Equity Policy

‘Equal opportunity is about celebrating difference and diversity and as such providing a swimming structure that can respond to this in a proactive and positive manner'.

The ASA is totally committed to the principles and practice of equal opportunities across all of its aquatic disciplines, both as an employer, provider and as a facilitator of such practices by all its members. In our work with key partners, such as swimmers, clubs, teachers, coaches, officials and administrators, we will advocate our policies make every effort to ensure that all participation has equity at its core.

Swimming is a ‘sport for all'. It can and should be enjoyed and made accessible to everyone and to achieve this:

•  The ASA is committed to work towards ensuring that swimming is accessible to the many, rather than the few.

•  The ASA recognises the need to acknowledge the diversity of provision that is required to ensure that all people, regardless of their race, sex/gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, social or economic background can access swimming and develop at a level that is appropriate to them.

•  The ASA recognises the need to celebrate difference and diversity of provision as a means of creating entitlement and accessibility to our structures.

•  The ASA recognises that equal opportunity is about recognising that people are different and therefore require different provision.

•  The ASA recognises the need to consult widely in order to respond to diversity.

Addressing equal opportunities

In addressing equal opportunities, the ASA will respond to issues of equity by:

•  Recognising that swimming as an organisation - our staff, swimmers, coaches, teachers, officials and administrators need to adapt and work flexibly in order to respond to the needs of a wide and diverse range of people.

•  Take positive action to increase the involvement from under represented groups in all aspects of our organisation.

In doing so the ASA supports four key principles as being fundamental to ensuring that everyone can participate in our sport and the achievement of equality of opportunity:

Entitlement: People have a right to participate in and access quality and appropriate experiences within swimming.

Accessibility: It is the responsibility of the ASA - our teachers, coaches, officials and administrators to adapt provision to fit the needs of the many.

Inclusion: Wherever and whenever possible, all to access the same provision.

Integrity : Whatever we do as an Association to change or adapt provision, it must be of equal worth, challenging, relevant and in no way patronising.

Lines of responsibility

The ASA will strive to become an organisation that values diversity and in order to achieve this we recognise that there must be clear lines of responsibility between all segments of the organisation.

The ASA as an employer

The ASA aspires to provide a diverse workforce, a composition of which reflects that of the broader community in terms of gender, ethnicity and disability. In order to bring about this diversity we undertake to:

•  Provide full and fair considerations for all job/role and applications.

•  Assist all our employees to realise their full potential by ensuring that they receive fair consideration of their training and career development needs and promotion opportunities.

•  Wherever possible modify employment practices and procedures to reduce barriers experienced by members of disadvantaged social groups in seeking and during employment with the Association.

•  Maintain records in recruitment, training and employment and use this information as a means of identifying areas of inequality.

•  Require all our employees to undergo relevant training before taking part in recruitment and selection.

•  Regularly review our recruitment, selection, training and promotion procedures to ensure that they are fair and reflect current best practice.

The ASA as a Membership organisation

The ASA is committed to encouraging membership from all sectors of the community. To achieve this we undertake to:

•  Promote an open and honest culture that values diversity.

•  Communicate widely, ensuring that our messages can be understood and appreciated by all.

•  Positively encourage the involvement of all people, regardless of their gender, race, disability, age and social background.

•  Work to redress the effects of discrimination.

•  Change attitudes and working practices to ensure that everyone can feel a valued member of the Association.

In our center approval process the ASA will ensure that;

•  Approved centers and sites where assessment may take place operate equal opportunities policies that are consistent with best education practise.

•  There is a mechanism in place which will enable anyone who believes they have been discriminated against to raise the matter through the appropriate channels and to have access to the Awarding Body if they feel the matter is not appropriately resolved.

•  Records relating to equal opportunity disputes are retained by approved centers for a minimum period of 2 years.

Teachers and Coaches

In our training and development of teachers and coaches, we will strive to ensure that they:

•  Establish and implement professional and ethical values and practice.

•  Promote and apply the principles and practices of equal opportunities.

•  Promote positive images of people with special needs.

•  Have a commitment to providing entitlement and access to all their professional activities.

•  Encourage high expectations and standards of achievement from all they teach.

•  Involve everyone in meaningful and appropriate activity to ensure a quality experience.

•  Help everyone to achieve their full potential.

Officials and administrators

In our involvement of officials and administrators we will expect them to:

•  Adopt, promote and practice the values of the Association.

•  Ensure that participation can be enjoyed by all.

•  Provide meaningful and appropriate experiences which recognise and value the diversity of the participants.

•  Actively encourage the participation and involvement of people from disadvantaged groups of the community.

Policy into Practice

The ASA recognises that to successfully implement our policies will require the commitment of everyone involved in the Association. People's attitudes, views and working practices may have to change to ensure that an inclusive agenda is accepted by all and throughout the sport.

This will require the Association to respond to issues of equality by creating a series of comprehensive action plans that will state in detail how the association and all that embrace its structures move towards a swimming structure that is more inclusive.

The ASA has therefore committed itself to the following action plan:

See ASA Equity Strategy covering actions/targets under the headings of

1. Policy Development

2. Training and Development

3. Publicity and information

4. Positive Action Initiatives/Pilot projects

5. Monitoring and Evaluation

6. Resources

To view this file as PDF document from the ASA web site please click here.