Cttls_Assignment_3

Assignment Optional Unit – Equality and Diversity Equality is the current term for ‘Equal Opportunities’. It is based on the legal obligation to comply with anti-discrimination legislation. Equality protects people from being discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, or age. Diversity implies a wide range of conditions and characteristics. In terms of businesses and their workforces it is about valuing and reaping the benefits of a varied workforce that makes the best of people’s talents whatever their backgrounds. Diversity encompasses individual differences. It can be seen within the company in terms of gender, ethnic minorities, disabled people etc., about where those people are in terms of management positions, job opportunities, terms and conditions in the workplace. Diversity is about respecting individual differences, and people's differences can be many and varied as explained in Ann Gravells & Susan Simpson (2009, p5) book “Equality & Diversity”:  • Race  • Culture  • National origin  • Region  • Gender  • Sexual Orientation  • Age  • Marital Status • Politics  • Religion  • Ethnicity  • Disability  • Socio-economic differences  • Family structure  • Health  • Values  • And more  Forms of discrimination have been seen via new reports and in the media last year on the 4th of August a police officer shot and killed Mark Duggan during an attempt to arrest him. The (IPCC) Independent Police Complaints Commission said that it was a planned arrest part of Operation Trident which investigates gun crime within the black community. On the 6th of August police were warned several times that there could possibly be a riot if local concerns were not addressed. Seven hours later a peaceful protest was held, which was organised by friends and family of Mark Duggan to demand justice for the family. Rioting occurred after about 120 people marched from Broadwater Farm Estate to Tottenham Police Station and they demanded that a senior police officer came out to speak to them. A younger and more aggressive crowd arrived at the scene around dusk, some carrying weapons. This then impacted on the local communities and society which then sparked riots in other areas such as; Greater London, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, West Midlands, East Midlands, West Yorkshire, Bristol and several other areas. Four people lost their lives,the cost of this destruction has already reached many millions of pounds, people have lost everything in some areas and 111 police officers were injured in the riots, alongside 5 active police dogs that needed medical treatment. Were the rioters and looters criminal, underclass or victims of socio-economic blight getting their own back on the rest of society' NO! In reality, there were few genuine gang members. Among the looters and rioters were teaching assistants, a graphic designer and university students. The only point that could be made was that on the whole they were young and poor," Our organisation promotes equality and diversity following The Equality Act, codes of practice and our organisations policy on equality. The Equality Act brings together, and adds to and strengthens, a number of previous existing pieces of legislation, including race and disability. It extends to: • age • disability • gender reassignment • marriage and civil partnership • pregnancy and maternity • race • religion or belief • sex • sexual orientation. Within the organisation there is an equality and diversity committee and the aim is to ensure that Equality and Diversity plan is implemented, promoted and monitored throughout the organisation. Embracing equality and diversity brings to an organisation a wide range of experience, ideas and creativity whilst giving the individual employee a feeling of being enabled to work to their full potential. If i found strategies and systems that did not promote equality and diversity would report this to my (ATM) Assessment Team Manager, who would then forward the issue to senior management to investigate. We work with Skills Funding Agency , Training of Excellence and OFSTED to implement where necessary changes to strengthen the current outcomes. This ensures that we are maintaining equality and diversity by following standards has set by these agencies. I have learnt that it is very easy to stereotype certain communities for example when the riots happened the news was full of Gangs and young under privileged individuals when in fact that was not the case. We need to look at each individuals and respect there differences as a person. Word Count 725 Reference List Gravells, A and Simpson S (2008) Learning Matters http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Mark_Duggan accessed 22/2/2012