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Training and Development Policy
1.1 Rights
and Equality West Midlands works with the Equality and Human
Rights Commission (EHRC) to eliminate racial discrimination
and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations
between people of different racial groups.
1.2
Rights and Equality West Midlands seeks to encourage its
members, Board and Forum members, staff and volunteers to
undertake appropriate training and development in order to
fulfil these council objectives in a complex and rapidly
changing social environment.
1.3
Rights and Equality West Midlands recognises that without
developing and updating the knowledge and skills of its
members, Board and Forum members, staff and volunteers, it
will not be able to maintain and improve its services,
fulfil its long-term objectives, or meet the aspirations of
the communities it serves.
1.4 Information
training and development services for members. Rights
and Equality West Midlands will endeavour to fulfil its
public information and education function in relation to its
individual and associate membership by disseminating news
and information about racial equality, equality of
opportunity, and good community relations, at public
meetings and through the various media to which it has
access.
1.5 Information,
training and development services for the Board and Forum.
Rights and Equality West Midlands will seek to ensure
that all Board and Forum members are provided with the
opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to
administer and manage the council in accordance with its
constitution and approved policies.
1.6
In particular, Rights and Equality West Midlands is
committed to providing Board and Forum members with an
appropriate programme of induction and opportunities to
update their knowledge of race relations, policy issues and
community affairs, in order to improve the quality of Rights
and Equality West Midlands’ performance and to give it
strategic direction.
1.7 Training
and development of staff. Rights and Equality West
Midlands recognises that the training and development of
staff is essential to achieving its goals and for
maintaining and improving the quality of its services.
1.8
The primary purpose of a policy, procedure and planned
programme of staff development must be to contribute to the
effectiveness and efficiency of Rights and Equality West
Midlands’ operations and the services that it provides.
1.9 Nevertheless, Rights and Equality West Midlands’
success in the training and development of staff to fulfil
its own organisational goals will partly depend on the
extent to which it satisfies the personal aspirations, and
contributes to the development of, its individual employees.
1.10
Rights and Equality West Midlands will seek to encourage job
satisfaction, personal competence, individual achievement
and collaborative team-working and, in this way, to
contribute to individual self-advancement, both in current
work roles and as preparation for promotion at Rights and
Equality West Midlands or elsewhere.
1.11 In
practice, the success of the staff training and development
policy will depend, not only on the time and resources
devoted to its implementation, but to foresight and clarity
in defining, prioritising and managing the delivery of
Rights and Equality West Midlands’ racial equality
objectives, and in recognising how and what professional
skills might contribute to the organisation’s success.
1.12
Rights and Equality West Midlands will provide an induction
programme for new staff to help equip them to undertake
their work roles in a competent and efficient manner.
1.13 In
addition, Rights and Equality West Midlands will seek to
ensure that all staff update their knowledge and skills in
the context of a rapidly changing social, political and
legal environment.
1.14 In
accordance with the approved procedure and when resources
are available and their allocation agreed, Rights and
Equality West Midlands will also assist staff in their
professional development, encouraging them to obtain
expertise and formal accreditation in relevant disciplines.
1.15 Training
and development of volunteers. Volunteers will
systematically be provided with the induction necessary for
them to undertake their functions as volunteers. They will
also be invited to participate in in-service training,
workshops and seminars, for the purpose of updating their
knowledge and skills in the area in which they make a
contribution to Rights and Equality West Midlands.
1.16 Commitment
to a training and development policy and procedure. As
part of its human resource strategy Rights and Equality West
Midlands will follow a policy and procedure to ensure the
systematic training and development of its members, Board
and Forum members, staff and volunteers, in accordance with
their potential and the needs of the organisation.
1.17
An annual Rights and Equality West Midlands training
plan and programme will be produced and disseminated to
Board and Forum members, staff and volunteers.
1.18
Rights and Equality West Midlands will endeavour to ensure
that all employees receive an annual staff development
interview, conducted within six months of first appointment,
by the principal officer. The substance of the interview
will be recorded in writing, with a copy given to the
employee. The interview will be distinctive from, and will
form no part of, the separate staff appraisal procedure.
1.19 As
appropriate, and when available, the Rights and Equality
West Midlands seeks to provide material support on a fair
and equitable basis to encourage members, staff and
volunteers to undertake approved training and development
programmes.
1.20 Commitment to fulfilling obligations to the EHRC.
Board and Forum members and staff are bound by the
constitution of Rights and Equality West Midlands to
undertake such training as may be required by the EHRC.
Rights and Equality West Midlands undertakes to fulfil, as
far as possible, all its training obligations, including
induction for Board and Forum members, specialist
instruction for sub-committee members, and attendance by
directors and other staff at workshops and in-service
training sessions arranged by EHRC partnership officers.
1.21 Commitment to ensure training meets needs of target
groups. Rights and Equality West Midlands will design its
training and development plan and programme to meet the
specific needs of four categories of person: members, Board
and Forum members, staff and volunteers.
1.22 In
practice, it is also likely that four broad sub-categories
of staff: directors, officers, administrators, and
secretarial staff, will require different training and
development programmes related to their distinctive
organisational roles.
1.23 Rights and Equality West Midlands’ training and
development plan is likely to contain three elements: an
in-house programme aimed primarily at induction, updating
and upskilling, an associational scheme involving mentoring,
consultancy, supportive partnerships and exchanges with
other racial equality councils and organisations involved in
race equality work, and a professional training and
development programme, externally accredited in arrangement
with a college or university.
1.24 Rights and Equality West Midlands recognises that
staff often show a preference for professional training
programmes that result in recognised accreditation and will,
where possible, assist staff in acquiring such training,
providing its achievement accords with the needs of Rights
and Equality West Midlands.
1.25 Rights and Equality West Midlands is best placed to
support such training when it is undertaken on a part-time
day release basis. (Costs include course fees, travel and
subsistence, and work displacement time.)
1.26 Rights and Equality West Midlands may encourage
staff to undertake appropriate professional training
programmes by agreeing to provide one or more of a variety
of supportive measures, eg., flexible time arrangement, full
or half-day release, financial assistance with course fees,
dependent on the resources available and the approval by the
executive committee of the annual training programme and
budget.
1.27 The education and training policy of Rights and
Equality West Midlands will be made available to all new
Board and Forum members and staff appointees on taking up
post. It will be made clear at job interview that the
successful candidate will be required to undertake any
in-service training specifically arranged for them by Rights
and Equality West Midlands.
1.29 Commitment to equality of opportunity. In
operating its training and development policy, Rights and
Equality West Midlands will, at all times, use its best
efforts to ensure that members, Board and Forum members,
staff and volunteers are afforded equal opportunities
irrespective of their colour, race, nationality, ethnic
origin, religion, gender, marital status, sexual
orientation, age or disability, and that all relevant
legislation will be openly and fairly provided in accordance
with individual need and organisational requirements.
Review
clause
This
policy was approved by the Board in 2002 and was reviewed in
October 2007 with the next date of review scheduled for
January 2009.
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