Mainstreaming Equality
Embedding Equality in
VEC Education Plans
John Ryan
Equality Seminar
- May 28th 2010.
Mainstreaming Equality.
 The goal of equality is to ensure that all services provided
by the VEC Sector are available and accessible to all
potential participants encompassed by the nine grounds
named in the equality acts.
 Mainstreaming is the process by which this goal is
achieved.
 It goes beyond the legal requirements and places equality
at the core of all polices and decision making in each VEC,
School, College and centre.
Mainstreaming Equality ctd.
 In this way it embeds equality in the VEC Sector’s plans,
policies, programmes and daily business.
 It considers the core issue of equality at all stages of policy
development on disadvantaged groups - research,
consultation, implementation and evaluation.
 Review and evaluation is central to the embedding
process.
IVEA/VEC Sector Commitments
 Delivering equality for its workforce and learners is a key
priority for the IVEA and the VEC Sector.
 All staff must be engaged in this process.
 The Sector is committed to providing accessible services to
all in its role as a major provider of education services.
IVEA/VEC Sector Commitments ctd.
 Each VEC endeavours to ensures its employees and its
learners are not discriminated against on basis of their:
gender, marital status, family status, age, race, religion,
disability, sexual orientation or membership of the
travelling community.
 The Sector is committed to accommodating diversity,
accommodating people with disabilities and promoting
equality for all staff, service users and other stakeholders.
 Reference: Guidelines for conducting Equality Impact
Assessments
Embedding Equality in Education Plans
 The development of its Education Plans for the next five years provide
a real opportunity for each VEC to review, evaluate and embed equality
in its new Educational Plan, its organisational structures, policies and
procedures.
Embedding Equality in Education Plans ctd.
 The development of the plan has a number of important stages for the process
of embedding equality
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Legislation - Incorporates equality & related acts
Vision and Mission Statement – underpins equality and diversity
Review of current services – identifies issues to be addressed
Consultation process – engages key stakeholders from nine grounds.
Outcomes for consideration - includes equality issues
Setting goals and objectives - embraces inclusive education
Implementation procedures - Embeds equality in all activities.
Systems for evaluation and review - Equality Impact Assessment.
Key elements of Equality Legislation (1)
Employment Equality Acts 1998 & 2004
 This covers:Vocational training, advertising, equal pay, access to employment,
terms and conditions of employment, promotion, re-grading, dismissal
and collective agreements.
 They apply to:-
VECs, full-time, part-time and temporary employees.
Key elements of Equality Legislation (1)
 Disability related requirements:-
VECs must take appropriate measures to enable a person who has a
disability to have access to employment or to a vocational training
course, to participate or advance in employment, or to undertake
employment unless the measure would impose a disproportionate
burden on the employer or provider of vocational training.
Key elements to equality legislation (2)
Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004.
 Covers all education services provided by VECs.
 VECs cannot discriminate (some exemptions apply) in relation to
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admission or the terms or conditions of admissions
the access of any student to any course, facility or benefit
any other terms or condition
the expulsion of a student or other sanction.
Key elements to equality legislation (2)
Disability related requirements:
 Students with a disability must be mainstreamed unless the disability
makes it impossible to provide services or has a detrimental effect on
other students.
 VECs must do all that is reasonable possible to provide
accommodation for students with disabilities which includes providing
special treatment or facilities without which it would be impossible to
accommodate the student.
Outcomes of the legislation
 Everyone in VEC has the right to work and learn in an environment
that is free from all forms of discrimination, harassment and prejudice.
 Equality must be a core focus in the business of the VEC.
 Equality impact assessments are available to monitor the impact of the
VEC activities on the needs of individuals and groups across the nine
grounds that experience inequality.
 Everyone has a right to an equal opportunity to participate in, to receive
and to benefit from services in accordance with their needs.
Outcomes of the legislation ctd.
 This requires each VEC to combat all forms of discrimination,
prejudice, inequality and stereotyping.
 VECs must provide accessible services in a flexible manner to meet
needs of all learners
 Cultural and other diversities should be acknowledged, valued,
celebrated and accommodated including making reasonable
accommodation for people with disabilities.
Outcomes of Legislation - continued
 The diverse identities, experiences and situations of different
individuals and groups will require adjustments in the design and
delivery of plans, policies and programmes to achieve equality by
accommodating their various needs.
 Staff and representatives from groups that experience inequality must
be consulted on their needs and how best these needs can be met.
 VECs should encourage their partner agencies to develop a similar
approach to equality and diversity.
Vision & Mission Statement
 The mission statement of an educational organisation is at the heart
of the organisation and breathes life into every element of the
organisation.
 It shapes its vision, determines its ethos, creates a working and
learning environment that is free from discrimination.
 It accommodates diversity and is as inclusive and accessible as possible
for all concerned.
 To embed equality in the mission statement all elements of the
organisation must be involved in developing and agreeing the
statements through consultation and agreement.
Vision & Mission Statement ctd.
 The mission statement must ensure that anyone
disadvantaged under any of the nine grounds will have
access to education services and/or employment
opportunities.
 An external process of consultation with representatives of
those disadvantaged under any of the nine grounds should
take place . These representatives should come from bodies
and agencies, statutory and voluntary, local and national,
including learners, other service users and the community
in general.
Review of Services & The Consultative Process.
 This involves the internal consultation with staff and the external
consultation with those representing those disadvantaged under any of
the nine grounds.
 In designing the new plan the identity, situation and experience of
each of the disadvantaged groups and how they will be accommodated
as employees or learners in the VEC need to be considered.
 All current programmes should be reviewed from an equality
viewpoint using the IVEA equality impact assessment guidelines
where necessary to ensure that the needs of individuals and groups
across the nine grounds are met.
Review of Services & The Consultative Process..
 The data gathered needs to be analysed and incorporated into the plan
so that it accommodates diversity, promotes equality and ensures there
is no discrimination on any of the nine grounds.
 The draft of the plan should then be subject to an equality impact
statement.
 The afternoon session will deal with the consultative process in more
detail.
The Consultative process – Difference
 Difference: Each of the groups across the nine grounds have a
different identity, experience and situation that must be considered to
ensure the education plan takes account of diversity, promotes
equality and prevents discrimination.
 Identity is defined as the particular characteristics, values, beliefs and
aspirations held by a group and is an essential component in
determining difference.
 Situation describes the broad status of the group in terms of their
standing in areas such as the labour market, education and income
 Experience describes the relationships between the group and the
wider society and how those experiences affects their participation in
and outcomes from areas such as education provision.
Embedding equality – Objectives for consideration
 Build equality into the organisational infrastructure
 Establish equality as a whole organisational issue.
 Embed equality in all plans, policies and programmes.
 Produce information in accessible formats.
 Establish an inclusive educational environment that facilitates a
process of growth for staff and students.
 Ensure all buildings, structures and courses are accessible to staff and
students
Embedding equality – Objectives for consideration ctd
 Develop a universal admission policy which accommodates individuals
from diverse backgrounds and/or with disabilities.
 Ensure all courses are accessible to those meeting the entry
requirements regardless of age, race etc.
 Develop strategies to overcome barriers arising from differences of
socio-economic status, gender, ethnicity and disability.
 Develop teaching strategies, curricula, modes of assessments and
methods of delivery that accept diversity and cultural differences as the
norm.
Implementation – evaluation – review.
 In 2007 The IVEA and the Equality Authority developed guidelines for
conducting equality impact assessments on IVEA &VEC plans, policies
and programmes.
 It is suggested that all draft education plans should be subject to an
equality impact statement.
 This process will seek to test whether the plan promotes equality,
accommodates diversity and does not discriminate against individuals
and groups across the nine grounds of the equality legislation.
Implementation – evaluation – review.
 It requires the participation of the groups and their individual
members to ensure the plan does not put the groups at a disadvantage.
 It ensures that an equality and diversity perspective based on the nine
grounds is incorporated into the plan and that equality is embedded in
the VEC as an educational organisation meeting the needs of the whole
community and society.
 Programmes and policies should be evaluated on a regular basis to
ensure equality remains at the core of the organisation.