What are Equal Opportunities?
Equal opportunities are: Making sure that all individuals have equal access to and use of facilities and services on offer.
In order to achieve this, individuals and groups should be aware of and accept that certain sections of society are being excluded either intentionally or unintentionally from being involved in the decision making process that most of us take for granted.
What Should Equal Opportunities Mean to Your Group?
With the introduction of Housing (Scotland ) Act 2001, Tenants and Residents groups across Scotland must be and be seen to be open, democratic and accountable to their members. In other words groups need to make sure that no section of the community that the group claims to represent is excluded from participating either intentionally or unintentionally.
Having an equal opportunities policy is part of the Council’s recognition criteria and shows that the group opposes all forms of discrimination and will seek ways to stop it happening.
The following list may be useful when considering how best to involve everyone in the community in the work of the group.
1. Consider the groups of people your group is likely to represent
2. Adopt an equal opportunities policy
3. Seek to involve everyone right at the start
4. Avoid “stereotyping”
5. Identify under-represented groups and try to involve them
6. Advertise your group as widely as possible
7. Establish sub-groups to work on specific issues
8. Find meeting places that are disabled-friendly and easily accessible
9. Challenge discrimination both inside and outside your meeting
10. Be aware that everyone has something to contribute
11. Find out what training is available and encourage members to attend
12. Carry out surveys and door stepping to gauge opinion
13. Consider a regular newsletter to keep people informed
14. Welcome strangers to your meetings
15. Young people are the tenants of tomorrow. Can you involve them?
16. Having a crèche at meetings may mean that parents can get involved
| 