Management Committee Handbook

The Equality Act 2010 provides protection from unlawful discrimination in relation to:

• age
• disability
• race
• gender re-assignment
• sexual orientation
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• sex
• religion and/or beliefs

As the main purpose of a Management Committee is to find out the views of their community and clearly express them, management committees have a duty and responsibility to ensure that they represent all people within their community. Every member has the responsibility to ensure that groups or individuals are not discriminated against. Equality is not about treating everyone the same but ensuring that everyone has the same access to opportunities to participate and be heard.

On the left of the picture, everyone is treated the same, whereas in the picture on the right everyone enjoys the same access to a service, in this case, the chance to watch a football game.

To ensure everyone can participate we need to do things differently.

How can Management Committees help promote equalities in their areas?

• find out about the makeup of the area, for example, who lives there
• make sure that advertising is accessible to all, and that meetings take place in accessible buildings at various times that suit everyone
• try to engage seldom heard groups - help to do this is available from your Connected Communities Team and Volunteer Centre East Lothian (VCEL)
• run local events in partnership with local ethnic groups, disability, and other community groups
• always consult about how any plans would affect all protected characteristic people or groups
• act in an inclusive manner, for example, welcoming people, inviting people to speak and using non-derogatory terms when inviting speakers from different groups and backgrounds
• make it clear that the management committee will not support any discrimination, harassment, victimisation or extremist ideology
• be an inclusive community and foster good relations between people