Equal Opportunities

INVICTA ADVOCACY NETWORK is committed to positively promoting diversity and equality of opportunity, and endeavours to respond to the needs of its clients, staff, volunteers and trustees. Equality is central to all policy and practice within Invicta Advocacy Network (“the Network”).

The Network IMPLEMENTS its ethos of diversity and equality of opportunity in various ways.

  1. All paid staff, volunteers and Trustees of the Network have a responsibility and are expected to treat all its clients with respect and dignity irrespective of their race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age, mental health, marital status, or religion and to challenge inappropriate behaviour. The Network has a separate Racial Equality Policy. It is the Network’s aim to encourage an environment in which all people’s rights are respected and everyone’s contribution is positively valued.

  2. Membership of the Network is open to all who wish to further the aims and objects of the Network and any member can be nominated for election to the Management Committee (and further members can be co-opted). The Network has within its Constitution an obligation for representation on the Management Committee to include mental health service users including those from its Forums. To ensure that representation is diverse, the Trustees will address any over or under representation of any groups on its Management Committee.

  3. The Network promotes a positive view of mental health service users through empowerment, diversity of services and innovation. This includes all adults and older people who experience mental health problems of whatever age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability or religion.

  4. The Network has a robust quality assurance system which includes regular monitoring of its services, in various forms which are clearly set out in the Trustees and Staff Handbooks. This identifies gaps in service for any particular group which can be addressed. The Network’s policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated not only in line with legislation but in line with the needs of the clients, members, staff, volunteers and trustees.

  5. The Network has rigorous recruitment and selection procedures which ensures that all applicants for employment with the Network are monitored for their age, gender, ethnic origin and disability by means other than the application form. The recruitment of staff is in line with equal opportunities at all stages of the process in accordance with the following legislation:

    1. Employment Equality (Age Discrimination) Regulations 2006.
    2. Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003.
    3. Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003.
    4. The Employment Act 2002.
    5. Equal Pay Act 1970 (amendment 1983).
    6. Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
    7. Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
    8. Sex Discrimination Act 1995.
    9. Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
    10. Data Protection Act 1998.
    11. The Protection for Harassment Act 1997.
    12. The Human Rights Act 1998.
    13. Council for Racial Equality current Codes of Practice.

  1. Two written references are necessary and an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check is carried out prior to employment. Following employment, all staff receive an induction, appropriate training and regular supervision. The Network does not discriminate against any group with regard to contractual benefits including pay. The Network advertises itself as an Equal Opportunities Employer.

  2. The Network also has procedures in place for the recruitment of its volunteers. The Network actively seeks volunteers from ethnic minority communities as well, in an effort to include support for people in those communities who may have cultural needs and difficulties with language. All volunteers with the Network are subject to two references, Criminal Records Bureau check, rigorous induction and support thereafter.

  3. The Network recognises that it is every adult’s right to live free from abuse. This includes clients, members, staff, volunteers and trustees. When necessary, the Network will follow procedures set out in its Policy on the Protection of Vulnerable Adults, its Harassment Policy and its Complaints Policy and procedures. Ownership of these policies and procedures are shared by the staff, volunteers and Trustees although responsibility for their implementation lies with the Trustees.

  4. All the Network’s promotional materials strive to positively promote mental health service users where it can.

  5. Staff, volunteers and Trustees have received Diversity training.

The Network is aware that legislation changes and always strives to be aware of the needs of its clients, members, staff volunteers and trustees. To this end, the Director of the Network, with support from the Chair of the Management Committee, will regularly monitor the way the Network is responding to issues of equality and diversity and prioritises action points for improvement and new initiatives.

This page last updated Sat, 13 December 2008 20:39:22 GMT