EAS Anti-Racism Policy Statement

The Education Achievement Service for South East Wales (EAS) is committed to being an anti-racist organisation and to supporting the implementation of the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan.

In addition to meeting our statutory requirements, under the Equality Act 2010, we will further demonstrate our commitment and reinforce our intentions to rooting out and tackling all instances of racism and unjust discrimination. The EAS commits to putting an anti-racist approach at the heart of our work; this means acknowledging, challenging and effectively addressing all forms of racism and racial inequality wherever we find it, both collectively and individually.

We believe all staff, service users, members, visitors and contractors have the right to be treated with fairness and respect and we will work to ensure that we have a culture that actively promotes and implements this principle.

The entire EAS service is responsible for applying Anti-racist principles to their policies, practice, and behaviours. We recognise our responsibility to provide guidance and training on race related issues to our staff to enable them to adopt best practice. We are committed to ensuring that our way of working is free of biases and discriminatory behaviours and that we become an actively anti-racist organisation who embraces and celebrates the diversity of Wales. We know that racism (intentional and unintentional) and racial inequality continues to exist, and we firmly believe that we must play a role in actively addressing this within the education sector.

To underpin our work, we have chosen to set out, clearly and simply, what we mean when we say we are an anti-racist organisation. This sits alongside our organisational vision and values and our policies and practices. This is our statement to members, staff, and the wider community of our commitment to becoming actively anti-racist. Each and every member of staff shares this commitment and takes personal responsibility for it.

We have signed the Zero Racism Wales pledge which promotes zero tolerance to racism throughout the organisation.

The EAS commits to promoting a zero tolerance approach to racism. This means that:
• We will take a stand against racism and promote a more inclusive and equal society for all.
• We will not tolerate racial prejudice, discrimination, harassment, victimisation, abuse, or violence against any individual.
• We will stand in solidarity, come together, and say no to racism, in all its forms.

We will promote good race relations between people from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
• We will promote equal and fair opportunities for people from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
• We will eliminate unlawful race discrimination, harassment, victimisation and abuse.

Responsibilities

All persons representing the EAS at all levels have certain responsibilities. Good relations and practice and the achievement of an inclusive community depend on all members of the EAS treating others with respect and dignity. Therefore, all persons representing the EAS are expected to:

1. Co-operate with measures to advance equality and diversity and to eliminate discriminatory practices and behaviours.
2. Always treat others in a fair and non-discriminatory manner, respecting differences.
3. Not discriminate in situations where individuals might have power over others.
4. Not incite or attempt to induce others to behave in discriminatory ways.
5. Not victimise or attempt to victimise anyone who has made complaints of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or abuse or who has provided information on discrimination.

The EAS Anti-Racism Action Plan

The primary objective of the EAS Anti-Racism Action Plan is to raise awareness of anti-racism across the EAS region and to support all stakeholders to take positive steps and actions towards realising the vision of ‘A Wales which is anti-racist’.
The action plan outlines 5 key goals which align to the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan:

1) Improving our learning and understanding about racism and its impact, continuing to develop and promote a more inclusive organisational culture that prioritises anti-racist actions and behaviours.
2) To review policies, procedures and practices to ensure they are explicitly anti-racist and review our policy for responding to racism in the organisation.
3) To provide support to schools in ensuring that Black Asian and Minority Ethnic stories, contributions and histories are taught throughout the revised Curriculum for Wales.
4) To create an anti-racist teaching workforce through embedding anti-racist professional learning.
5) To ensure all EAS educational resources and supporting materials funded are anti-racist and reflect the true depth of our diverse cultural heritage while avoiding stereotyping and cultural appropriation.

To achieve this change, it is essential that we work with diverse communities and organisations in Wales in the planning, design and delivery of our activities, and we continue to develop these connections and establish channels to support this collaboration.