Policy

Stour Valley Arts recognizes that people can be discriminated against on the basis of their gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability and age.  Discriminatory practice also exists in the form of harassment, victimization and favouritism.  Such discriminatory practice may be overt and / or covert, and may be embedded in institutionalized practices and attitudes.

Stour Valley Arts finds all levels of discriminatory practice unacceptable and recognizes that the key to making equality of opportunity effective is not in a policy but in action.  The Board of Trustees of SVA, staff and programme deliverers are therefore expected to understand and implement a practice of Equality of Opportunity.  Each of these individuals has a right and implied duty to:

• Confront discriminatory attitudes and prejudicial behaviour wherever they occur.
• Identify the particular biases and prejudices, which operate within this art/environment context and its institutions and work to eliminate them within their own practice.
• Work effectively to widen access in the recruitment of SVA Staff and Board members.
• Work effectively to widen access to all members of the community through a policy of positive action.
• Positive action will encourage participation by under-represented groups in the community.
• Review, and where necessary seek to improve physical, social and attitudinal access to buildings, walkways and programme.
• Refuse to collude with habitual discriminatory practices.
• Seek to broaden discussion of the forms and manifestation of discrimination and process of resolution.

All aspects of this policy will be monitored on an on going basis and reviewed and evaluated annually by SVA .  The evaluation will be co-ordinated by the SVA Director.