MAN CLUB
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY POLICY

Aims
Man Club recognises that in our society power is not held equally and that groups and individuals have been and continue to be discriminated against on many grounds including, for example, race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, class, religion, marital status and where they live.

Man Club also recognises that where direct or indirect discrimination occurs within Man Club, it is morally unacceptable.

The purpose of the Equality and Diversity Policy is to set out clearly and fully the positive action Man Club will take to combat direct and indirect discrimination in the organisation, in the services it provides, and in its relationships with other bodies.

In adopting this Equality and Diversity Policy, Man Club is also making an unequivocal commitment to implementing it, so as to ensure that equal opportunity becomes a reality.

Code of Practice
Man Club organises talking groups and related activities for men, aged 18 and older.

The group will take action to ensure that group activities and events are open and welcoming to everybody entitled to attend.

We aim to make our meetings and events accessible to people with disabilities – e.g. provide transport, meet in accessible premises, make all reasonable efforts to provide interpreters when necessary, and produce information in large print.

We aim to use local training opportunities to help our trustees and facilitators better understand how discrimination occurs and how to prevent it.

While the majority of our events will be male-only spaces, Man Club will engage respectfully with women who approach or have dealings with the men who attend, and women who approach or have dealings with the Man Club organisation – all in line with the Code of Conduct, below.

All Man Club trustees and facilitators will have the Equality and Diversity Policy explained to them, and will undertake to comply with and implement this policy.

Anyone attending Man Club events who has experienced discrimination can make complaints to the facilitator, who is present at all weekly meetings. If the facilitator is unable to resolve the complaint, it will be referred to the Trustees.

Code of Conduct

People will be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability and/or age.

At all times people’s feelings will be valued and respected. Language or humour that people find offensive will not be used, e.g. sexist or racist jokes or terminology which is derogatory to someone with a disability.

No one will be harassed, abused or intimidated on the ground of his or her race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability or age. Incidents of harassment will be taken seriously.

Dealing with Complaints

The Trustees will take complaints of discrimination and harassment very seriously.

They will investigate them thoroughly and provide opportunities for the person making the complaint to speak in a safe environment about their experience.

If the complaint is against a particular individual, the Trustees and their advisors will hear their point of view.

The Trustees will decide the action to take based on the principle of ensuring the continued inclusion and safety of any member who has experienced discrimination or harassment.

Any decision relating to someone’s continued engagement with Man Club will be made in line with the rules set out in the constitution.

Review
This policy will be reviewed every 2 years