Phoenix Community Housing (Phoenix) believes that each person has a right to be free from discrimination and have equal opportunities and that each individual should be valued regardless of their age, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, marital status, sexuality or gender identity.

Phoenix also believes it is important to develop and promote policies, services and actions that contribute to making a real difference to the lives of the community it represents. 

In implementing this policy, Phoenix will have due regard to the Housing Corporation's Regulatory Code and Guidance and legal requirements.

Statement of Intent

Equality and diversity will lie at the heart of everything Phoenix does as a community housing association, in its role as a service provider. In conjunction with the people it serves, Phoenix will seek to enhance the Bellingham and Downham area by offering and creating sustainable communities, where people want to live.

The Bellingham and Downham area has a diverse, vibrant and strong community which Phoenix will aim to promote and support.  Phoenix will build on the positive community spirit and support a culture where people from all sections of society are valued and respected, creating an inclusive community and drawing on its diversity.

Policy Statement

Phoenix will achieve equality of treatment for all, without discrimination or prejudice on the grounds of a person's age, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, marital status, sexuality or gender identity.

Phoenix will not tolerate harassment of or discrimination against its residents or staff and will take firm and prompt action against perpetrators and provide support for victims.

All employees will be required to follow and implement Phoenix's policies on equality and diversity and will undergo any necessary training and development activities.

Legal Duties

Phoenix will be required to meet its legal duties under the Race Relations Act 1976, Sex Discrimination Act 1975, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 ( 2005) and all other applicable equality and diversity legislation. 

In addition Phoenix will adopt the Commission for Racial Equality's Statutory Code of Practice on Racial Equality in Housing 2006 and comply with the Housing Corporation's code and commitment to equality. 

Implementation

Phoenix will aim to provide services fully appropriate to the diverse needs of different individuals in the community, and will implement the following actions in pursuit of this policy:

Governance

In governing the association, Phoenix will:

• carry out training for all board members to ensure they have a thorough understanding of equality and diversity issues
• aim to ensure that the Board is fully representative of the local communities it serves, and that all members have a range of skills, up to date information and experience to enable them to carry out their duties effectively
• ensure it has an open and accountable process for the recruitment of board members and, by the use of positive action, aim to recruit members from under represented groups

• Ensure all board members, members of other decision making bodies, and officers are non discriminatory in the application of policy and procedures and personal behaviour

Community empowerment, involvement and wider regeneration

Phoenix will:

• ensure that tenant empowerment, involvement and participation activities promote the full and active involvement of all groups of residents through the Phoenix Residents' Group, area panels, residents' associations and other participatory forums
• develop a code of conduct for all such groups and challenge residents voicing discriminatory views.
• Use a variety of methods to encourage empowerment, involvement and participation
• work closely with community groups who are able to help with language and cultural issues
• ensure that resident meetings and events take into account accessibility for people with disabilities, carer and childcare issues, as well as awareness and sensitivity of different cultural and religious needs
• where possible, adapt and improve access to meeting rooms to enable maximum accessibility for people with disabilities
• work with local credit unions and community development financial institutions to develop accessible and ethical savings and borrowing schemes, to tackle financial hardship
• work with other agencies to develop projects (such as befriending and gardening schemes) to help people help each other, and promote community spirit and integration
• forge strong links with community groups, including minority community groups within or connected to the Phoenix area
• through its procurement policies, aim to give local businesses and those run by black and ethnic minorities and other minority groups the opportunity to provide works, goods or services, where value for money can be demonstrated
• ensure that all correspondence is available in other languages and a variety of formats including large type, Braille, audio tape and computer disc
• ensure that policies, plans and ideas are communicated in a manner that is understood by all and that opportunities are given to question these, so that members of the community are part of the decision and change process.

Access to housing

Phoenix will promote fair access to housing by:

• ensuring that allocations and lettings policies are non-discriminatory, flexible and responsive to demand, while contributing to the need to be inclusive
• monitoring the allocation of homes, including the quality of accommodation, to ensure that discrimination does not occur
• collecting and monitoring records of the sex, disability, age and ethnic origin of all those applying for housing, and setting targets for lettings which reflect the BME make-up of the community
• reviewing the effectiveness of allocations and lettings policies regularly.

• ensuring that the priority system for assessing the rehousing needs of Phoenix residents reflects equality principles
• working with our local authority partner to eliminate any discrimination in the nominations of households for rehousing.

Housing management and customer services

Phoenix will aim to provide high quality housing services, provided fairly and on the basis of need by:

• ensuring that its services are accessible to all - both in terms of physical accessibility and in terms of making information available in different formats
• ensuring that residents are protected from racial and other forms of harassment through the relevant tenancy and lease conditions, as well as providing the necessary advice and assistance required
• being proactive in co-operating with other agencies in dealing with all forms of harassment
• ensuring that our complaints procedure is accessible to all, and feedback about the service is given proper consideration
• maintaining up to date information on the translation or other communication needs of all residents
• ensuring that we consult all residents (especially those facing discrimination) effectively, individually through surveys and through mechanisms such as residents' associations to ensure that the housing service meets their needs.
• encouraging improved relations between staff and residents by promoting a culture of mutual respect and courtesy.
• having a positive and proactive approach to equalities work, e.g. exploring examples of best practice in other organisations and looking to develop and build on these where appropriate.
• carrying out equality impact assessments when significant new policies or changes in services are proposed to make sure that these will not discriminate against any section of the community.

Decent Homes Improvement Programme

During the improvement programme, Phoenix will employ its own Tenant Liaison Officers (TLOs) for the duration of the works. TLOs will carry out needs assessments in advance of the improvement works to identify any specific needs of individual residents, including adaptations and cultural requirements. Where identified, Phoenix will aim to incorporate such works into the improvements where this can be accommodated within its Business Plan.

Use of contractors and consultants and partner agencies

Phoenix will require all consultants and contractors who work for Phoenix to demonstrate their commitment to equal opportunities. Phoenix will:

• require consultants and contractors to sign up to Phoenix's Contractors' Charter, which includes commitments to equality and diversity, monitor their compliance with the Charter and take appropriate action if they do not comply

• ensure that staff and building contractors are aware of the impact the improvement and refurbishment works will have on residents, in particular the elderly, those with a disability, and those who care for young children
• carry out early, proactive action to identify the special needs of residents of any equality groups in order to lessen the inconvenience and disruption caused by building works.

Responsibilities

The Phoenix Board has corporate responsibility for ensuring that this Policy underpins all aspects of Phoenix's work.

The Chief Executive has responsibility for ensuring that:

• all staff are aware of and appropriately trained in Phoenix's policies and procedures in relation to equality and diversity
• all staff are trained on the policy and the CRE's Code of Practice
• monitoring records are collected in accordance with Phoenix's equality and diversity policies and procedures
• all residents, staff, service users and providers are aware of equality and diversity policies
• disciplinary procedures are invoked against employees whose actions are inconsistent with the policy.

All Staff

• All staff have responsibility for ensuring that this Policy is put into practice, for making it effective and for setting an exemplary standard for others to follow.
• Additional and specific responsibilities apply to those who manage staff and to those who are involved in recruitment, training and development.
• All members of staff have a responsibility to:

• ensure that they understand the values and benefits of equality and diversity
• familiarise themselves with this Policy, follow it, and ensure that any staff for whom they are responsible do so as well
• draw to the attention of their line manager any instances of apparent discrimination or harassment, or any perceived problem in relation to the provision of services.

Consultation and Communication

Phoenix is committed to ensuring that all board members, staff, tenants, leaseholders and prospective residents are aware of its equality and diversity policies and will provide translations of these policies as required. Phoenix will also ensure that tenants and prospective tenants are aware of their responsibilities under the tenancy agreement in this area.

The Director of Operations  will ensure that this policy continues to be developed and improved in accordance with the Phoenix Tenant Empowerment, Participation and Consultation Policy.

A copy of this Policy will be given to all job applicants and new residents, and will be available on Phoenix's website. 

The Policy will also be included with tender information and contracts for work undertaken for Phoenix by external organisations and individuals.

Training in the importance and use of this Policy will be part of an individual's induction to Phoenix and regular refreshers will be available to all staff.

Performance and Review

Phoenix will produce regular reports for the management board or a designated sub-committee on the effectiveness of its equality and diversity policies and will publish regular performance information.

Phoenix will monitor the provision of all principal housing services including:

• rent arrears,
• eviction,
• repairs,
• advice and benefits
• complaints
• assessment of housing need and allocations
• anti-social behaviour and harassment.

Phoenix will also carry out regular customer satisfaction surveys.

Monitoring information will be analysed and steps taken to deal with any significant disparities between racial, or other groups.

Headline performance information will be reported to tenants and leaseholders on a regular basis, through a variety of means. More detailed performance information will be available upon request and as required.

Any review of this policy will take place in conjunction with Phoenix tenants and leaseholders and will ensure that it takes account of legislative changes and the development of best practice initiatives internally or externally so that improvements in performance can continue to be made. 

Associated Documents

Customer Care Policy
Complaints Policy
Tenant Participation and Consultation Policy
Anti-social Behaviour Policy
Harassment Policy
Repairs, Maintenance and Improvement Policy
Code of Conduct for Contractors
Phoenix's Tenancy Agreement
Phoenix's Tenants' Handbook