsibilities

Dunstable Men in Shed’s commitment to equality and diversity means that everyone involved with

Dunstable Men in Sheds has a duty to:

     *ensure that everyone associated with Dunstable Men in Sheds is treated in a nondiscriminatory

      way

     *promote a welcoming environment in which individuals from all backgrounds feel welcome,

      valued and respected

     *promote this equality and diversity policy

      Managers and trustees have additional responsibility to:

     *ensure systems, procedures and services do not discriminate

     *promote and implement diversity within the management of service provision

     *provide appropriate training to put this equality and diversity policy into practice

     *challenge inappropriate behaviour immediately

     *listen to and respect others, and not dismiss their problems as “trivial”

     * set a positive example in everything they do

Volunteering

It is crucial that all volunteers are able to participate and enjoy the activities without discrimination.

Dunstable Men In Sheds believes that volunteers should not be excluded from any opportunity

without due reason.

Volunteers will not be discriminated against in the advice and support they are given. Nor will they

be denied access to opportunities because of their assumed abilities, skills or behaviour and each

volunteer will be judged on his/her own merits. Dunstable Men In Sheds will actively encourage

and support volunteers to participate in the planning and implementation of their work.

Monitoring, review and responsibility

The Trustees are responsible for implementing the equal opportunities policy. Any complaint or

grievance should be made to the chair of the organisation.

DMiS Equality Policy V1 30Nov22