Inclusive Practice

Inclusive be lease Inclusive form in teaching method moves us a direction from integration and mainstreaming of agreeers, which was mainly concerned with separating those with a deterrent or special genteelnessal h gagas until they had dispatched the required standard for mainstream education. inclusion is or so the disciples right to participate and the instructor/ institutions duty to accept the learner as an more or less star. Inclusion rejects the breakup of learners with disabilities from learners without disabilities instead it promotes e gauge and admiration for their social, civil, gracious and educational rights.From what I can see in that respect argon hardly a(prenominal) tot e precise(prenominal)y inclusive schools plainly those that be, restructure their curriculum so tot wholey can learn together without diversity. well-nigh key melodic themes that exact changed the face of education over the last decade and a half argon Inclusive sirement (1 996) a report by John Tomlinson, was the result of a three-year enquiry into the educational needs of and cooking for adults with disabilities and/ or teaching difficulties in England.It arose from the requirement of an bet of Parliament, in 1992 and states that the new national funding council for get on education should guide regard for much(prenominal) students in all its elaborate of funding, development and evaluation. ITSELF ? Learning for Teaching We playing study that breeding can sole(prenominal) be fully strong if it is inclusive ? Tomlinson 1996, case. Org. UK Learning Works the report of the promote Education Funding Councils committee on widening amour in Further Education Noun 1997), chaired by Bar nonp arilss Helena Kennedy of the Shaw. The Learning Age (Feb. 1998), the government consultation study on intentlong learning, and the formal reaction to the National Committee of Inquiry into high Educations report Higher Education in the Learning Society . separate points being to a greater extent assessable learning opportunities, removing barriers I. E. Financial, disability, investing in 16 + learners and improve quality.The Wolf report March 2011) Key points being motivate one-year-old pack to wee the most valuable vocational qualifications pre-16, introducing study computer programmer for post-16 to break they ar gaining skills which result sensation to progression into a variety of Jobs or further learning, especially those who hold vertebral columnnt done so well in English and mathematics to continue to study those subjects. To assure apprenticeships de dwellr the right skills for the workplace, restructuring of the Qualification, Credit Framework (SCOFF) and modify FEE lecturers and professionals to teach in schools, ensuring young muckle be being taught by those best suit to do so. education. Gob. UK Unfortunately with the changes in political power serve changes in polity. This on low income. Although scarcely EYE per week, this could mean the difference amongst being able to afford to go to college or non. With the increases in University charges and the prospect of post graduates being depart with huge debts to pay, or being told by bob centers they are over qualified so no Jobs for them, it seems as though there has been a u out right in all the progress that had been crystalise in the last decade and a half.Only time will tell what impact this will brook on students and how almost(prenominal) will want or be able to continue with their studies and what divide whitethorn be managed between those who can and cant afford to do this. In recent geezerhood, with the poor economic climate, m either businesses present collapsed making people redundant. Faced with life ever-changing decisions of having to change their fearfulnesser path and learning new kills as the competition for Jobs with the skills they have may be too great, some of these individuals havent been i n the education system for m any years and are faced in some circumstances with a s keeping prospect of come out of the closeting all over again.If they have had handsome put throughs in the past this will dilate the fear tenfold. I believe therefore it is even more than important that teachers have experience in different skills and occupations as more learners may need to go directly into the work force and acquire work based culture, with the employer animationing their learning. These are all barriers that have an impact on inclusive coiffe in the twelvemonthroom as I can lots have a group of learners with dayss ranging from 18 to sixty plus, from various backgrounds and experience.On one occasion I had a group of fifteen learners consisting of school leavers with no experience, some with varying amounts of experience in residential seats and hospitals. Some were returning to work Mums and opposites who had previously worked in Jobs such as, shop and office worker s. There was one who had been a registered manager of a care home but had been dad redundant, with no vacancies in his plain of expertise he decided to become a care worker, only a few weeks before he had been managing a workforce of twenty care workers, seniors and administration round.It can be extremely difficult to take such a wide muck up section of individuals and some measure to bridge the generation gap. Nears grapple has policies in place to give individuals equal opportunities in discipline and employment (see appendix 1) From the introductions at the beginning of the school term to the final goodbyes at the end of training I catch that very learner is shown to be valued by all, showing interest in their opinions and what they have to say, valuing in any case their own experiences, which they bring into the room for all to share.No matter what their age, race, religion, disability, sexuality, and gender maybe, it is their opinions, work and life experience whic h is important for everyone to share and learn from. On inaugural October 2010, the main provisions of the Equality coif 2010 came into force. It is a major simplification of discrimination legislation that makes the law easier to understand and comply with and delivers significant benefits for business, in the public eye(predicate) dies and individuals.It provides a new legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and compare of opportunity for all to update, simplify and chant the previous legislation and to deliver a simple, modern and getatable framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from partial word and promotes a will be brought in and too over the next year other provisions will be discussed and brought in provisions relating to secondary aids in schools, to name one.The additional Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDS) introduces the right for kissable students not to be discriminated against in education, training and any wait ons provided wholly or mainly for students, and for those enrolled on courses provided by responsible bodies, including further and higher education institutions and sixth form colleges. Education providers must overly make fair adjustments to ensure that disabled students arent discriminated against.Making reasonable adjustments could include changes to praxiss or procedures, physical features, how learners are assessed and providing pointless support and aids (such as peccaries teachers or equipment) The financial obligation for schools to provide extra support such as specializer teachers or equipment will be introduced at a later date direct. Gob. UK 2011 1 have had some a(prenominal) learners over the eight years I have been teaching, with many (SEEN) Dyslexia, color blindness, discalced (which I have learned about and identified during this course).I have had learners with sensory disabilities where I have had to make reasonable adjustments by restructure of the sessions, layout or materials and used others, from distant agencies to sign or give support one to one. For one learner, who was working towards their NV level 2 in care, I used a tape recording of accounts as she found it difficult to write broody accounts due to having dyslexia.Sometime though it is difficult to make adjustments for one learner when it could be to the detriment of the rest of the class so it is not unceasingly possible to be in all inclusive, where possible I would try to bump their needs in a one to one session. Although I try to maintain inclusive practice within my sessions, it can be very difficult when chew uping about sensitive issues like abuse, some f the subject matter can cause excruciation to some individuals and so I ensure to warn them before the start of any subject that could cause distress or offense, that they may leave the room of ask to talk to me, or another in private.There are numerous legislations we are dancing by in our work, some cover all individuals and industries and some are more specific to your elect area. health and Safety at Work Act 1974, data Protection 1998, Human Rights Act 1998 are some of the acts that effect all of us and impact on our personal lives as well as at work. Some of the legislations that are pacific to my work and the area I teach are each Child Matters (2003), the title of three government paper wind to The Childrens Act 2004. (ECMA) cover children and young adults up to 19 years old and 24 years old for those with disabilities.It was partly produced as a solvent to the death of Victoria Climb. The main aims of ECMA are to be wellnessy, get safe, enjoy and achieve, make a confirming(p) contribution and achieve economic well-being. We besides take guidance from Childrens Workforce Development Council. Safeguarding of Adults ( reexamination of No Secrets 2000 in 2008). Working with some(prenominal) of these vulnerable groups requires an enhanced CRAB (Criminal Recor ds role a police check) to ensure the guard duty of the individual and the suitability of the worker, working with them.Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 and Medicines Act 1968 & 1971 because our staff have the responsibility of assisting and administering medication. They also need to know how to safely assist with moving and pose of an individual, the Manual this area. Everything that is done in care, health or mental health is regulated and inspected by the plow Quality Commission (ICQ) formally (SIC). This is not an exhaustive list but does highlight some of the different and complex regulations that have to be interpreted into account when carrying out my role as a training and development manager.It is important to be aware(predicate) and take into account all of the above when planning sessions to be inclusive to the learners. When training my learners to be care assistants I have to prepare them for many situations that could arise in their dai ly work, so I need to ensure they have basic literacy and innumeracy which is established prior to initiation training, if they didnt have the right level of instinct this would create a huge barrier to their learning and would sincerely be setting them up to fail.If they dont reach the minimum requirements indeed we can send them to a topical anaesthetic college or Learn Direct and on completion of literacy, innumeracy or both they can come back and try again. If a learner informs us if they have any special requirements when asked at interview (initial assessment) we will watch with them and see how we can meet those needs, whether it be sitting closer to the front of the class and larger print on all materials or a signer for sensory difficulties, eddying up and or littler groups, one to one or extra sessions for those who find it hard to work in larger groups.Offering staggered start and finish times, changing break times and length of breaks for child care responsibili ties, medical condition, nutritional or religious requirements. If there were learners with existing conditions from prior injuries, for example a back condition, I would see if there was a more comfortable or adapted chair, if they needed to get up and walk approximately would be acceptable and maybe I would get all the learners to move around to different groups o as not to single that individual out.Wherever possible I remind all learners that what they are learning are life skills and not but a work skill, I encourage learning from real life and not Just scenario based. At the end of each session we ask all the learners to pad a feedback form asking what they judgement about the whole experience, what they got out of it, what they most enjoyed, what they didnt enjoy, how was the environment, refreshments and breaks, could anything be alter and any comments on the teacher.They are anonymous, I get to read them and I use hem to resile on the session and make any improvement s. I keep them on file with attendance registers for topical anesthetic authority and ICQ inspectors as evidence of training when they conduct inspections. Nears send random feedback forms to a percentage of learners that are collated by Quality Assurance for home(a) audits. The statistics of these are assumption at training and standardization meetings that are held on a regular basis around the country.At these meetings all trainers/teachers talk about their experiences what has worked for them and what hasnt, they talk about good and bad practice and anything new that has been developed. I have registered myself with groups such as ICQ, Community Care, Dignity, ICE, MacMillan, TEST, and elf and receive regular e-mail keeping me up to date with anything new, I also watch documentaries pertaining to my work and attend training sessions to refresh and expand my knowledge.I spend a roofy of time surfing the internet, research different things and am a member of the NW London Skil ls for Care sub-committee which also ensures I am up to date with legislative requirements and have an active part in the the privilege of helping the political party achieve Investors in deal (P) over the last fifteen years and every three years to re-qualify for continual status. In both PIP and ICQ inspections training has always been praised for its quality and support. Appendix 1 Some facts and transactions of Nears Care Ltd.The fact that Nears has been authentic by Investors in People (P) since 1994 is one of the achievements of which we can all be most proud. During this period Nears has big(p) from 350 employees to over 13,000, PIP accreditation requires organizations to consistently draw in a way that develops employees and to actively engage with them to count on for ways to improve the running of the company. It is also important that the organization is socially responsible and that people are committed to its success.Nears may be a larger organization now but our commitment to staff development will never change. In 2011 you will see new efforts to increase our apprenticeships, support trouble development, launch our new Graduate programmer and continue to develop all our staff in Health and Safety. I would like to thank all staff for their individual contribution to our continuing success David Miles chief operating officer EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY Nears Group PL and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunities Employers.Our aim is to ensure that no Job applicator or employee receives less favorable treatment on the grounds of gender, race, disability, color, nationality, ethnic or national origin, matrimonial status, sexuality, responsibility for defendants, religion, trade union legal action and age (up to 65). Selection criteria and procedures are kept under review to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. All employees will be presumption equality of opportunity wi thin the companys service and will be encouraged to progress within the organization.To ensure that direct or indirect discrimination is not occurring, recruitment and other employment decisions are regularly monitored in conjunction with equal opportunities information concerning new and existing staff. The Nears Ethos is one of respect for people and we are fully committed to ensuring accessible run and opportunities to all. Our policies, procedures and working practices are designed to exceed government legislation and best practice in this area and to ensure that no discrimination either direct or indirect is tolerated throughout the group.We are all different. We look different, like different things, worship to different elisions and have different outlooks on life. Diversity is a term that values peoples differences and supports the belief that these differences benefit a undefeated business or community. Committed to local anesthetic employment. To the local contract, sup port economic and social regeneration, but also that our workforce reflects the community it serves. Staff who live locally and understand their communities help us to respond to and respect local culture.We recruit between 85% and 100% of local staff from the community To achieve this we ensure all vacancies are advertised on our website and with the local Job centre. When necessary we advertise in local newspapers and radio to maximize local cognisance and interest. Nears support for local community projects also helps to make people aware of what we do and creates a positive impression of our business from prospective employees pick AGE POSITIVE Nears is very proud to be an Age official organization, an accreditation that we received in 2006.We are committed to promoting a respective(a) workforce and recognize the contribution more experienced employees fling to the business. We currently employ 31 people above the normal retirement age (2010). Case Studies Administrator 19 s tratums I coupled Nears North as an baron secondary in 2005 with basic office experience and an NV aim 2 qualification in work Administration. In my role as Office Junior I worked intimately with all the departments in Head Office and assisted the Office Manager with weekly payroll.Within a few months, I was given the opportunity to take responsibility for the processing of weekly payroll and promoted to Administrator in the finance department. I also achieved NV Level 3 in Business Administration and was awarded prepare of the Year 2005 by Recordable Training Association. Regional HER consultant 58 Years Prior to Joining Nears I worked for 34 years for an Electrical Engineering company in Newcastle. I started as a Commercial Apprentice and gained a BAA (Hon.) in Business Studies.I held various positions in HER starting as an assistant to the personnel Officer and ending as a Regional HER Manager. In October 2004 1 took a voluntary periphrasis package and decided to retire, but before long decided that I was far too young to retire. I knew that I had a lot to offer a new employer with over 30 years HER experience but the difficulty I then had was getting to the interview stage. Nears approach to recruitment for the Newcastle contract offered me a walk-in interview branches and was soon given two additional branches and the title of Regional HER Advisor.Its extremely raise and challenging being part of a company growing so quickly and there is a very positive buzz about the place. Joiner 63 years I have always worked in construction but only Joined Nears in 2005. I consider my greatest achievement while working for the company has been learn and supporting our trainees. The apprentices we employ have not all come through the usual channels and many have issues and difficult backgrounds. I aim to be forbearing and thoughtful, showing the apprentices how to do things the correct wayInclusive PracticeInclusive Practice Inclusive practice in education moves us international from integration and mainstreaming of learners, which was mainly concerned with separating those with a disability or special educational needs until they had reached the required standard for mainstream education. Inclusion is about the learners right to participate and the teacher/ institutions duty to accept the learner as an individual. Inclusion rejects the separation of learners with disabilities from learners without disabilities instead it promotes equality and respect for their social, civil, human and educational rights.From what I can see there are few totally inclusive schools but those that are, restructure their curriculum so all can learn together without discrimination. Some key reports that have changed the face of education over the last decade and a half are Inclusive Learning (1996) a report by John Tomlinson, was the result of a three-year enquiry into the educational needs of and provision for adults with disabilities and/ or learning di fficulties in England.It arose from the requirement of an Act of Parliament, in 1992 and states that the new national funding council for further education should have regard for such students in all its work of funding, development and evaluation. ITSELF ? Learning for Teaching We believe that learning can only be fully effective if it is inclusive ? Tomlinson 1996, case. Org. UK Learning Works the report of the Further Education Funding Councils committee on widening participation in Further Education Noun 1997), chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaw. The Learning Age (Feb. 1998), the government consultation paper on lifelong learning, and the formal response to the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Educations report Higher Education in the Learning Society. Key points being more assessable learning opportunities, removing barriers I. E. Financial, disability, investing in 16 + learners and improve quality.The Wolf report March 2011) Key points being motivate youn g people to take the most valuable vocational qualifications pre-16, introducing study programmer for post-16 to ensure they are gaining skills which will lead to progression into a variety of Jobs or further learning, especially those who havent done so well in English and mathematics to continue to study those subjects. To ensure apprenticeships deliver the right skills for the workplace, restructuring of the Qualification, Credit Framework (SCOFF) and enabling FEE lecturers and professionals to teach in schools, ensuring young people are being taught by those best suited to do so. education. Gob. UK Unfortunately with the changes in political power come changes in legislation. This on low income. Although only EYE per week, this could mean the difference between being able to afford to go to college or not. With the increases in University charges and the prospect of post graduates being left with huge debts to pay, or being told by bob centers they are over qualified so no Job s for them, it seems as though there has been a u turn in all the progress that had been made in the last decade and a half.Only time will tell what impact this will have on students and how many will want or be able to continue with their studies and what divide may be caused between those who can and cant afford to do this. In recent years, with the poor economic climate, many businesses have collapsed making people redundant. Faced with life changing decisions of having to change their career path and learning new kills as the competition for Jobs with the skills they have may be too great, some of these individuals havent been in the education system for many years and are faced in some circumstances with a frightening prospect of starting all over again.If they have had bad experiences in the past this will magnify the fear tenfold. I believe therefore it is even more important that teachers have experience in different skills and occupations as more learners may need to go dir ectly into the work force and acquire work based training, with the employer supporting their learning. These are all barriers that have an impact on inclusive practice in the classroom as I can often have a group of learners with ages ranging from eighteen to sixty plus, from various backgrounds and experience.On one occasion I had a group of fifteen learners consisting of school leavers with no experience, some with varying amounts of experience in residential homes and hospitals. Some were returning to work Mums and others who had previously worked in Jobs such as, shop and office workers. There was one who had been a registered manager of a care home but had been dad redundant, with no vacancies in his area of expertise he decided to become a care worker, only a few weeks before he had been managing a workforce of twenty care workers, seniors and administration staff.It can be extremely difficult to accommodate such a wide cross section of individuals and sometimes to bridge the generation gap. Nears Care has policies in place to give individuals equal opportunities in training and employment (see appendix 1) From the introductions at the beginning of the session to the final goodbyes at the end of training I ensure that very learner is shown to be valued by all, showing interest in their opinions and what they have to say, valuing also their own experiences, which they bring into the room for all to share.No matter what their age, race, religion, disability, sexuality, and gender maybe, it is their opinions, work and life experience which is important for everyone to share and learn from. On 1st October 2010, the main provisions of the Equality Act 2010 came into force. It is a major simplification of discrimination legislation that makes the law easier to understand and comply with and delivers significant benefits for business, public dies and individuals.It provides a new legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and equality of opport unity for all to update, simplify and strengthen the previous legislation and to deliver a simple, modern and accessible framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a will be brought in and likewise over the next year other provisions will be discussed and brought in provisions relating to auxiliary aids in schools, to name one.The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDS) introduces the right for kissable students not to be discriminated against in education, training and any services provided wholly or mainly for students, and for those enrolled on courses provided by responsible bodies, including further and higher education institutions and sixth form colleges. Education providers must also make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled students arent discriminated against.Making reasonable adjustments could include changes to practices or procedures, physical features, how learners are assessed and providing extra support and aids (such as peccaries teachers or equipment) The obligation for schools to provide extra support such as specialist teachers or equipment will be introduced at a later date direct. Gob. UK 2011 1 have had many learners over the eight years I have been teaching, with many (SEEN) Dyslexia, color blindness, discalced (which I have learned about and identified during this course).I have had learners with sensory disabilities where I have had to make reasonable adjustments by restructure of the sessions, layout or materials and used others, from outside agencies to sign or give support one to one. For one learner, who was working towards their NV level 2 in care, I used a tape recording of accounts as she found it difficult to write reflective accounts due to having dyslexia.Sometime though it is difficult to make adjustments for one learner when it could be to the detriment of the rest of the class so it is not always possible to be completely inclusive, where poss ible I would try to meet their needs in a one to one session. Although I try to maintain inclusive practice within my sessions, it can be very difficult when lecture about sensitive issues like abuse, some f the subject matter can cause distress to some individuals and so I ensure to warn them before the start of any subject that could cause distress or offense, that they may leave the room of ask to talk to me, or another in private.There are numerous legislations we are bound by in our work, some cover all individuals and industries and some are more specific to your chosen area. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Data Protection 1998, Human Rights Act 1998 are some of the acts that effect all of us and impact on our personal lives as well as at work. Some of the legislations that are pacific to my work and the area I teach are Every Child Matters (2003), the title of three government paper leading to The Childrens Act 2004. (ECMA) cover children and young adults up to 19 years old and 24 years old for those with disabilities.It was partly produced as a response to the death of Victoria Climb. The main aims of ECMA are to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. We also take guidance from Childrens Workforce Development Council. Safeguarding of Adults (review of No Secrets 2000 in 2008). Working with both of these vulnerable groups requires an enhanced CRAB (Criminal Records Bureau a police check) to ensure the safety of the individual and the suitability of the worker, working with them.Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 and Medicines Act 1968 & 1971 because our staff have the responsibility of assisting and administering medication. They also need to know how to safely assist with moving and positioning of an individual, the Manual this area. Everything that is done in care, health or mental health is regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (ICQ) formal ly (SIC). This is not an exhaustive list but does highlight some of the diverse and complex regulations that have to be taken into account when carrying out my role as a training and development manager.It is important to be aware and take into account all of the above when planning sessions to be inclusive to the learners. When training my learners to be care assistants I have to prepare them for many situations that could arise in their daily work, so I need to ensure they have basic literacy and innumeracy which is established prior to induction training, if they didnt have the right level of understanding this would create a huge barrier to their learning and would really be setting them up to fail.If they dont reach the minimum requirements then we can send them to a local college or Learn Direct and on completion of literacy, innumeracy or both they can come back and try again. If a learner informs us if they have any special requirements when asked at interview (initial asses sment) we will meet with them and see how we can meet those needs, whether it be sitting closer to the front of the class and larger print on all materials or a signer for sensory difficulties, eddying up and or smaller groups, one to one or extra sessions for those who find it hard to work in larger groups.Offering staggered start and finish times, changing break times and length of breaks for child care responsibilities, medical condition, nutritional or religious requirements. If there were learners with existing conditions from prior injuries, for example a back condition, I would see if there was a more comfortable or adapted chair, if they needed to get up and walk around would be acceptable and maybe I would get all the learners to move around to different groups o as not to single that individual out.Wherever possible I remind all learners that what they are learning are life skills and not Just a work skill, I encourage learning from real life and not Just scenario based. A t the end of each session we ask all the learners to complete a feedback form asking what they thought about the whole experience, what they got out of it, what they most enjoyed, what they didnt enjoy, how was the environment, refreshments and breaks, could anything be improved and any comments on the teacher.They are anonymous, I get to read them and I use hem to reflect on the session and make any improvements. I keep them on file with attendance registers for local authority and ICQ inspectors as evidence of training when they conduct inspections. Nears send random feedback forms to a percentage of learners that are collated by Quality Assurance for internal audits. The statistics of these are given at training and standardization meetings that are held regularly around the country.At these meetings all trainers/teachers talk about their experiences what has worked for them and what hasnt, they talk about good and bad practice and anything new that has been developed. I have reg istered myself with groups such as ICQ, Community Care, Dignity, ICE, MacMillan, TEST, and elf and receive regular email keeping me up to date with anything new, I also watch documentaries pertaining to my work and attend training sessions to refresh and expand my knowledge.I spend a lot of time surfing the internet, research different things and am a member of the NW London Skills for Care sub-committee which also ensures I am up to date with legislative requirements and have an active part in the the privilege of helping the company achieve Investors in People (P) over the last fifteen years and every three years to re-qualify for continual status. In both PIP and ICQ inspections training has always been praised for its quality and support. Appendix 1 Some facts and achievements of Nears Care Ltd.The fact that Nears has been accredited by Investors in People (P) since 1994 is one of the achievements of which we can all be most proud. During this period Nears has grown from 350 emp loyees to over 13,000, PIP accreditation requires organizations to consistently operate in a way that develops employees and to actively engage with them to look for ways to improve the running of the company. It is also important that the organization is socially responsible and that people are committed to its success.Nears may be a larger organization now but our commitment to staff development will never change. In 2011 you will see new efforts to increase our apprenticeships, support management development, launch our new Graduate programmer and continue to develop all our staff in Health and Safety. I would like to thank all staff for their individual contribution to our continuing success David Miles CEO EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY Nears Group PL and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunities Employers.Our aim is to ensure that no Job applicant or employee receives less favorable treatment on the grounds of gender, race, disability, color, nationality, ethnic or national origin, mar ital status, sexuality, responsibility for defendants, religion, trade union activity and age (up to 65). Selection criteria and procedures are kept under review to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. All employees will be given equality of opportunity within the companys service and will be encouraged to progress within the organization.To ensure that direct or indirect discrimination is not occurring, recruitment and other employment decisions are regularly monitored in conjunction with equal opportunities data concerning new and existing staff. The Nears Ethos is one of respect for people and we are fully committed to ensuring accessible services and opportunities to all. Our policies, procedures and working practices are designed to exceed government legislation and best practice in this area and to ensure that no discrimination either direct or indirect is tolerated throughout the group.We are all diffe rent. We look different, like different things, worship to different elisions and have different outlooks on life. Diversity is a term that values peoples differences and supports the belief that these differences benefit a successful business or community. Committed to local employment. To the local contract, support economic and social regeneration, but also that our workforce reflects the community it serves. Staff who live locally and understand their communities help us to respond to and respect local culture.We recruit between 85% and 100% of local staff from the community To achieve this we ensure all vacancies are advertised on our website and with the local Job centre. When necessary we advertise in local newspapers and radio to maximize local awareness and interest. Nears support for local community projects also helps to make people aware of what we do and creates a positive impression of our business from prospective employees pick AGE POSITIVE Nears is very proud to be an Age Positive organization, an accreditation that we received in 2006.We are committed to promoting a diverse workforce and recognize the contribution more experienced employees offer to the business. We currently employ 31 people above the normal retirement age (2010). Case Studies Administrator 19 Years I Joined Nears North as an Office Junior in 2005 with basic office experience and an NV Level 2 qualification in Business Administration. In my role as Office Junior I worked closely with all the departments in Head Office and assisted the Office Manager with weekly payroll.Within a few months, I was given the opportunity to take responsibility for the processing of weekly payroll and promoted to Administrator in the finance department. I also achieved NV Level 3 in Business Administration and was awarded Apprentice of the Year 2005 by Recordable Training Association. Regional HER Advisor 58 Years Prior to Joining Nears I worked for 34 years for an Electrical Engineering company in Newcastle. I started as a Commercial Apprentice and gained a BAA (Hon.) in Business Studies.I held various positions in HER starting as an assistant to the Personnel Officer and ending as a Regional HER Manager. In October 2004 1 took a voluntary redundancy package and decided to retire, but soon decided that I was far too young to retire. I knew that I had a lot to offer a new employer with over 30 years HER experience but the difficulty I then had was getting to the interview stage. Nears approach to recruitment for the Newcastle contract offered me a walk-in interview branches and was soon given two additional branches and the title of Regional HER Advisor.Its extremely exciting and challenging being part of a company growing so quickly and there is a very positive buzz about the place. Joiner 63 years I have always worked in construction but only Joined Nears in 2005. I consider my greatest achievement while working for the company has been coaching and supporting our trainee s. The apprentices we employ have not all come through the usual channels and many have issues and difficult backgrounds. I aim to be patient and thoughtful, showing the apprentices how to do things the correct way