Stepping Stones Equal Opportunities Policy

January 2009

Our Statement of Purpose, Vision and Values commits us to the individual care, guidance and support of each student."We aim to affirm and value each member of the community, recognising the dignity and unique nature of each individual.  We share each other's strengths, support each other in our weaknesses and strive for the highest standards of achievement in all we do".

Stepping Stones is a newly established post 16 provision initially set to serve the needs of English speaking students in Paphos and the surrounding areas.It welcomes applications from and provides access for all students of other nationalities, and as language needs evolve, interpreters are available.

Upon entry to Stepping Stones, all members of the community have equality of opportunity regardless of age, class, ethnic origin, faith, gender, marital status, nationality, political belief and sexual identity. The college welcomes the European Disability Discrimination Act.  We will make all reasonable adjustments to all aspects of the college to avoid substantial disadvantage to any disabled student or other disabled people.  The Learning Support team are available to support and assist students with specific needs and to advise staff on how to make appropriate adjustments when working with the student.

The purpose of this policy is to promote, implement and monitor the equality of opportunity for all individuals at Stepping Stones ensuring that it meets all legal requirements and obligations. It is based on the principle that everyone should be valued equally. It should be viewed as an integral aspect of all procedures and will be a consideration in all the provisions developments.  The concept of equal opportunity is the foundation on which fair practice for everyone is built.

We aim to foster good interpersonal relationships between staff and students, students and students, staff and staff, in the context of a culture of mutual respect. The working environment should encourage high performance, co-operation between individuals, and also recognise and accept needs and differences.  We will challenge and act positively in the event of any language or behaviour which is offensive to any individual or group.

We aim to ensure that the curriculum, its delivery and resources will be planned to maintain equality of opportunity. We aim to ensure that these will be free of any discriminatory assumptions, images, language and/or stereotyping.

We seek to ensure that the curriculum offered to each individual student matches the identified needs of that student. This involves guidance, counselling, induction and support.We endeavour to deliver a curriculum, which gives all learners a chance to realise their full potential.

The spectrum of courses will, as far as possible, reflect the needs of students, the local community and national EU requirements. Appropriate learning support will be provided for students according to individual needs. 

Within the Stepping Stones community, we acknowledge that particular groups are under-represented. We undertake to identify barriers to access and seek to remove them.

We seek to provide a welcoming, non-bureaucratic atmosphere and to create an environment in which all staff, students and visitors feel at ease.  Stepping Stones will strive to remove environmental barriers, which may impede access for the disabled and is committed to becoming barrier-free as quickly as funding allows.  We endeavour to promote positive attitudes to equality in all students and staff.

The translation of this policy into practice is the responsibility of everyone at Stepping Stones.

In order to ensure that the policy is implemented effectively open communication is encouraged  in order for the changes to take place.

Stepping Stones will ensure that there are no barriers which might inhibit any individual from lodging a complaint against any alleged contravention of the Policy. There are two strands for the resolution of problems, one formal and the other informal. Written details of Stepping Stones complaints procedure may be obtained from the Director.