This charter sets out National LifeSkills Academy's commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. It applies to everyone who works for or with NLSA, and to everything NLSA does, including recruitment, course design, assessment and learner support.

Our commitment

NLSA treats everyone fairly, with dignity and respect. We do not discriminate against anyone because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. These are the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010. We also do not tolerate unfair treatment for any other reason, such as background or social circumstances.

Principles

• Fair treatment: decisions about learners, staff and associates are based only on relevant evidence.
• Inclusion: our courses and communications welcome people from all backgrounds.
• Accessibility: we design courses to be accessible from the start, and make reasonable adjustments under the Reasonable Adjustments Policy.
• Equal opportunity to progress: learners, staff and associates have equal opportunities to learn, develop and progress.

In practice

• Course content is written in plain British English, and images represent people respectfully and without stereotypes.
• Assessments are fair: no learner is disadvantaged by anything other than their knowledge (see the Assessment Policy).
• Everyone working for NLSA understands this charter and follows it.
• Complaints of discrimination are taken seriously and handled under the Complaints Policy.

Responsibility and review

The Director is responsible for this charter. It is reviewed annually, together with any complaints or feedback about equality, and updated when law or good practice changes.