BOMBASTIC EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
June 2008

Bombastic is committed to equal opportunities policy and practice and will ensure that all employees and service users, both actual and potential, are treated equally and as individuals regardless of age, disability, ethnic or national origin, gender, marital or parental status, political belief, race religion or sexual orientation.

In implementing this policy Bombastic will take into account existing legislation: the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Equal Pay Act 1970, the Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

This equal opportunities policy will be implemented across all aspects of the organisation’s work:

• the appointment of members to it Board of Management or Committee;
• the appointment of staff and freelance artists, their conditions of service and employment procedures;
• all dealings with the public and service users.

This policy covers all staff, job applicants and employees who become disabled during
employment with Bombastic.

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, defines a person as having a disability where they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day–to-day activities. People with HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis will also be covered under the DDA 2005

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

Bombastic will aim to ensure that the Board of Management of the organisation is representative of the community and users which it serves. The Board of Management will be responsible for ensuring that the equal opportunities policy is properly implemented, monitored and reviewed. The members of the Board of Management will aim to undertake equal opportunities training.

STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS

Bombastic will ensure that no job applicant, employee or volunteer receives less favourable treatment than another on grounds of age, disability, ethnic origin, marital status, political belief, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

Bombastic is committed to undertaking open recruitment and selection procedures and wherever possible all vacancies will be advertised and fair and equitable shortlisting and interview processes will be followed. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled candidates invited to interview. All applicants will be asked to submit information prior to interview with regards to access requirements.

Employees of and volunteers working with the organisation will be informed or the equal opportunities policy and receive training on equal opportunities issues as appropriate. Bombastic will investigate any reasonable and necessary changes to the workplace and employment arrangements to ensure that people are not at any substantial disadvantage regarding disability.

Bombastic will also ensure that the changing and developing needs of staff and volunteers are recognised and appropriate adjustments made to working conditions/and or training provided.

Bombastic operates disciplinary, grievance or complaints procedures which all staff will be appraised of. Behaviour of actions against the spirit and /or letter of the equal opportunities laws, on which this policy is based, will be considered serious disciplinary matters.

PUBLIC AND SERVICE USERS

Bombastic aims to make its services accessible to as wide a range of the public as possible and in order to achieve this will take steps to remove barriers which prevent potential audience, participants, members and users from having equal access to the organisation’s activities. This will include:

• ensuring that activities take place in venues and premises which are accessible to disabled people;
• ensuring that disabled people are enabled to participate fully in activities eg induction loop, interpreters and an inclusive workshop approach;
• when appropriate, ensuring that the design of publicity material takes account of the needs of disabled people both in terms of print, format, information and access;
• encouraging and enabling people from underrepresented groups to attend and participate.
• All printed materials will be produced bilingually within Wales.

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