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Creating a Group for All

We are loud and proud about equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are a Union for all students and expect our student groups to reflect this too.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are central to life at Bristol SU. We approach our work with positivity and celebrate our diverse and unique communities. Our people are proud of our values and care about creating diverse and supportive communities that are inclusive of age, disability, gender, identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and experience. Use the following resources to help you reflect this and create a group for all students.

 

EDI Action Plan

An EDI action plan is an active document used to break down barriers to participation and find mitigating actions to help make your group more equal, inclusive and diverse. It is a springboard to help identify barriers to potential demographics and issues within your group, and make real changes to improve EDI. The EDI action plan should be actively updated and referred to during committee meetings and used to inform your Equality Statement.

EDI Action Plan and Guidance

Use our EDI Action Plan Template with your committee to help you work though:

  • Breaking down barriers to participation
  • Activites to get your committee thinking
  • What are your groups core values?
  • The power of perceptions

Your Equality Statement

An equality statement is simply a written statement for your group about how you will avoid discriminating against people, and how you will create a safe and inclusive atmosphere for your members

Student groups can sometimes ignore or discriminate against particular disadvantaged groups unintentionally, without realising this is what is happening. Thinking about what you can do about this will help you create an environment which is as safe and inclusive as possible for anyone who would like to join and participate in your group.

Have a Discussion

Have a discussion in your committee about equality and diversity and what it means to your group to treat everyone with equal respect.

  • What does discrimination mean to you?
  • What does harassment mean to you?

Here are some basic definitions, but you might have more to add.

Discrimination is when a person is prevented from taking part in something based on a particular characteristic they have.

For example, if a gay person was made unwelcome at your group activities because of their sexual orientation, this would be discrimination.

Harassment is when someone behaves in a way which makes someone else feel distressed, humiliated or threatened.

Some people in your group may be more likely to experience harassment than others – for example, teasing someone because of their disability, or making racist or sexist remarks, would be harassment. Harassment based on disability, race, religion, transgender identity or sexual orientation is considered by the law to be hate crime, and can be reported to the police.

  • What kinds of discrimination and harassment are you aware of?
  • Do any of your group have any personal experiences of being treated less well or excluded because of who they are?
  • Which particular groups of people are more likely to face discrimination and harassment? How could this affect your group?

The Equalities Act 2010 identifies a list of “protected characteristics”. It is illegal for an organisation to harass or discriminate against anyone because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Have a think about each of these, and whether there is anything your group could do to improve equal access for all people.

Writing your Statement

This could be quite short and simple. For example:

“Bristol Flops is committed to treating all people equally and with respect irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation”.

If you prefer, you could make a more detailed statement that reflects the discussions you have had. For example:

“We aim to create a safe and welcoming atmosphere for everyone. We want to challenge all forms of oppression including those based on race, ethnicity, nationality, creed, gender, sex, class, sexuality, gender reassignment, learning ability, physical impairment, mental illness, HIV status, age, occupation, income, wealth and unrelated criminal conviction. We aim to design our activities, services and decision making processes specifically to encourage and support participation from people who face disadvantage in society, including women, BME people, disabled people, LGBTQ people, and people on low incomes.”

Using your Statement

Your draft statement needs to be discussed at a meeting of your members, and adopted as part of your group. There’s no point having a great written draft that no-one has agreed to and no-one is aware of!

Make sure all new members are aware of your statement, and that you discuss and review it regularly.

Supporting Members with Additional Needs

As student leaders you may find yourself in a situation where you want to advise someone.​

If you have a relevant and helpful personal experience to share, and you feel comfortable doing so, feel free to do so.​​

It is not your responsibility to ‘fix’ people’s problems or to have all the answers.​​

If you experience or witness an incident of harassment, bullying or discrimination, the University's Report + Support tool offers a quick and easy way to let someone know and find out what support is available.​

If you are concerned about a fellow committee member, or are struggling in your role, please do book in a Development Meeting.​

There is a wide range of services, both within the University and externally, that you can signpost to which can help.​ Find out more on our support pages or use our Interactive Signposting Resource below.

Internal and External Support Services at UoB
Internal and External Signposting UoB by Bristol SU Student Opportunities
Dealing with Disclosures
FAQ: What should I do w/ Disclosures? by Bristol SU Student Opportunities

Wellbeing in your Group

Just like our physical health, our mental health fluctuates on a scale from good to poor and needs regular up-keep to maintain it. Student Groups significantly influence members' wellbeing, and feeling valued and supported within these groups correlates with higher wellbeing levels. Increased engagement in wider university activities and culture, means students will be making the most of their time here at the University of Bristol. 

Wellbeing Champions

From our conversations with student groups, we know a lot of you are already looking out for your members wellbeing. By having a named Wellbeing Champion in each group, we’re hoping to complement this work, and provide you with additional resources, support and guidance you might need. 

You aren’t expected to have amazing mental health all the time to be a champion, rather you are conscious of things to consider when it comes to the collective wellbeing of your group. 

**At this stage, it is important to note that ya Wellbeing Champion is not their groups 'therapist'; a culture of wellbeing should be embodied by all. 

What does a Wellbeing Champion do?
A Wellbeing Champion will deliver proactive initiatives that support members to have good wellbeing, work with the wider committee to ensure members feel valued and supported and that their wellbeing is considered in all that a group does; from socials to trials, wellbeing should be at the core of every group. A Wellbeing Champion would:

  • Roll out initiatives that boost group wellbeing
  • Ensure members feel valued and supported
  • Keep member wellbeing at the forefront in all our group activities, from hangouts to try-outs
  • Be mindful of the unique challenges that could impact a groups’ mental health and wellbeing
  • Ensure wellbeing is embodied by all members

To sign up as a Wellbeing Champion for your group, please complete this form

For further details, please see our Wellbeing Champion Role and Duties

Wellbeing Action Toolkit

Use this Toolkit to help identify potential signs of stress or poor wellbeing within your membership and map out how you can elevate your support.

Wellbeing Resources

Keep an eye on your emails for information on wellbeing training. The 'Creating a Group for All' newsletter for Equalities Officers highlights upcoming training opportunities that your whole committee can take part in.

You might also like to check out workshops run by the following organisations:

Previous Bristol SU training:

Transgender Inclusion

Transgender and non-binary students are integral to, and valued within, our university community. 

Our affiliated student groups benefit from the diverse experiences of their members and should aim for transgender and non-binary students to feel included and respected in all their activities. 

Information on Supporting Transgender and Non-binary Members

Below is some guidance that will be useful if a member discloses that they are transgender or non-binary to you.   

  • Ask the individual how they want to be referred to, including which name and which pronouns you should use. Use these all the time, not just when in the company of the person. This should be common practice among members, regardless of members’ gender expressions.
  • If you make a mistake with a person’s pronouns or name, apologise, correct yourself, and then quickly move on. It is quite normal to make an honest mistake, and individuals will appreciate an apology without lingering on the subject.  
  • Respect people’s boundaries, it is not appropriate to ask a transgender person personal questions or make comments on their appearance.  
  • Ask the individual if they require additional support from yourself, or from the University, and listen without judgement.  
  • Do not tell others about a person’s trans identity, history, or status without their consent, and deal with any requests for support in a timely and confidential manner.  
  • Doing the emotional labor of teaching your peers about transgender history and injustice is tiring for many; relieve your members of this burden by ensuring you do your homework.   

You could be the very first person an individual discusses their transness with; remember, some members might not be ‘out’ to everyone yet or feel safe to do so.   

Treat their decision to tell you honorably, as it can take unrivalled amounts of courage for an individual to come out. If you must speak about the conversation to another committee member for support after, the individual must remain anonymous, or you must gain the individual’s express consent.  

Remember, you can always book in for a meeting with the Bristol SU Development Team if you need some support or guidance. 

Further Resources

We strongly recommend that all student group committee members complete the University Consent Matters training course, which covers important topics including consent, healthy relationships and bystander intervention. 

What is Sexual Consent?

To consent means to agree to something, and the word can be used in lots of different situations. When it comes to sex specifically, to consent means to agree to have sex or engage in sexual activity. Consent should be given clearly and freely.

This means that a person is unable to give consent if: 

If consent is not given to any kind of sexual activity, this is rape or sexual assault. If you repeatedly ask for consent and are refused, this can count as sexual harassment. 

It’s important that everyone involved in sexual activity is consenting at all times – no one should ever feel they have to do something they are not comfortable with or don’t want to do. Just because you have consented to one thing, doesn’t mean you have consented to something else, and it’s completely OK to say no or stop at any point if you don’t want to continue. Consent can be withdrawn.  

If you receive a disclosure from a member about consent and unwanted sexual activity, please refer to our guidance here - FAQ: What should I do w/ Disclosures? by Bristol SU Student Opportunities. 

Further Support

If you think you have experienced unwanted behavior of a sexual nature, see the Universities sexual misconduct page for advice on what to do next. You can also get support from external charities and organisations. The University and Students’ Union takes a 0-tolerance stance towards sexual misconduct however, it’s important to note that you don’t have to report, to get support.  

Additional Support

Stuck with any of the above?

Development Meetings

The Development Team can support you with a wide variety of things including (but not limited to):

  • Committee conflict
  • Concerns about members
  • Building Communities
  • Breaking down barriers

Book a meeting with the Development Team or email us - bristolsu-development@bristol.ac.uk

University Wellbeing Service

The Student Wellbeing service runs regular workshops throughout the year to help you manage your own wellbeing. You can see a full calendar of upcoming training events here

Creating a Group for All Whatsapp Community

Join our Creating a Group for All Whatsapp Community where you will receive updates and reminders to help you in your role

Get in touch with the Development Team

Book a meeting with the Dev Team

Send an email to the Dev Team

Check out training on the Bristol SU Learning Space