Equality and DiversityTraining Package

Aims & Objectives

Objectives To add or improve your knowledge of ‘Equality of

Opportunity & Diversity’. To become aware of your rights and

responsibilities.

Aim To gain an understanding of

‘Equality of Opportunity & Diversity’ and strengthen good practice both personally and professionally.

“Accepting that everyone is different and treating them

with an equal level of respect.”

What is equality?

‘We are all human but we are not the same.’

“Embracing these differences and creating a more inclusive

environment.”

What is diversity?

‘We are all human but we are not the same.’

Equality covers:

• Race • Religion & Belief• Sex and Sexual Orientation• Marriage and Civil Partnership• Pregnancy and Maternity• Age• Disability• Gender Reassignment

Government laws are in place to enforce these.

What is a stereotype?‘Putting people in categories or pigeon

holes’Examples• All doctors are male• All Irish are stupid and drink Guinness• All blondes are unintelligent• All taxi drivers are Asian• All American people are overweightThese are examples of common stereotypes

that we should challenge.

What is prejudice?

Prejudice is often a result of lingering stereotypes.

‘Pre-judging a person or group of people without fact, reason, knowledge

or thought.’

What is discrimination?

There are three types of discrimination:• Direct• Indirect• VictimisationSee induction handbook for definitions.

‘Discrimination is the unfavourable treatment of groups or individuals.’

Discrimination experiment

Who was Martin Luther-King?Try searching on www.bbc.co.uk

Following his death, Jane Elliott, an American teacher, conducted an experiment on her 3rd grade pupils to show the effect of discrimination.

The following film shows the 1970 experiment.

‘A Class Divided’

http://www.prostartuk.co.uk/videos/AClassDividedFinal.wmv

Exercise

A Class Divided

What is harassment?‘Any behaviour that is

unwelcome or the receiver finds offensive’

‘bullying’

‘Unwanted sexual or racial conduct which is offensive

to the recipient’

Any behaviour

found offensive by

anyone

Exercise

Harassment and Bullying

Current legislation (law)

The Equality Act became law in October 2010 and it replaces and harmonises previous legislation as below:-• The Sex Discrimination Act – 1975 (Addition) Gender Reassignment 1999• The Race Relations Act – 1976 (Amended) 2003• The Disability Discrimination Act -1995 (Amended) 2003

– Oct 2004• Employment Equality Regulations (Sexual Orientation) 2003• Employment Equality Regulations (Religion and Belief) 2003 Employment Equality Regulations (Age) – December 2006

All company policies and procedures should comply with government legislation.

The Equality Act covers the same groups and these are nowcalled ‘protective characteristics’.

Policies & procedures at work

Many organisations have developed their own Equality & Diversity policies which cover all matters involving staff and customers.

Not complying with these policies can result in serious disciplinary action.

It is essential that you fully understand and comply with your company’s policies and procedures.

How can you actively promote Equality & Diversity?

• By examining your own attitudes and values. This can be difficult to do.

• By challenging behaviour and language that you find abusive or offensive.

• By increasing your knowledge and understanding of people who are different from yourself.

• By undertaking training that will increase your knowledge.

Further Information

www.youthinformation.comwww.equalityhumanrights.comwww.stonewall.org.ukwww.direct.gov.ukwww.bullyingonline.orgwww.acas.org.uk

Further information can be accessed at the above websites or from:

Paula Vaughan – Equality & Diversity OfficerTel: 0844 815 0804E-mail: paulavaughan@prostartuk.co.uk

Aims & Objectives revisited

Aim To gain an understanding of ‘Equality of

Opportunity & Diversity’ and strengthen good practice both personally and professionally.

Objectives To add or improve your knowledge of

‘Equality of Opportunity & Diversity’. To become aware of your rights and

responsibilities.

Well Done!You have now completed the Equality & Diversity

package.

REMEMBER:We are all human but we are not the same.

Please make sure you complete the exercises in your Induction Handbook for your assessor to check.Once you have completed your Induction Handbook you can print off your certificate.

Thank you for your attention

If you would like a hard copy of these slides please ask a member of staff