disability equality action plan

							RNIB College Loughborough

Progress in 2006-2007 regarding the Disability Equality and Gender
Equality Schemes

RNIB College Loughborough want to aspire to the following equality
objectives:

    1. We want to ensure the principles and values of our organisation
       are inclusive
    2. We want to demonstrate openness, partnership and participation
    3. We want to address the needs of our community (staff, learners
       and external stakeholders) by listening to them
    4. We want to actively promote equal opportunities, equality and
       respect for diversity
    5. We want to be known to have good practice in relation to equal
       opportunities and aspire to have ‘best practice’.

In December 2006 the College published its Disability Equality Scheme
and Action Plan and in April 2007 published its Gender Equality Scheme
and Action Plan. These schemes have to be reviewed every three
years. Annually an update of improvements made as a result of the
Schemes’ action plans should be published on the College’s intranet and
website. These improvements are given below.

If you require full details of the actions and progress to date please see
copies of the Schemes and their associated actions plans on the College
intranet sites and website. Alternatively contact the College’s Quality
Improvement Manager on 01509 631269 (ncurtis@rnibcollege.ac.uk) if
you wish to discuss any aspect of this information.

Disability Equality Action Plan

These are the improvements made since December 2006 as a result of
actions contained within the Disability Equality Duty Action Plan:

    - Automatic doors have been installed on ground floor of Stan Bell
      Centre (Residential Halls)
    - Learners have been reminded how to report any repairs they
      require
    - The front doors at Stan Bell Centre have been adjusted
    - A portable Public Address system has been purchased (so Talking
      Noticeboard can be heard more easily by learners)

RNIB College Loughborough – Quality Improvement Manager                  1
First Annual progress report for DED and GED - 2 January 2008
    - Full board menus are read out to learners when they book their
      meals in the morning
    - Menus are available in Braille – 4-week rotation of menus in place
    - Shorter lessons were not instigated as learners didn’t want lessons
      to go into Wednesday or Friday afternoons
    - The activity programme has been improved to include female-
      centred activities to promote female bonding – activities monitored
      for equal opportunities issues
    - Levels of Residential staffing improved – so support for Extended
      Curriculum activities is better. 2 more staff qualified to drive
      College mini-buses
    - Medication process has been explained to learners
    - A comprehensive plan for medication training has been introduced
      – appropriate staff trained
    - 2 waking night staff and 1 sleep-in staff now on duty – learners
      have been informed
    - Disability information from staff – some improvement in collation –
      developments in this initiative are still ongoing
    - Visitors are asked about ease of access to college and their
      requirements by the Marketing and Development Manager
    - Impact assessments for policies, procedures and practices are
      underway. A standing panel has been introduced – all Managers
      working through policies with the panel which includes staff and
      learner representatives who have a disability
    - Learners have been involved in Loughborough College impact
      assessments throughout the year
    - Managers from Loughborough College and RNIB College
      Loughborough continue to be represented on each others’ equal
      opportunities groups
    - Phones in bedrooms at 37 Radmoor Road (residential house) have
      been installed plus Internet access arranged
    - Staff conducting visits around the campus carry mobile phones for
      emergencies
    - Doors adjusted so they do not slam at Stan Bell (residential centre)
    - Complaints now analysed in all diversity categories – this feedback
      is given to Governors and College Managers
    - Equal opportunities training continues to be on the staff
      development plan and has been updated to include the Disability
      Equality Duty (DED), Gender Equality Duty (GED), Disability
      Discrimination Act (DDA), etc
    - DED/GED training has been added to induction
    - Needs of learners prioritised on staff development plan –
      anticipated learner needs added to staff development plan

RNIB College Loughborough – Quality Improvement Manager                  2
First Annual progress report for DED and GED - 2 January 2008
    - Equal opportunities analysis included in the Self Assessment
      Report
    - Disability awareness session given to all new Learning and Skills
      Council funded learners at induction
    - College prospectus and website language reviewed to ensure it is
      understandable to all staff and learners
    - Professional visitor perception survey amended to include
      questions regarding accessibility to the building

Staff have been informed about all these improvements via a staff
meeting

Gender Equality Plan

These are the improvements made since April 2007 as a result of actions
contained within the Gender Equality Duty Action Plan:

    - Current status of RNIB policies audited – ie ease of access to staff
    - The College has exchanged Gender Equality Schemes with
      Loughborough College
    - The Learning Partnership Feedback Group (focus group for RNIB
      learners studying at Loughborough College) includes questions
      about accessibility to buildings, facilities and
      courses/provision/teaching methods at Loughborough College
    - In 2007 survey results were disaggregated by gender, age and
      funding body (this resulted in a female-only focus group being held
      to further investigate results)
    - There is on-going development to improve collection of statistics to
      better show trends, etc
    - Support for staff via childcare vouchers has been publicised to staff
    - 2 members of staff have been accredited as trainers in challenging
      behaviour
    - Essential staff development has been arranged for those staff
      working non-traditional hours
    - Staff development session times reduced to enable staff to attend
      who have caring responsibilities
    - Bonding activities for females in extended curriculum timetables
    - 2 staff representatives attend the RNIB Forum, one of whom has a
      disability




RNIB College Loughborough – Quality Improvement Manager                   3
First Annual progress report for DED and GED - 2 January 2008