Anti-Bullying Policy

Abbey Access Training actively seeks to promote equality of opportunity and good race relations. Abbey Access Training seeks to ensure that no employee, learner, or member of the public is unlawfully discriminated against for any reason, including their religion, beliefs, race, colour, gender, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, age, social and economic status or national origin. These principles will be expected to be upheld by all who act on behalf of Abbey Access Training, with respect to all aspects of this document.

Purpose

As an equal opportunities’ employer, Abbey Access Training supports a working and learning environment for individuals in which dignity at work is paramount. The purpose of this policy is to support a working and learning environment and culture in which bullying and harassment is unacceptable. Throughout this policy the use of the word “harassment” will be used as an abbreviation of “bullying and harassment”.

Personnel

This policy applies to all staff and learners within Abbey Access Training, employees, volunteers and visitors, contractors, learners and staff from other organisations working on the Centre’s premises.

Area

This policy will apply to all Abbey Access Training premises and all Centre personnel working in other premises.

Principles

Abbey Access Training recognises that all employees and learners have the right to be treated with consideration, dignity and respect. Abbey Access Training seeks to support all staff and learners in their professional development and aims to provide a happy and fulfilling environment in which to work and learn which promotes the respectful treatment of staff and learners within Abbey Access Training and the protection from harassment. Harassment in any form will not be tolerated by Abbey Access Training.

Staff and learners carry personal responsibility for their own behaviour in relation to this policy and are responsible for ensuring that their conduct is in line with the standards set out in this policy. Staff should report to the appropriate manager or Trustee, any incidents of harassment which come to their attention.
Learners should report to their Tutor or the Centre Manager if it involves a member of staff.

Allegations raised regarding harassment will be taken seriously and treated confidentially. Abbey Access Training gives an assurance that there will be no victimisation against an employee or learners making a complaint under this policy or against employees who assist or support a colleague in making a complaint.

Harassment may be treated as a disciplinary offence and, where allegations are founded, may lead to summary dismissal. Disciplinary action may also be taken if a complaint is found to have been submitted maliciously or in bad faith.

Responsibilities of Staff and Managers

All staff have personal responsibility for their own behaviour and for ensuring that they comply with the Policy. There are a number of things that staff can do to help prevent harassment, such as: -

Set a positive example by treating others with respect -
Be aware of Abbey Access Training’s policy and comply with it
Do not make personal comments
Do not accept behaviour that may be offensive when directed against you or others, and take positive action to ensure that it is challenged and/or reported
Be supportive of colleagues who may be subject to harassment
If you are subject to harassment but do not feel able to talk about it yet, make notes including dates and details which will help you recall events clearly at a later date
Staff can also contact the Centre Manager or Trustee advice and support

All Managers have a responsibility to implement this policy and to bring it to the attention of staff and learners in their work area, in order to establish and maintain a work environment free of harassment. They must:

Treat a complaint seriously and deal with it promptly and confidentially, giving the employee and learner the alleged perpetrator full support during the whole process.
Set a positive example by treating others with respect and setting standards of acceptable behaviour. Also, promote a working environment where harassment is unacceptable and not tolerated.
Tackle, and where possible, resolve incidents of harassment.
Consult with the Centre Manager at any time for advice and support.

Procedure

Employees and Learners are encouraged to discuss any concerns about harassment with the Centre Manager or Trustees or a member of staff.

A record should be kept of all incidents – records of dates, times, any witnesses. Copies of any correspondence that may be relevant, for example reports, letters, memos, notes of any meetings, etc should also be kept.

In many instances it is possible for the complaint to be resolved quickly by explaining directly to the harasser the effect their behaviour is having and that it should stop. It should always be made clear that if it continues you will make a formal complaint.

If the behaviour of a person is aggressive it may be necessary to walk away making it clear you do not wish to be spoken to in that way.

Where an investigation is deemed appropriate, it should be conducted independently by the Centre Manager. This investigation and any action arising from it will be carried out in line with Abbey Access Training Disciplinary Procedure.

If, following investigations, it appears that harassment/misconduct has occurred; the investigating Centre Manager will recommend the appropriate course of action in line with Abbey Access Training’s disciplinary procedure. A detailed response will be given to both parties outlining the results of the investigation and what action, if any, is being taken in respect of the complaint. This may result in a meeting under Abbey Access Training’s Disciplinary Policy being convened and the behaviour being viewed as serious misconduct. This may also apply in cases where the complainant’s behaviour is deemed to be malicious.

The intention is that all formal investigations will be completed as quickly as possible, but, given the complexities of some of the issues, timescales may extend over several months. Timescales will remain under review and be subject to discussion with the individuals concerned.

Follow up

Following resolution of both formal and informal harassment complaints, a record should be kept of the incident. Where harassment did occur, it is important to check that the harassment has stopped and that there has been no subsequent victimisation. Monitoring will be carried out on a regular basis.

Confidentiality

All employees involved with the investigation and any subsequent process are required to respect the need for confidentiality.

All complaints, associated correspondence and interviews will be treated in strict confidence. Breaches in confidentiality will be subject to disciplinary action.