Equality Policy 

Introduction 

Hope at Home has a duty to ensure equality in all aspects of its work – in the way the organisation is run, and in the way we deliver our services.

Hope at Home will take every opportunity to promote anti-discriminatory practice, equality of opportunity and will take positive steps to ensure no group receives a lesser quality service, or achieves less favourable outcomes because of their difference.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

Hope at Home is committed to:

• Developing and delivering innovative accommodation options that meet the needs and aspirations of survivors of modern-day slavery and human trafficking, regardless of their immigration status.
• Promoting a working culture which embraces and celebrates fairness and difference in everything we do.
• Recruiting, training and supporting staff, volunteers and Trustees in ways that ensure the involvement and inclusion of a wide range of people, and reflects the diversity of the communities and groups we serve.
• Working in collaboration with guests, volunteers, and partner organisations to provide accurate, accessible information on Hope at Home services, and how to access them.
• Supporting staff, volunteers and clients to provide positive and constructive challenge to inequality, wherever they find it.

By providing clear information to staff, volunteers and members, we will ensure the management and development of Hope at Home and its services is as transparent as possible.

We will actively challenge instances of discrimination against and/or involving our staff, volunteers, guests or Trustees, including those involving organisations external to Hope at Home.

Promotion of Equality Policy to Staff, Volunteers and our Partners

All staff, volunteers, trustees will be inducted and trained using this policy at the start of their time at Hope at Home.

• We will place this policy on our website.
• A link to this Policy will be included in all job advertisements and application packs.

Steps taken to ensure all aspects of Hope at Home are fair and equal

1. a) As a service provider

• Our services are relevant to the needs and aspirations of survivors of modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
• No prospective or actual guest, staff member or volunteer will be discriminated against on the basis of their Immigration status, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, political opinion, or is disadvantaged by any condition or requirement which is not demonstrably justifiable.
• We will provide and/or make use of appropriate interpreting facilities in the course of delivering and/or explaining our services.
• We are responsive to the cultural needs and requirements of guests – e.g. by responding positively to requests for services to be delivered by someone of a particular gender.
• The information we produce about Hope at Home will be simple and accessible.
• We provide translated information about what we do (service information) if necessary.
• We aim to hold organisational events in fully accessible venues.
• We work with partner organisations to ensure information about Hope at Home and how to access our services is available to anyone who wants it.
• We will provide clear, regular opportunities for people with experience of using our services to comment on their relevance, usefulness and quality.
• We will use this feedback to develop and review our services, as well as our policies and procedures.

1. b) As an employer

• Our staff members are aware of and managed in accordance with Hope at Home’s Equal Opportunities Policy statement and this policy.
• Our staff member recruitment and selection procedures enable us to recruit from a wide range of backgrounds and our terms and conditions of employment, employment facilities and ways of working do not discriminate against any staff member on the grounds of ethnicity, race, age, gender, gender reassignment, disability, marital/civil partner status, sexual orientation, religion, belief or political opinion.
• We provide equal access to high quality training and development opportunities for all staff members, based on their individual requirements.
• We will try to provide a workplace that meets the access needs of all our staff members.
• We welcome staff member requests for flexible working.
• We will strive to retain staff members whose circumstances change.
• We provide clear opportunities for staff to be involved in the planning and development of Hope at Home and to develop their roles.
• We regularly inform all staff about the financial position of Hope at Home.
• Staff are supported to recognise and challenge discrimination in all its forms, and to address any issues of discrimination in the workplace, using Hope at Home’s policies and procedures (i.e. by using the Grievance Procedure.) 

1. c) As an organization delivering services via volunteers

• Our volunteers are aware of and managed to act in accordance with Hope at Home’s Equal Opportunities Policy statement and this policy.
• Our volunteer recruitment and selection procedures encourage and enable the participation of individuals from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible.
• We provide training for all Hope at Home volunteers to ensure they have the necessary skills and abilities to deliver Hope at Home services including hosting.
• We aim to ensure Hope at Home volunteer training events and meetings are held in fully accessible venues.
• We ensure all Hope at Home volunteers are able to access support and advice from Hope at Home staff on any aspect of their role and/or supporting their guests.
• Our volunteers are supported to recognise and challenge discrimination in all its forms, and to address any issues of discrimination in the workplace, using Hope at Home’s policies and procedures (i.e. by using the Complaints, Compliments and suggestions Policy).

1. d) As a Trustee-managed organisation

• We ensure Hope at Home Trustees are aware of and act in accordance with Hope at Home’s Equal Opportunities Policy statement and this policy.
• We ensure our programme of Trustee recruitment encourages and enables the participation of individuals from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible.
• We regularly audit the skills and knowledge of our Trustees to help us identify gaps, and to help direct our recruitment of new trustees.
• We provide Trustees with support and training to ensure they are able to manage and guide the development of Hope at Home in an efficient, effective and sensitive manner.

 

Checking Action  

1. a) Annual equality audits

Managers will complete annual equality audits of their services, to ensure equality of access for guests and volunteers, to identify under-represented groups, and identify actions to achieve greater equality.

1. b) A Trustee Equality Champion

Hope at Home will nominate a single Trustee to lead on the annual review and continual development of Hope at Home’s Equal Opportunities statement and policy, and to act on behalf of all the Trustee Board on issues relating to Equal Opportunities and the conduct of individual staff, volunteers, Trustees, and Hope at Home as an organisation.

1. c) Publishing the feedback we receive on our equality record

We will publish the findings of our discussions with guests, volunteers, partners and staff, and make it clear how we have learned from this, and any changes we have made as a consequence.

 

Date approved:                                          May 2023            

Next review date:                                      May 2024