Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Housing 21 aspires to embed diversity and inclusion within all our organisational activities to enable these principles to become part of our everyday processes.
- Key principles of the policy
The key principle of this policy is to ensure Housing 21 enables residents to live the life they choose.
We promote independence and choice, so want to ensure we achieve this rather than have policies and procedures which prevent it. The Social Housing Regulation Bill introduces a new consumer standard which places the resident front and centre of all services and we must adhere to this.
The principle of giving choice and reaching consensus over collective decisions spans all of Housing 21’s policies and procedures.
Wherever possible, we will allow each individual resident to make their own choice about how they use the services and facilities at their scheme. Individual choices are ones that an individual is at liberty to make without impacting upon the enjoyment of others.
If it is not possible to allow individual choice, we will work closely with everyone in order to reach an outcome that the majority of people are happy with. Scheme decisions are often made in the context of other choices already made and will be recorded in the Court Service Agreement.
Some decisions cannot be offered to individual residents or to residents collectively. This is usually because there is a statutory, regulatory or contractual obligation upon Housing 21 and we cannot devolve those decisions to our residents. In other circumstances, the decision sits with Housing 21 because we have to have a longer term view regarding the expectations of our future residents and the viability of the scheme.
Where choice cannot be offered, Housing 21 will make decisions with reference to consultation through our resident panels, local focus groups, resident conferences or local meetings. Housing 21 will then explain the reasons clearly and concisely to residents and communicate the choices we have made.
All operational employees must undergo training to help them to facilitate consensus decisions at the scheme. This training forms part of the Local Housing Manager/ Housing and Care Manager induction training and is available to all operational employees.
Housing 21 has produced a booklet to help employees implement the principle of Choice and Consensus across all services. This booklet is entitled ‘Helping residents to live the life they choose’.
Housing 21 aspires to embed diversity and inclusion within all our organisational activities to enable these principles to become part of our everyday processes.
