Yoga Focus is fully committed to the principles of equality of opportunity. It is responsible for ensuring that no volunteer, job applicant, employee or client is unlawfully discriminated against due to age, sex, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation (together the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010).

Yoga Focus will ensure that there is open access for all those who wish to participate in its yoga courses and that they are treated fairly, in accordance with the law and reflecting the ethos and philosophy of Yoga.

This Equality and Diversity Policy is approved by the British Wheel of Yoga Purpose of the Equality and Diversity Policy Yoga Focus recognises that inequalities and discrimination still exist in society and that these may limit opportunities to participate equally and fully in the practice of yoga at all levels.

Yoga Focus wishes to promote inclusion and will take steps to mitigate against inequality and prevent discrimination (intentional or unintentional), or other unfair treatment of its volunteers, employees and clients.

Legal Requirements

Yoga Focus is required by law not to discriminate against its volunteers, employees and clients taught by its teachers, and recognises its legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and any later amendments to such legislation or subsequent equality related legislation that may be relevant.

Discrimination, Harassment, Victimisation and Bullying

Yoga Focus recognises the following as being unacceptable. It regards any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying as gross misconduct and any volunteer or employee found to be engaging in such behaviour will be subject to the appropriate disciplinary action.

Discrimination

Direct Discrimination is treating someone less favourably than you would treat others for reasons relating to a protected characteristic.

Indirect Discrimination is applying a provision, criterion or practice which, on the face of it, applies equally to all but which, in practice can disadvantage individuals with a particular protected characteristic. Such requirements or conditions should only be applied if they can be objectively justified.

Harassment

Harassment is any form of unwanted or unwelcome behaviour that violates people’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

Victimisation

Victimisation is treating someone less favourably because he or she has in good faith used the organisation’s complaints procedure, exercised his or her legal rights, or has supported colleagues who have done so. Yoga Focus will fully support and protect anyone who exercises his or her legal rights in this regard and/or supports anyone who has done so.

Bullying

Bullying is the misuse of power or position to criticise persistently or to humiliate and undermine an individual’s confidence.

Reasonable Adjustments

Yoga Focus recognises that it has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons. It will consider all requests for adjustments and where possible will accommodate reasonable requests and will work with disabled volunteers, employees and clients to implement any adjustments that will enable them to participate more fully.

Implementation

Yoga Focus has appointed Nikki Jackson as Safeguarding and Diversity Manager and she is responsible for ensuring that the existence of this policy is communicated to and understood by all volunteers, employees and clients and that all breaches are dealt with appropriately.

The Safeguarding and Diversity Manager has the responsibility for achieving any equality related action plans that arise from this policy. All volunteers and employees have responsibilities to respect, act in accordance with, and thereby support and promote the spirit and intentions of this policy.

Positive Action

Yoga Focus will take positive action to address any under-representation in its workforce, or those wishing to participate in the practice of yoga.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Yoga Focus will evaluate the policy, practices, procedures, operations and recruitment/selection of volunteers and staff on an ongoing basis.

Monitoring and evaluation information will be used to identify any areas of underrepresentation.
The information will be used to guide programme development and promotional work.

Complaints Procedure

To safeguard individual rights under the policy, a volunteer or employee who believes that s/he has suffered inequitable treatment within the scope of the policy may raise the matter through the Safeguarding and Diversity Manager.

Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any volunteer or employee who violates this Equality and Diversity Policy.

Yoga Focus, its volunteers and employees have the responsibility of maintaining the integrity of any complaints or disciplinary procedure. This in turn will increase the level of confidence in the procedures.

All Yoga Focus volunteers and employees will have access to the procedures referenced in this Equality and Diversity Policy.

Communication

A copy of this policy is available to all volunteers, job applicants, employees and clients of
Yoga Focus

This Equality and Diversity Policy is available

• On the website – www.yogafocus.co.uk
• At any employee / volunteer induction training

Review

This policy was adopted in December 2020 and is reviewed on an annual basis.

Contact Us

If you have any queries about the contents of this policy, please contact Yoga Focus on 07816 786656 or by email: info@project1-u5a6u5qvpg.live-website.com