Learn acting and drama skills, work as a team, build confidence, create public theatre shows, all in a nurturing & inspiring environment. Open to everyone aged 5-25. Subsidised and free places available.
The following document sets out ThirdSpace Theatre CIC’s (TST) policy on equal opportunities. TST is committed to a policy of treating its freelance staff, participants, volunteers and job applicants equally. No one shall receive less favourable treatment or consideration on the grounds of race, colour, religion or belief, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, disability, marital status or part-time status or be disadvantaged by any conditions of employment that cannot be justified as necessary on operational grounds. TST is committed to acknowledging, celebrating and encouraging variety and diversity in the types of projects that we engage in and the people we run these projects with and for.
You can find our current Anti-Racism Statement here.
The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.
There should be no discrimination on account of race, colour, perceived or actual religion or belief, ethnic or national origins, perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender reassignment, perceived or actual age, disability, nationality or marital or part-time status.
TST will appoint, train, develop, reward and promote on the basis of merit and ability.
All freelance staff have personal responsibility for the practical application of TST’s equal opportunities policy, which extends to the treatment of job applicants, employees, participants and visitors.
Special responsibility for the practical application of the TST’s equal opportunities policy falls upon The Artistic Director and the Company Manager.
In the case of any doubt or concern about the application of this policy in any particular instance, consult Tanushka Marah.
TST will keep under review its policy, procedures and practices on equal opportunities.
Objectives
TST is committed to making full use of the talents and resources of all its team and to provide a healthy environment which will encourage good and productive working operations within the organisation. This code of practice describes how the policy is to be applied throughout the Company.
Code of practice
An equal opportunities policy statement will be sent to all staff.
The Company Manager will regularly monitor the effectiveness of this policy to ensure that it is working in practice and will review and update this policy as and when necessary.
Recruitment and selection
The following principles should apply whenever recruitment or selection for positions takes place:
Grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals and redundancies
Under the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal for disabled people, including job applicants and employees, to be treated unequally to those who are not disabled.
Definition of disabilities
You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
There are special rules about recurring or fluctuating conditions, e.g. arthritis.
Progressive conditions
A progressive condition is one that gets worse over time. People with progressive conditions can be classed as disabled.
However, you automatically meet the disability definition under the Equality Act 2010 from the day you’re diagnosed with HIV infection, cancer or multiple sclerosis.
Some disabilities are immediately obvious, for example use of a wheelchair, while other disabilities may not be apparent at all, for example HIV infection.
Normal day-to-day activities are any of the following:
Principles
The general equal opportunity principles set out earlier in this policy will apply in relation to disabled people.
TST is required by law to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are able to participate in its business and activities on an equal basis with people who are not disabled.
TST will not, for a reason relating to a person’s disability, treat disabled people less favourably than it treats, or would treat, others to whom the same reason does not or would not apply.
If any arrangements made by or on behalf of TST, or any physical feature of premises occupied by TST, put disabled people at a substantial disadvantage compared to people who are not disabled, then TST will make reasonable adjustments to prevent this disadvantage.
TST will ensure that disabled workers are treated equally in the following areas:
Procedure
Due to the wide variety of potential disabilities and the likelihood of a disability affecting different people in different ways, it would be inappropriate to prescribe rigid rules on that reasonable adjustments that might need to be made to ensure that disabled people are treated equally. What is essential, however, is that all managers and other staff take all reasonably practical steps to ensure that disabled people are not less favourably treated or disadvantaged by comparison to people who are not disabled in relation to their work, working environment, or by arrangements made by TST.
The following general steps should always be considered where issues concerning disabilities arise or may arise.
Think ahead. Try to anticipate the effects that certain arrangements may have on disabled people, even if there are no disabled employees at the time, to prevent problems occurring in the future.
Be flexible. There may be many different ways to avoid discrimination or to minimise the effects of discrimination
Consider any performance or attendance problems in the context of the person’s disability and its effect on their ability to meet performance and attendance targets
Do not make assumptions. Whenever possible talk to the disabled person to find out how their disability affects them and what steps they think might help
Do not discipline or dismiss a disabled employee for performance or attendance-based reasons without first establishing whether their performance or attendance is affected by the disability and that appropriate adjustments to accommodate the disability have been made
Seek expert advice. Disability issues can be complex and you may need expert medical advice about a person’s disability, or expert technical advice about adjustments to technology or premises that might help the disabled person
Past & Present.