Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy

2013 - 2017

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Contents

1. Introduction and our Commitment ...................................... 2

2. Context ....................................................................... 8

3. College Response .......................................................... 12

4. Delivery of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion ........................... 20

References ..................................................................... 26

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1. Introduction and

our Commitment

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1. Introduction and our Commitment

The purpose of this document is to set out our commitment and approach to

delivering our corporate and legal responsibilities for equality, diversity and

inclusion (ED&I), as detailed opposite. In doing so, the College will communicate

what it wants to achieve through its equality outcomes and approach to embedding

ED&I in all functions and activities, i.e. mainstreaming. This involves the local

ownership and delivery of ED&I across the College, to make a positive difference

to the lives of disadvantaged groups.

The College is one of Scotland’s major education providers. Approximately 50% of

our students are from Glasgow, while the rest mainly originate from other areas

across Scotland, as well as the rest of the UK and overseas. The College offers

education and training opportunities ranging from foundation courses through to

Higher National Diplomas, as well as a number of degree courses with our higher

education partners. Courses are delivered across the following curriculum areas:

Building, Engineering & Energy.

Business.

Creative Industries.

Education & Society.

Leisure & Lifestyle.

Nautical Studies.

The pedagogic model of delivery at City of Glasgow College recognises the need for

both students to develop the skills required by employers, and for their learning

experience to mirror the working environment as closely as possible. The College

achieves this by adopting a project-based approach developed by lecturers with input

from employers to ensure that the outputs are industry-relevant.

The College employs 1,150 staff across 10 locations in the city centre, at Riverside

Campus, and to the east of the city.

Construction of the new campus buildings began in 2013, and is on schedule with the

new buildings opening at Riverside in 2015, and at City Campus in 2016, with the

development fully completed in 2017.

Revised August 2016

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Definitions

(See references at end of document)

Equality

Providing a level playing field for disadvantaged groups to ensure

fairness.

The approach is centred on:

o Equality of opportunity (access).

o Equality of process (experience and treatment).

o Equality of outcome (achievement).

Inclusion

Social exclusion is the outcome of multiple deprivation, which

prevents individuals or groups from participating fully in the social,

economic, and political life of the society in which they live.

Inclusion in education is regarded as a process of addressing and

responding to the diverse needs of all learners through increasing

participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing

exclusion.

Diversity

Valuing everyone as a unique individual and celebrating this

difference.

Managing diversity successfully will help organisations to nurture

creativity and innovation and thereby tap hidden capacity for

growth and improved competitiveness.

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Commitment

College Behaviours

Through student and staff engagement, behaviours were identified which

support the College values and promote a positive culture. These agreed

behaviours will be communicated through a variety of approaches, including

the “Our Behaviours” booklet, communication materials and workshop

awareness raising sessions. Such approaches will help promote and reinforce

the behaviours to ensure they become embedded within the College culture.

College Strategic Aims 2013-2017

Equality, diversity and inclusiveness are addressed within the following

strategic aims:

1.2. Work with students as co-creators of their own learning that is

accessible, supportive, and representative of all.

1.5. Provide access and progression opportunities for all.

2.4. Respond to the diverse and evolving needs of all students by

providing effective systems of support and guidance.

3.6. Embed the College’s commitment to equality, diversity,

inclusiveness, tolerance, and respect for the individual.

College Values

Equality, Diversity & Inclusiveness is one of 6 core College values:

The Individual.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusiveness.

Integrity, Honesty and Transparency.

Excellence & Achievement.

Partnership.

Innovation & Enterprise.

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Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy

An Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy has been devised, which details the

aims, scope and responsibilities for ED&I.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Statement

“Equality, diversity & inclusiveness for all:

Fairness.

Opportunity.

Respect.”

Access and Inclusion

The College will encourage access and inclusion, and thus widen

participation, by recognising, prioritising and meeting the needs of

individuals and groups which comprise the communities the College serves.

Some key enablers of access and inclusion include:

Curriculum Design.

Marketing and Communications.

Community Engagement.

Student Recruitment and Selection.

Student Funding.

Student Services.

Student Learning Support.

HR Recruitment and Selection.

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2. Context

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2. Context

Our strategic and operational approach to delivering ED&I within the College is

grounded upon the following legislative, strategic policy and best practice

requirements:

Scottish Government strategy to achieve sustainable economic growth and tackle

youth unemployment through learning and training, as outlined in “Opportunities

for All” and “Putting Learners at the Centre”.

Scottish Funding Council strategy to improve the life chances of learners and

support jobs, growth and sustainability.

The Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

The social justice and business case for ED&I.

Equality

The Equality Act 2010 streamlined, strengthened, and harmonised 40 years of equality

legislation. This introduced a Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), with a focus on

equality of opportunity, for all UK public authorities.

Devolved Specific Duties were introduced to enable authorities to better perform the

PSED. In Scotland, the Specific Duties 2012 and subsequent amendment 2016 place

responsibilities upon the College to:

Devise equality outcomes and report progress.

Report progress on mainstreaming the PSED.

Assess and review the impact of policies and practices.

Gather and use employment information.

Publish gender pay gap information and publish statements on Equal Pay.

Consider award criteria and conditions in procurement.

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Diversity

The need to account for diversity is implicit within the PSED of the Equality Act 2010.

Indeed, having due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity involves

taking steps to meet the needs of students and staff from a range of protected

characteristics. Furthermore, having due regard to the need to foster good relations

involves promoting understanding.

The College recognises that persons who share a protected characteristic are not a

homogenous group, but instead have different experiences, needs and identities. It is

important for the College to embrace the fact that diversity will exist in many ways

and strive to harness the benefits of this diversity positively, rather than ignore it in

decision-making. Given this, the College is committed to effectively managing,

engaging with and celebrating the diversity of its student and staff communities.

Access & Inclusion

A key priority of the Scottish Government is to achieve sustainable economic growth,

as stated in Putting Learners at the Centre. Within this context, delivering a high

performing education and skills system is an essential part of building the workforce

required to maintain economic competitiveness.

In Opportunities for All the Scottish Government acknowledges the disproportionate

impact that weak economic conditions have on young people, especially those who are

furthest from the labour market. The government recognises that staying in learning or

training is the best way for young people to develop the skills they need to progress

towards and into employment. As such, the government is committed to offering a

place in learning or training to every 16-19 year old who is currently not in

employment, education or training.

The College is committed to tackling and minimising barriers to education and

employment, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. Furthermore, the

relationship between the socioeconomic status and deprivation of student groups is

examined using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, SIMD. This data is presented

within the Equality Mainstreaming Report. Please refer to Section 3 for more details.

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3. College Response

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3. College Response

This section will detail how the College has responded to the PSED and Scottish

Specific Duties of the Equality Act 2010. Please refer to the College website for more

details.

Equality Mainstreaming

The College regards mainstreaming as the local ownership and delivery of equality,

diversity and inclusiveness across all College functions and activities.

To enable this, the College devised a mainstreaming vision to support embedding ED&I

across its strategy and operations. This vision is:

“To nurture an environment in which the equality, diversity and inclusion of

students, staff and visitors from all backgrounds are routinely anticipated,

expertly accommodated and positively celebrated.”

In response to the Specific Duties, the College will publish a full equality

mainstreaming report every two years (next due 2017) on the progress made to make

the PSED integral to its functions. In addition, the College details the steps taken to

collect and use equality data, together with its approach to mainstreaming the PSED

across functions, within an interim report, published every other year (next due in

2016).

Together, the Equality Mainstreaming Report and Interim Equality Mainstreaming

Report are designed to enable the College to better progress the PSED year on year.

Equality Outcomes

Where mainstreaming can provide a vision and model for delivery, equality outcomes

can provide a measure of change. In this context, equality outcomes can be regarded

as the strategic and operational expression of equality mainstreaming. These describe

what we want to see at City of Glasgow College.

The Specific Duties place a responsibility on the College to prepare and publish a set of

equality outcomes every four years (next due in 2017). In addition, a published report

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detailing progress in achieving these outcomes is required intermittently every two

years (next due in 2019).

The College spent two years devising its equality outcomes through the extensive

consideration of qualitative and quantitative evidence, with the involvement of

students, staff and external organisations representing protected characteristics. This

exercise is now complete and the Board of Management approved the following

strategic outcomes on 15th May 2013:

1. Students actively engage in learning & teaching that is accessible, supportive, and

representative of all.

2. Students and staff benefit from spaces and services which are accessible,

supportive, and representative of all.

3. Where under-represented, the proportion of students across protected

characteristics is increased.

4. Where under-represented, the proportion of staff across protected characteristics is

increased.

5. Students’ successful course completion, regardless of protected characteristics, is

increased.

6. Staff needs are supported to promote equity and fairness in all stages of the career

journey.

7. Students and staff are encouraged and empowered to exercise their rights and fulfil

their responsibilities in relation to equality and social justice.

To present and deliver these outcomes, an Equality Outcome Setting Framework

and an Equality Outcome Progress Plan have been developed. To ensure that

outcomes are delivered as intended, the outcome progress plan will be regularly

reviewed, updated and published on the College website.

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Staff Information

In Scotland, the Equality Act 2010 Specific Duties place a responsibility on the College

to: take steps to gather information on the number and relevant protected

characteristics of staff by composition, recruitment, development and retention; and

use this information to better perform the PSED. The approach adopted, staff equality

data collected and progress made in better performing the duty are to be presented

within the equality mainstreaming report.

As stated, the College publishes a full equality mainstreaming report, including steps

taken to collect and use equality data, every two years (next due 2017 and 2019). In

addition, the College details the steps taken to collect and use equality data, together

with its approach to mainstreaming the PSED across functions, within an interim

report, published every other year (next due in 2016 and 2018).

Together, the Equality Mainstreaming Report and Interim Equality Mainstreaming

Report allow staff (and student) equality data to be presented annually so as to enable

the College to better progress the PSED year on year.

Assessing Impact

In meeting the Specific Duties, the College will assess the impact of applying a

proposed new or revised policy or practice, make any revisions to ensure compliance

with the PSED and publish results within a reasonable time period.

To meet these requirements the College has devised and delivered:

A policy protocol document which includes guidelines and responsibilities for

conducting an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA).

Local ownership for conducting assessments.

Training and guidance to teams responsible for policies and procedures.

An electronic procedure for undertaking an EQIA.

A quality flow system to ensure EQIAs are undertaken before being published on the

College’s intranet site.

A system to audit a random selection of EQIAs to ensure consistency in approach.

A specific section on the College website for publishing completed assessments.

7. Assessing Impact

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Equal Pay

In meeting the Specific Duties, the College will publish gender pay gap information in

relation to the difference in salaries between men and women every two years (next

due in 2017 and 2019).

The College will also prepare and publish an equal pay statement every four years

(next due in 2017). The first statement specifies the equal pay policy in relation to sex

and the second statement will also incorporate disability and race.

Following completion of the job evaluation exercise, the College conducted an analysis

of pay information and devised an equal pay statement in relation to sex.

This analysis presented the percentage difference among staff between men’s average

hourly pay and women’s average hourly pay. Subsequently, these data informed the

equal pay statement in relation to men and women.

This information is published within an Equal Pay Statement and Information 2015

report, available on the College website.

Procurement

The specific duties also place specific responsibilities on the College in relation to

procurement. This states that, when relevant and proportionate to the subject matter

of an agreement for goods, works, or services, the College should have due regard to

whether the award criteria of the agreement, and the contract conditions should

include considerations relevant to its performance of the PSED.

The College’s procurement policy and procedure has been revised to account for this

requirement.

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CALM (Creating Accessible Learning Materials) Initiative

The CALM initiative supports the ED&I element of “City Learning”, formerly “New

Campus New Learning”. City Learning is a College-wide learning pedagogy and

strategic drive towards a comprehensive modernisation of Learning & Teaching

materials and approaches.

Through 4 inter-related training workshops, the CALM initiative aims to develop

appropriate skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to empower staff to create and

maintain accessible electronic “CALM Compliant” Learning & teaching materials and

approaches.

Subsequently Equality, diversity & inclusiveness for all are embedded into Learning &

Teaching materials and delivery through:

Fairness, by being non-discriminatory and making reasonable adjustments.

Opportunity, by removing disadvantages, meeting needs and increasing

participation.

Respect, by tackling prejudice and promoting understanding.

Embracing Diversity Competition

“Embracing Diversity” is a College wide competition, asking students to creatively

explore diversity, equality, and cultural differences within the range of courses offered

throughout the curriculum, and to express this in a format of their choice, e.g.

painting, photograph, T Shirt, poem, video, etc.

The primary objective of the competition is to raise awareness/improve discussion of a

complex concept, comprising social justice, legislative compliance and potential

cultural change amongst both students and staff, as part of the Learning & Teaching

experience, at grass roots-level in the classroom.

Final outputs of the competition are judged by representatives from external equality

groups, together with key support staff.

The work and talents of students is celebrated with a prestigious exhibition and awards

ceremony which takes place in May. Please see the Embracing Diversity Competition

page on the College website for more details.

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Cross-College ED&I Events

A sub-group of the ED&I Working Group is responsible for organising and delivering a

strategic approach to cross-College ED&I events. The overarching goal is to deliver

specific ED&I themed months each academic session targeted to students and staff:

Black History Month in October

Inter-faith Awareness Month in November.

Disability Awareness Month in December.

Age Awareness Month in January.

LGBT History Month in February.

Gender Equality Month in March.

Poverty Awareness Month in April.

The components of each event vary, but common features include:

Links with external agencies and established events, e.g. for Black History Month

and LGBT History Month.

Panel discussions with guest speakers.

Related beauty treatments, including glitter tattoos.

Spotlight events in the Students’ Association Common Room, with representation

from relevant equality charities, the College Students’ Association and the College

ED&I Team.

Movie screenings of relevant films in the Students’ Association Common Room.

Special library collections with a presence on the student VLE

Classroom based activities and projects across faculties.

To ensure the widest reach, the events are promoted via a range of on and offline

communications, including: big screen adverts; staff and student emails; a visible

presence on the College website, student VLE and staff intranet; social media; posters;

and menu cards distributed across campus.

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4. Delivery of Equality,

Diversity & Inclusion

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4. Delivery of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

The ED&I Departmental Operational Plan details objectives, with specific actions and

targets, and is linked directly to the College strategy via the College’s planning

framework and self-evaluation process. This framework ensures the alignment of

strategy and operation within the College and, together with self-evaluation, enables

the assessment of progress and successes against objectives and challenges.

Central to the effective mainstreaming of ED&I and delivery of equality outcomes

across College functions are:

Strategic management and operations. To fulfil the College’s legislative, business

and social justice requirements for ED&I across its strategy and operations, various

structures and staff groups have been established.

Data and evidence consideration. In support of meeting the PSED, the College is

required to consider evidence in relation to groups who share a relevant protected

characteristic when:

1. Setting equality outcomes.

2. Assessing and reviewing policies and practices.

3. Gathering and using information on the composition, recruitment, development

and retention of employees.

Student, staff and community engagement and involvement. The College involves

individuals and groups representing a range of protected characteristics in

discussions and decision making procedures across its operations and services.

Strategic Management and Operations

Students, Staffing and Equalities Committee of the Board of Management:

provides strategic direction and a structure for the governance of ED&I.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory and Engagement Group: comprised of

representatives of external equality groups, key senior teaching and support staff,

together with student representation. This group informs and supports College ED&I

strategy and operations and provides advice on legislative compliance and best

practice.

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Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Working Group: comprised of teaching and support

staff, across the majority of College functions, together with student

representation. This group supports the development of the College’s ED&I

strategy, operations, mainstreaming efforts and equality outcomes.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Department: comprised of the ED&I Manager and

ED&I Officer. This department provides leadership, support and advice for the

College’s ED&I strategy and operations. Internally, the team produces a Balanced

Scorecard to set priorities and an annual Operational Plan and self-evaluation,

addressing these priorities, with periodic progress reports on actions, measures of

success and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Externally, the team produces

statutory reports which detail the College’s progress in meeting its legislative

duties.

People and Culture Directorate: Comprised of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion,

Human Resources and Organisational Development.

College and Departmental Strategy and Operation: at a College level, a strategic

and operational approach has been adopted to mainstreaming ED&I. The College’s

new strategic plan is now in place, which includes a planning framework for

outlining strategic aims and related operational objectives. At a local level,

managers devise Operational Plans to deliver on ED&I mainstreaming initiatives and

progressing equality outcomes.

Data and Evidence Consideration

Staff Surveys and Focus Groups, are undertaken with specific questions on ED&I.

In the staff engagement survey 2012, 89.7% of staff agreed or strongly agreed that

“As an employer, the College is committed to advancing diversity and equalities”.

86.8% of staff agreed or strongly agreed that “I am treated fairly by my line

manager and my colleagues”.

Course Action and Development Meetings (CADMs) and Student Surveys are

conducted. These examine fairness and equality in admission, services, learning,

support and guidance. CADMs incorporate student class representative participation

to examine how ED&I has been embedded within learning and teaching. During

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2011-2012, 85% of students agreed or strongly agreed that “Lecturers treat us

fairly, sensitively and equally”.

The Staff Recruitment & HR Software System was updated in late 2011 to revise

and extend data collection across all protected characteristics in relation to the

composition, recruitment, development and retention of staff.

The Student Application and Enrolment System, in accordance with Scottish

Funding Council (SFC) requirements, collects and examines data across: age;

disability; race (ethnicity and nationality); religion; sex; and sexual orientation. In

addition, the College also monitors gender identity/reassignment. The College is

committed to working with the SFC to agree revised and extended data fields for all

protected characteristics and it is likely that belief and gender reassignment will be

included in SFC monitoring in future.

Formal Student Complaint Investigations are conducted, some of which have a

particular equality focus in relation to specific protected characteristics.

Quality standard accreditations are conducted, including Investors in People (IIP),

European Foundation Quality Management (EFQM) and Stonewall Workplace Equality

Index, which include specific reference to ED&I.

Student, Staffing and Community Involvement and Engagement

The College involves individuals and groups representing a range of protected

characteristics during discussions and decision making procedures across its operations

and services. These include the following internal and external sources:

Students, Staffing and Equalities Committee of the Board of Management:

provides strategic direction and a structure for the governance of ED&I.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory and Engagement Group: comprised of

representatives of external equality groups, key senior teaching and support staff,

together with student representation. This group informs and supports College ED&I

strategy and operations and provides advice on legislative compliance and best

practice.

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Staff with Responsibilities for ED&I, particularly those from the ED&I Working

Group, attend various committees, working groups, Senior Management Team and

support staff meetings to share good practice.

The Student Executive, Equalities Officers and Class Representatives are elected

by students to serve and meet the diverse needs of students.

Staff Surveys and Focus Groups are undertaken including specific questions on

ED&I.

Student Surveys and Course Action and Development Meetings (CADMs) are

undertaken, examining fairness and equality in admission, services, learning,

support and guidance. Class representatives actively participate in and inform the

CADM process.

Involvement from Groups Representing Protected Characteristics, and reference

to equality data, are central to conducting Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA) by

teams responsible for devising policy and procedures, as well as making key

decisions.

Student Needs Assessments are Conducted by Student Development Staff in

conjunction with students who have an additional support need (ASN) to determine

reasonable adjustments and identify support required. Personal Leaning Support

plans (PLSPs) are then created to record these adjustments.

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References

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References

CIPD (2005) “Managing Diversity: People Make the Difference at Work- But Everyone

is Different”; available online via:

http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/guides/managing-diversity.aspx

ERHC (2011) “The First Triennial Review”; available on line via:

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/triennial_review/how_fair_i

s_britain_-_complete_report.pdf

UNESCO (2005) “Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education for All”;

available online via: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001402/140224e.pdf

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