Statement of Commitment to promoting Equality and Diversity within Tameside

We, the major employers, service providers, public agencies and community leaders in Tameside support fair employment and equal access to services and facilities for all residents and for those people who visit the Borough for work or leisure purposes.

We share a commitment to upholding civil rights as set out in current legislation and eliminating discrimination of any kind, for all communities within Tameside. This includes taking steps within our own organisations to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, sexuality, religion & belief and age. Relevant organisations will of course continue to meet their statutory obligations.

Tameside Strategic Partnership also encourages the community at large and employers to recognise that ‘difference’ is a normal part of society that enriches the Borough’s social capital. The Partnership strongly believes that the Borough and its residents are more likely to thrive socially and economically if we are individually and collectively open to the various influences, skills and view points that our diverse community has to offer. An openness to and appreciation of diversity is regarded by the Partnership as a sign of good social health and we will therefore promote tolerance and support harmonious community relations throughout our work.

In order to deliver on this joint commitment to equality and diversity, all partners within the Tameside Strategic Partnership will, as appropriate, work together to promote equality and diversity within and across the public, private & voluntary and community sectors. Partners will also endeavour to adopt relevant good practice within their own organisations. The areas in which we will do this include:

Employee Training and Development

• Joint provision of high quality, up to date equalities training
• Relevant and proportionate induction processes and assessment of equality training needs for new employees

Recruitment, Employment & Retention

• Promoting the relevance of public services to local people and / or under-represented groups of employees
• Consider schemes that support the retention of under-represented groups of employees (where legislation allows)
• Providing accurate and up to date materials for young people and their parents in considering career opportunities by creating better links with local schools, colleges and guidance services

Monitoring Employee and Service User Profiles

• Creating greater consistency in the classifications used across organisations;
• Maintaining records to show what monitoring data is collected, how this information is used and what action is taken as a result of monitoring

Translation & Interpretation Services

• Share information and promote joint working around local interpretation and translation services