Horton WHC - Holidays for Women and Children

TheWomen's Holiday Centre (W.H.C.) resolve to have a continual review of all policies set out below.

RACISM / XENOPHOBIA AND ANTI-SEMITISM
HOMOPHOBIA
DISABILITY
CLASS
SEX DISCRIMINATION
NON-VIOLENCE
PARENTAL STATUS
DRESS
AGE
RELIGION
HIV STATUS
MEAT FREE POLICY
PARTY / NOISE POLICY
SMOKING POLICY
DOGS POLICY
CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

The W.H.C. is committed to the full implementation of Equal Opportunities in all aspects of its work. It is recognised that, in our society, groups and individuals are discriminated against on the basis of race, colour, national and ethnic origin, disability, gender, lesbian / bisexual / gay identity or HIV status. This discrimination may be direct or indirect. The aim of the W.H.C. Equal Opportunities Policy is to ensure that no employee, job applicant, management collective member or visitor receives less favourable on any of the grounds stated above.

The W.H.C. is committed to taking positive action to redress discrimination and to provide genuine equality of opportunity in employment and service delivery.

The W.H.C. recognised that the U.K. is a multi-racial society and believes that cultural diversity positively enriches our society. We recognise that black women and women from other ethnic minority groups suffer daily the effects of racism in our society. We also recognise that Jewish women suffer the effects of anti-Semitism.

• We support the struggle to redress the power imbalance.
• We will give our active support to women who suffer racial discrimination and harassment.
• We aim to ensure that the service we provide is relevant and accessible to all women.

1. Combat racism within the organisation.
2. Challenge institutionalised and individual racism when encountered in other organisations or trades.
3. To support black and ethnic minority organisations with aims and objectives similar to those of the W.H.C..

The W.H.C. is open to all women. Anti-lesbian, bisexual or anti-gay remarks will not be tolerated. We recognise that these minority groups suffer the effects of homophobia daily, that heterosexuals have more power in our society and we aim to fight this oppression. The W.H.C. is committed to providing a service that is:

1. Sensitive to the needs of lesbian / bisexual women.
2. Actively challenging prejudice.
3. Providing information about lesbian/bisexual events and issues.

The W.H.C. recognise the discrimination that differently abled women face on a daily basis. The W.H.C. will not discriminate against women with physical disabilities or with mental health issues. The W.H.C. is committed to making it's services fully accessible. We will endeavour to do this by:

1. Working towards making the building fully accessible.
2. Actively challenging discriminatory remarks.
3. Supporting events for differently abled women.

The W.H.C. has a commitment to challenge working class oppression, recognising that people from working class backgrounds are limited in terms of life chances, employment and service provision. We will endeavour to challenge this oppression by ensuring that:

1. The W.H.C. and its services are accessible to working class women.
2. The workers and management collective represent working class women and that it is not tokenistic.

The W.H.C. recognise that women are discriminated against purely on grounds of gender and the W.H.C. is committed to countering discrimination against women in all its forms. We are committed to providing a safe women only space and to this end we will:

1. Challenge sexism when encountered whilst working with other trades.
2. Publicise women centred events and information.
3. Promote positive images of women.

Violence or threatening behaviour towards women or children will not be tolerated. Anyone behaving in a violent or aggressive manner will be asked to leave the centre. The W.H.C. consider the following activities to be dangerous and harmful to women:

• The use of hard drugs
• Militarism
• Prostitution

No woman should be made to feel unwelcome or discriminated against because of what she is wearing. However, if a woman's clothes or behaviour oppresses or confronts other women, she may be challenged and asked to leave.

The W.H.C. recognises that women of different ages have different needs and we are committed to sensitively addressing these issues. We are committed to countering discrimination on the basis of age in all aspects of our work. Recognising the fact that older and younger women face particular disadvantages in society we aim to cater for their needs.

The W.H.C. will endeavour to take pregnancy and childcare responsibilities into account where possible, in its employment and services. To this end we will:

1. Provide a safe space for children.
2. Allow boys at any time up to their 11th birthday
3. Older boys, up to their 15th birthday, can stay a maximum of four weeks a year at the workers' discretion.
4. Closed groups can bring older boys at the workers' discretion.

The W.H.C. will not discriminate against any woman on the basis of their religious beliefs and will endeavour to provide a service, which is sensitive to those beliefs and practices. However, where cultural practices or religious beliefs conflict with the W.H.C. Equal Opportunities Policy , the policy will prevail.

The W.H.C. is committed to actively challenge prejudice about HIV infection. The W.H.C. will not discriminate in terms of service provision or employment on the grounds of HIV status and will not require that staff or visitors disclose their HIV status.

No sound systems / DJs. The time limit for loud music is 1.30a.m. Outside it is 12am. The women who organise/invite are responsible for their guests. When the driveway is full cars must be parked on the public car park.

The garden and house are both meat free.

No smoking is allowed in the public space of the house at any time. A smoking area is available at the side of the house.

No dogs are allowed in the W.H.C. except for support dogs.

It is the policy of the Women’s Holiday Centre (WHC) to safeguard the welfare of all children by taking all reasonable steps to protect them from physical, sexual and emotional harm.

The W.H.C. child protection policy is available on request.

We have a designated person to assist workers in issues around Child Protection, who will be contacted by workers if a situation arises.

Oppressive remarks, behaviour, assumptions and myths based on these issues should be challenged at the time they are made, with the aim of increasing understanding and effecting a change in attitude. If remarks are persistent and/or deliberate, women making them will be asked to leave, forfeiting their holiday. The incident should then be brought to a collective meeting.

Page last updated : 16^th November 2008

Women's Holiday Centre
The Old Vicarage
Horton-In-Ribblesdale
Settle
North Yorkshire
BD24 0HD
Tel: 01729 860207