Free online help for equality matters
Our email helpline is available to all HTP Apprenticeship College’s learners and employers. It offers advice and support from HTP Apprenticeship College staff with specialist knowledge in this area and signposting guidance to other appropriate organisations which provide advice on matters of equality and employment in the workplace. If you have an issue or question please email us and we will do our best to respond within 24 hours.
[email protected]
HTP Apprenticeship College is committed to equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion.
We ensure that all learners and staff have equal opportunity in all elements of our training programmes, regardless of the protected characteristics as detailed in the Equality Act 2010. These are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
We respect difference, and provide a welcome training environment for of all our learners and employers, building mutual trust and respect with regard to equality of opportunity and inclusion. We will take robust action to deal with any discrimination if and when it arises.
You will receive information on the key principles of equality, diversity and inclusion from the Training Consultant who will also regularly discuss the day-to-day practical application of these principles when they meet with your learner.
The law defines discrimination as treating someone less favourably because they belong to one of the protected characteristics (groups) mentioned above. There are various types of discrimination, including:
- Direct Discrimination – treating someone less favourably than another, in employment or the provision of goods and services, including education and training
- Direct Discrimination by Association – treating someone less favourably because they are associated with someone with a protected characteristic (e.g., someone who cares for a disabled relative)
- Direct Discrimination by Perception – treating a person less favourably because someone thinks they have a protected characteristic (e.g. thinking a person is gay or lesbian because of the way they dress)
- Indirect Discrimination – applying a requirement or condition which, whether intentionally or not, adversely affects any person, or member of a particular group, considerably more than others and cannot be justified (e.g. a rule forbidding the wearing of any jewellery could adversely affect Christians who want to wear a necklace with a cross)
- Harassment – unwanted conduct about a protected characteristic that has the effect or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading or offensive environment for the person
- Victimisation – when a person is treated less favourably because they have made or supported a complaint or raised a grievance about discrimination or harassment, or because they are suspected of having done so.
It is also useful to note that ‘Hate Crime’ is defined as ‘any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by a prejudice or hatred due to disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation’.