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Dignity for all Policy

1. Purpose and scope

1.1 The objectives of this policy and procedure are to:

• ensure Ewe-Nique provides an environment where every volunteer and member is treated with dignity and respect

• support the standards set out in the Ewe-Nique’s code of conduct

• ensure that lawful, non discriminatory and effective arrangements exist for addressing complaints of harassment and bullying

• ensure that all volunteers and members are aware of their rights and responsibilities regarding raising concerns about harassment or bullying behaviour and will not suffer any detriment for doing so

• enable all volunteers and members involved in a complaint about bullying or harassment to feel confident that the issues will be dealt with fairly and confidentially

• support the Co-Chairpersons and Committee in carrying out their responsibility to resolve harassment or bullying issues as soon as possible.

• contribute to the successful achievement of Ewe-Nique’s aims and excellent standards of service for people living with chronic pain through Therapeutic Crochet & Knitting.

1.2 This Dignity for all policy covers all of the Ewe-Nique’s volunteers and members and including temporary staff employed via agencies and contractors.

1.3 ‘The workplace’ includes anywhere volunteers and or members are gathered together for Ewe-Nique meetings or social reasons.  This also includes social media outlets.


2. Definitions

2.1 Harassment

Harassment is unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating a hostile or intimidating, degrading or humiliating or offensive environment. The behaviour may be persistent or an isolated incident. It may be delivered in person or in writing by email or text message or other electronic medium such as social networking sites.

2.2 The following list provides examples of behaviour which will not be tolerated by Ewe-Nique. It is not intended to be exhaustive. There may be other more subtle behaviour that will be perceived to be inappropriate by the recipient. Such behaviour may be open to further investigation upon complaint.

2.3 It is important to note that volunteers can be harassed by colleagues or subordinates as well as by Ewe-Nique members and visa versa.  Customers, service users, visitors and contractors may be involved, either as perpetrators or recipients. Witnesses can sometimes be affected adversely as well as those directly involved and can make a complaint as well.


Sexual Harassment

• Unwelcome sexual remarks, such as jokes, innuendo, teasing and verbal abuse.

• The display of posters or written materials of a sexist or sexually suggestive nature.

• Unwelcome remarks about a person’s dress, appearance or relationship status.

• Unwelcome physical contact or demands for or offers of sexual favours.


Sexual Orientation

• Behaviour that condemns or ridicules a person because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation.


Racial Harassment

• Racially derogatory remarks or racist jokes.

• The display of racially offensive material or graffiti.


Age Discrimination

• Ridiculing or demeaning behaviour focused towards employees because of their age.


Discrimination against Disabled volunteers or members

• Undignified treatment, ridicule or exclusion of volunteers or members, because of their disability, vulnerability or actual or perceived reduced independence.


Religious Discrimination

• Discriminatory behaviour, which fails to acknowledge the rights or needs of people with different beliefs or practices.


Sectarian harassment

• Sectarian harassment is unwanted conduct of a sectarian nature, or other conduct based on religious belief or political opinion affecting the rights of people at work.


2.3 Bullying behaviour

Bullying is defined as the intimidation, undermining or belittling of someone through the misuse of power or position, which leaves them feeling hurt, upset, vulnerable or helpless. In these situations it is often the Co-Chairs who are seen as having all the power, but volunteers and members can also misuse their personal or expert power to bully members, Co-Chairs or Volunteers.

Examples may include:

• unfair and excessive criticism, without specific evidence

• public insults

• repeated inaccurate negative feedback about quality of work

• repeated changing of agreed deadlines and targets at short notice

• excessive workload

• teasing and name calling

• malicious rumours

• sending threatening or abusive emails

• exclusion and isolation

• actual physical assault.


2.4 Victimisation

Treating a member or volunteer less favourably than others because they have brought proceedings, given evidence or complained about the behaviour of someone who has been harassing, bullying or discriminating against them.


3. Policy principles

3.1 The following principles underpin this policy and the application of the procedures:

• Harassment, bullying and victimisation whilst volunteering or attending meetings are unacceptable behaviour and will not be tolerated or condoned.

• We aim to prevent harassment, bullying and other inappropriate behaviour within Ewe-Nique by making the expected standards of behaviour clear.

• All volunteers and members are encouraged to try to resolve these issues informally where possible.

• Members are asked to respond openly and positively when issues are raised informally with them.

• Witnesses may also be affected and may raise a concern informally or make a formal complaint.

• Ewe-Nique Co-Chairpersons are expected to deal with any issues of bullying or harassment promptly and informally where possible.

• Formal external mediation may be suggested, where appropriate at no cost to Ewe-Nique

• All complaints will be dealt with swiftly and fairly.

• Records of all complaints, formal and informal will be kept for 6 years for monitoring and reporting purposes.


4. Roles and responsibilities

4.1 Volunteers and Members

All volunteers and Members have a responsibility to ensure an environment in which the dignity of others is respected.

Everyone must comply with this policy and:

• avoid causing offence to colleagues and other members

• discourage harassment or other inappropriate behaviour from others by making it clear that such behaviour is unacceptable

• try to deal with inappropriate or offensive behaviour informally where possible

• are encouraged to report to any persistent or serious inappropriate behaviour so that Ewe-Nique can take any relevant action.


4.2 Co-Chairpersons and Committee

The Co-Chairpersons and Committee have a duty to implement this policy and to make every effort to ensure that harassment or bullying does not occur, and ensure it is dealt with swiftly and fairly where it does occur.

The Co-Chairpersons play a key role in modelling and upholding the standards of behaviour expected by Ewe-Nique and should:

• ensure their staff and volunteers understand the standard of behaviour expected of them and know about this policy and the procedure for dealing with a complaint

• be responsive and supportive to any member or volunteer who raises a concern or allegation of harassment or bullying.

• recognise the challenges faced by an individual who feels that they are being harassed or bullied and the person being complained about

• be sensitive to the fact that a complaint is likely to be a distressing experience for all parties

• encourage an informal approach to resolution (by the individual or the Co-Chairpersons) wherever possible

• provide clear advice on the policy and procedure and encourage the individual to seek advice as appropriate

•maintain confidentiality

• seek to ensure that there is no further problem of harassment or bullying after a complaint has been resolved.

• responsible for ensuring the Dignity for all policy is up to date, reviewed, fit for purpose and embedded within Ewe-Nique.  

• The committee oversees, monitors and coordinates all harassment and bullying complaints, providing procedural advice.

• Support to the individuals will be provided by the Co-Chairpersons and Committee, as appropriate.

• The Co-Chairpersons take the lead on communicating this policy to all volunteers and members to ensure that:

• all volunteers and members understand Ewe-Nique’s commitment to eliminate harassment and bullying at work

• all volunteers and members know how to make complaints and are confident these will be handled sensitively and confidentially


4.4 Informal supporters

Any volunteer or member can provide support to either party when they are trying to resolve a complaint informally. This role should be confined to support and strict confidentiality must be agreed and maintained by them (see section 5).


4.5 Representatives
Volunteers may choose to be accompanied by another volunteer or member.

 

4.6 Advice from the Committee

In the event of any issues of interpretation of this policy, the decision of the Committee will be final.


4.7 Record keeping

Co-Chairpersons and/or Committee should make notes of all informal and formal complaints of harassment or bullying. The notes should be agreed by the individual. All notes will be kept confidentially by the Co-Chairpersons for 6 years.


4.8 Timescales

Any timescales in this policy refer to calendar days. All timescales will be met as far as is reasonably practicable. Key dates may be altered with the prior agreement of the Co-Chairpersons.


Dignity for all Procedure: Volunteers and Members


5. Giving feedback to Volunteers/members about behaviour

5.1 If you feel a fellow volunteer or member is behaving inappropriately or offensively we encourage you to try to resolve matters informally if possible. For example:

• Approaching them directly by making it clear to them that their behaviour is offensive, not welcome and that it must be stopped. This may be done verbally (in private) or in writing. The person may not realise that they are causing offence or behaving inappropriately and some straight forward feedback may resolve the problem.

• Approaching them with moral support from a volunteer colleague

• Where you seek the support of another member or volunteer, you need to be aware that their role can only be one of moral support.

5.2 Please read the Dignity for all guidance, which covers some practical ways of tackling these kinds of conversations.

5.3 Hopefully this will resolve the issue. If however it persists we recommend that you keep your own written notes or details of each incident to provide evidence, including the names of people concerned and others present, to support any subsequent formal complaint. You should detail dates, times and exactly what was said or done. Recording events will help in any future investigation; however, failure to do so will certainly not invalidate a formal complaint.


6. Witnessing bullying or harassment

6.1 Volunteers and members are encouraged not to turn a blind eye to bullying or harassment. If you witness an incident of harassment or bullying you may wish to approach the member to offer your support and to act as a witness, should they wish to report the incident.

6.2 In circumstances where the member does not wish to report the incident but the witness is very concerned, they can raise the matter informally with the Co-Chairpersons or make their own complaint, which would be about the effect on them. This may involve the original volunteer being interviewed as part of the investigation.


7. Making a complaint

7.1 Deciding whether to take the matter further

Where a volunteer/member makes a Co-Chairperson aware that they are being harassed or bullied, (or have witnessed bullying or harassment) but does not wish to take any action, they will be asked to discuss the situation, to ensure they understand their options. A note of the incident and advice given will kept confidentially for monitoring purposes by the Co-Chairperson.

7.2 Should further complaints be made about the same person, the Co-Chairpersons will, as part of Ewe-Nique’s duty of care to all volunteers and members, need to set up an investigation and raise the issues with that person. Where possible, the identity of the volunteer/member will be kept confidential. However this will not always be possible.

7.3 Making a complaint

A volunteer/member wishing to make a complaint about a volunteer or a member should use the Complaints Policy and Procedure.

7.4 A formal complaint may be appropriate when:

• the harassment or bullying is serious or potentially criminal

• it is not appropriate for the problem to be resolved informally

• the behaviour continues after raising it informally.


7.5 Malicious allegations

In the event that an allegation is found to be malicious the complaints policy will be invoked.


8. Follow up

8.1 Follow up action

Following a formal complaint a decision may be made that action under the complaints policy should be considered, in which case the complaints procedure will be followed.

8.2 Reducing contact

Whether or not the complaint has been upheld, both parties may both wish to minimise any further contact between them.

8.3 On going support

The investigating team will meet with the complainant again after an agreed time span to ensure that no further harassment, bullying or victimisation has occurred. This action will be undertaken even where a complaint has not been upheld. Notes will be taken and recorded during such meetings and kept in the case file. Further follow up contact or meetings may be offered, as necessary.

8.4 Co-Chairpersons will ensure that volunteers/members are protected from intimidation, victimisation or discrimination for filing a complaint or assisting in an investigation.

The alleged harasser/ bully will be made fully aware of this aspect of the policy.

8.6 Ewe-Nique may suggest that the person complained about gains support to assist them in changing their behaviour, rebuilding their confidence and relationships.


9. Monitoring

9.1 Informal complaints

The Co-Chairpersons will keep a record of all informal complaints of bullying and harassment made by volunteers/members for monitoring purposes.

9.2 Formal complaints

The Co-Chairpersons will monitor all formal complaints of harassment and bullying and their outcomes and will report on both informal and formal complaints to committee.

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Relevant legislation

• The Equality Act 2010


Related Ewe-Nique policies and procedures

• Code of conduct

• Complaints policy and procedure

• Equal opportunities policy



Policy agreed by the Committee  April 2015  

Policy to be reviewed on a three year cycle  April 2018