EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY POLICY AND PROCEDURE
Scope
Whether you are an employee, in training, volunteering or a fully certified Doula, any person who is a member of the Living Well Dying Well network and End of Life Doula UK agrees to adhere to the following guidelines. We all have a personal responsibility for the implementation of the aims and values of this policy on a day to day basis.
This policy covers all of what we do and includes how we interact with our service users, client, learners, members of end of life doula UK, other end of life doulas and doulas in training, supporters, individuals and organisations we collaborate with our work alongside.
We will ensure that all clients, prospective employees, staff and learners are accorded equal opportunity in matters relating to service delivery, enrolment, recruitment, selection, the learning experience, training, promotion, and terms and conditions of employment for jobs of equal value.
These guidelines should be read in conjunction with our Code of Practice and values and aims as set out in the End of Life Doula UK handbook.
Introduction
Equality of opportunity is a key and integral part of our values. We want to be a truly open, accessible and diverse. We are committed to the principle of equal opportunities in employment and learning, regardless of: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
To achieve this, we need to ensure that our policies and practice enable access for everyone, and do not place any unnecessary barriers to anyone becoming involved or accessing our services and courses. We will apply policies that are fair, equitable and consistent to our clients, staff, learners and external contacts.
Good Practice
We will endeavour to ensure that the following good practice informs our actions
- seeks to ensure equality of opportunity and treatment for everyone in relation to all our activities.
- recognises the existence of discrimination and is committed to making changes in any area of practice where there is evidence of failure to provide an appropriate and professional service.
- will work actively towards eliminating discrimination, harassment and bullying
- will investigate any alleged breach of this Equality and Diversity policy in accordance with agreed procedures. Depending on the outcome, guidance, advice, counselling and training may be offered to ensure compliance. In the event of serious or repeated breaches. For employees LWDW’s disciplinary procedures will be applied. A serious breach of the Equality and Diversity Policy and Procedure may constitute gross misconduct. In the case of Learners, Doulas and Doulas in training a course tutor or mentor may offer guidance, advice, counselling and training. A serious breach of the policy may result in learning provision being withdrawn and/or termination of membership of End of Life Doula UK
- operates within a set of agreed equal opportunities definitions, which can be found below.
We will work in five key areas:
- Discrimination – eliminating any discrimination
- Harassment – ensuring all can go about their business in an atmosphere free of intimidation or abuse.
- Widening Participation – encouraging maximum access to the full range of educational and service provision of all social backgrounds and cultures.
- Inclusive Learning – providing support to enable individual learners of different abilities and needs to progress through the curriculum towards successful achievement.
- Celebrating Diversity – recognising and reflecting the positive contributions from people for example embracing the diversity that arises from different social backgrounds, cultures, abilities, age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Responsibilities
All employees, learners, Doulas and Doulas in training and members of End of Life Doula UK have a personal responsibility for the implementation of the aims and values of this policy on a day to day basis.
Directors of LWDW together with End of Life Doula UK Committee Members are responsible for promoting equal opportunities and for ensuring that effective policies and procedures are in place to ensure and continuously improve the quality of equal opportunities throughout Living Well Dying Well Network
Monitoring and Evaluation
We will gather information on:
- the age, ethnicity, gender and disability profile of staff and learners and members of End of Life Doula UK
- the numbers and nature of complaints or grievances of harassment and discrimination
We will take any action necessary to improve in any aspect of our commitment to equality and diversity.