1. Policy

LEAP’s commitment to the principles of equality and diversity of opportunity is outlined in the policy statement below and included in the LEAP Employment Law Guidance Manual and Handbook. The policy has been reviewed and is in accordance with current legislation and the CRE code of practice on racial equality in housing.

LEAP is committed to the principle of equality, both in its employment practice and in its provision of housing and support services. LEAP’s Equality and Diversity Policy Statement includes the following:

Both in its capacity as an employer and as a provider of services to others, LEAP is determined to make all efforts to prevent discrimination or other unfair treatment against any of its staff, potential staff or users of its services, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependents, age, physical disability or offending background.

LEAP is committed to providing services which are relevant, attractive and accessible to all those who might wish to use them.

All LEAP staff are required to ensure that services fulfil this aim. All LEAP schemes must take into account the needs of those for whom they run services: offenders, those at risk of offending and other vulnerable single people with support needs. Services must be appropriate and responsive to the needs of their users, while maintaining a balance with the general principles of equality of opportunity.

2: Procedures

Within the context of LEAP's general policy, procedures have been developed specific to housing and support work with tenants. There are structures to co-ordinate its equality issues work and policy and practice must develop within these structures to be implemented effectively. All staff are encouraged to be involved in the development of such policies and should bear the following principles in mind.

Employment Practice

LEAP has comprehensive and up to date procedures for employment practice created in conjunction with Natwest Mentoring Service which must be used within LEAP. These are outlined in the LEAP Employment Law Guidance Manual and Handbook. The provision of an appropriate service will at times be related to employment practice. This is particularly true of services for people who may be likely to face discrimination; for example, people from ethnic minorities or women.

Service Provision

Within the general framework established by LEAP, services will need to be developed in relation to the housing and support needs of single people facing discrimination.

LEAP must actively seek to ensure equal and open access to all services for all sections of the community. To ensure that access to all services are made on a fair and non-discriminatory basis. In particular LEAP must:

maintain records of all applicants for a service which monitor the ethnic origin, sexuality and gender of:

LEAP must also address the particular conditions within their areas and local populations. This can be done by establishing a profile of local people and their needs, and examining any existing provision in the area to identify gaps.

Targets need to be set for performance of LEAP and needs to reflect local conditions and priorities. It must be monitored to ensure that access to, and delivery of, LEAP services follow the principles of equality of opportunity.

3: Monitoring

Monitoring is key in the whole process of equality issues - it shows where policy and procedures may be required and whether or not they are effective. Monitoring should not be carried out as an activity on its own. It should be part of an equality issues strategy involving target setting, with the results being used to help develop and improve procedures and practice.

LEAP must monitor their activity to provide information on performance, how they provide services and to whom. They must use the following procedure for gathering monitoring figures on service users and staff.

Tenants

Management must arrange for the quarterly collation of monitoring information on service users. LEAP must record full details of each referral, tenant admission and departure. The information will be collated quarterly and submit to the Board of Trustees.

Staffing

Management are responsible for ensuring that LEAP monitors, at least annually, the gender, sexuality and ethnic origin of staff. Completed forms should be kept with each member of staffs personnel file. This information must be collated annually.

Using Monitoring Information

LEAP should aim to set targets based on profiles of local communities (including, for example, ethnic origin, age and other characteristics of single homeless people), offenders and the prison population. Monitoring systems should be used to measure performance.