Our commitment to promoting Equality and Diversity
FreeBird Associates Ltd. is dedicated to encouraging a supportive and inclusive culture, both in the workplace and during the facilitation of learning events.
This policy reinforces our commitment to providing equality and fairness to all and not provide less favourable facilities or treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.
We are committed to:
v Creating an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all are recognised and valued.
v Creating a working environment that promotes dignity and respect for everyone who works for, on behalf of, or in partnership with FreeBird Associates Ltd.
v Not tolerating any form of intimidation, bullying, or harassment, and to challenging discriminatory behaviour as and when it may occur.
v Encouraging anyone who feels they have been subject to discrimination to raise their concerns so we can seek to resolve any issues.
v Seeking resolution to concerns of discrimination through a restorative approach, which fosters respect, promotes responsibility and strengthens relationships.
v Regularly reviewing all our practices and procedures so that fairness is maintained at all times.
Our Commitment in Practice
Equality Monitoring
FreeBird Associates Ltddoes not currently recruit employees and, as such, is not subject to the completion of Equality Monitoring requirements. We do occasionally however, invite specialist trainers to deliver sessions on our behalf, or act as co-facilitators. On these occasions, our decision to invite someone to work with us is based solely on their knowledge base and skill as a facilitator and we do not discriminate on the grounds of any of the nine protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.
Accessibility to learning
In all instances whereFreeBird Associates Ltd. is responsible for the hiring of venues in order to deliver training, we will ensure that they are fully accessible to all learners. In addition, our booking form and Contract of Work asks individuals and organisations to tell us about any additional needs learners may have, for example, accessibility, hearing loops, extra-large print, or support for people who have dyslexia. We make every effort to accommodate the needs of delegates in order to provide a comfortable and positive learning environment for all.
Our facilitation methods encompass a wide range of activities to accommodate all styles of learning and we adapt our programmes to ensure we do not disadvantage learners with additional needs.
When delivering ‘in-house’ learning programmes for specific organisations, our contract agreement states that it is the organisations’ responsibility to inform us of any additional requirements their members of staff may have, if it will affect their ability to partake in the learning. We will then work with the organisation to do everything reasonably practicable to support those individual learners to fully engage with the session.
Challenging discrimination and promoting inclusion
We firmly believe that effective learning can only take place in an environment that is inclusive of all learners, and also promotes the rights of individuals those learners support in the work place.
We begin each session with a learning agreement which sets out expectations of individual and group behaviour, including respect for all. We make it clear that we will appropriately challenge delegates whose behaviour does not demonstrate respect, either for fellow learners, or for the individuals they support. We will ensure that we do this in a respectful way, that models best practice.
What to do if you are concerned
If you have concerns that anyone acting on behalf of FreeBird Associates has behaved in a discriminatory manner, it is important that you act on those concerns. In the first instance you should contact either:
Anna Elwood – annafreebird@icloud.com 07541041386
Corinne Leverton – corinnefreebird@icloud.com 07903135141
If they are unable to resolve
This policy was written on 4th August 2018 and will be reviewed in 12 months time, or in the event of changes to legislation, policy and good practice guidance.
Anna Elwood and Corinne Leverton
Directors
FreeBird Associates Ltd.
Reviewed 6th August 2019