BHIMS

Who we are

Brighton and Hove Independent Mediation Service (BHIMS) is a charity that has been working to reduce conflict in the local community for over 30 years.  Our core services cover community mediation and conflict coaching in Brighton & Hove, and Lewes areas, while also providing workplace mediation and training services.  Operationally, we are run by a small team of paid staff, and our core work is delivered by 50+ volunteer mediators.   

Our culture and values

Our Values

Responsive
We know that conflict causes distress and that contacting a mediation service takes courage. We provide a responsive and friendly service so that people feel comfortable talking to us.

Accessible
We recognise and celebrate the diversity of the community we serve and will always work to make our service accessible to all those who may require our support.

Expert
Through practice, training and research we maintain and develop our expertise in conflict resolution. We work to clear standards and policies, and strive to be efficient, effective and well organised in all we do.

Empowering
Our goal is to empower people to find their own resolution to conflict. We actively seek to share knowledge and skills that will enable people to resolve or manage conflict situations.

Supportive
We recognise the crucial role volunteers, staff and trustees play in the successful delivery of our service. We are committed to the providing the support everyone in the BHIMS family needs to thrive.

Safe
The safety of parties, volunteers and staff is our priority in the delivery of our services.  We also know the limits of the support we can offer, and where our service is not the best fit, we will signpost people to a more appropriate one

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

BHIMS is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce and service delivery, and eliminating unlawful discrimination and we strive to ensure our workforce is truly representative of all sections of society. 

We are committed to ensuring that all service users are protected against unlawful discrimination when accessing our services and each employee and volunteer feels respected and able to give their best.  

Equality: Treating everyone fairly and without discrimination. We recognise that to ensure everyone has the same opportunities to access employment and services, some may need additional support.  

Diversity: Recognising that people have many different identities, attributes, abilities, cultures, and backgrounds. 

Inclusion: Considering the needs and ambitions of everyone, and welcoming diversity, to ensure access services or employment and other opportunities. 

Workforce: Includes both paid employees and self-employed staff, and volunteers. 
 

Our EDI policy’s purpose is to: 

1. Not unlawfully discriminate against employees or service users based on Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.  
    
2. Provide equality, fairness, and respect for all in our employment, whether temporary, part-time, or full-time. In addition to complying with the Equality Act 2010, we believe in fair treatment of all our employees and commit to promoting diversity in our employment practices. We oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination.

This policy applies to hiring, training, remuneration, promotion, dealing with grievances and discipline, dismissal, redundancy, leave for parents, requests for flexible working, or other developmental opportunities. 

Our commitments 

1. Encourage equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace: Create an environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued.  
   
   This commitment includes training managers and all other employees about equality and diversity and their rights and responsibilities under the equality, diversity, and inclusion policy. This training will be renewed regularly. 
    
2. All staff and volunteers should understand they, as well as the mediation service can be held liable for acts of bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, in the course of their employment or volunteering, against fellow employees, service users, suppliers and the public 
   
   Take seriously complaints of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination by fellow employees, volunteers, service users, suppliers, visitors, the public and any others during the organisation’s work activities. Such acts will be dealt with as misconduct under the organisation’s grievance and/or disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints could amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal without notice. We will the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures (Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures | Acas) 
    
3. Make opportunities for training, development, and progress available to all staff and volunteers as appropriate, who will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential, so their talents and resources can be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation. 
    
4. Make decisions concerning staff being based on merit (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act). 
    
5. Review employment and volunteer practices and procedures when necessary to ensure fairness and update them and the policy to take account of changes in the law. 
    
6. Monitor the make-up of the workforce regarding information such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity, and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality, diversity, and inclusion policy. To ensure the effective operation of this policy (and for no other purpose) a record will be kept of all employees', volunteers’ and applicants' gender, racial origins, and disability. Where necessary, employees and volunteers will be able to check/correct their own record of these details. Otherwise, access to this information will be strictly restricted. Such records will be analysed regularly, and appropriate follow-up action taken. 

Selection and Recruitment: 

We recognise the benefits of having a diverse group of both paid employees and volunteers. Selection criteria (job or role description and selection criteria) will be kept under regular review to ensure that they are justifiable on non-discriminatory grounds as being essential for the effective performance of the role. 

To ensure fair selection and recruitment the following actions will be taken:

1. More than one person must be involved in any selection interview and recruitment process and such persons should have received training in equal opportunities. 
    
2. Applicants will not be asked to provide information of any protected characteristic. 
    
3. All vacancies will include an appropriate short statement on equal opportunities and recruiters should make every effort to advertise roles in places where they are likely to reach the diverse communities.  
    
4. Reasons for selection and rejection of applicants for vacancies must be recorded. 

Reasonable Adjustments: 

We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure workers or volunteers with disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions, are not substantially disadvantaged when carrying out their roles. This applies to all volunteers and employees, including trainees, apprentices, and contract workers. 

Reasonable adjustments include: 

• Changing the recruitment process so a candidate can be considered for a role. 

• Doing things another way, such as allowing someone with social anxiety disorder to have their own desk instead of hot-desking. 

• Making physical changes to the workplace, where possible 

• Letting a disabled person work somewhere else. 

• Changing equipment, for instance providing a special keyboard if they have arthritis. 

• Allowing employees who become disabled to make a phased return to work. 

• Offering employees training opportunities and refreshment facilities 

Our commitments to our service users 

Provision of an inclusive and accessible service is a priority for BHIMS. We recognise that our clients may face challenges that require additional support to enable them to have access to, and benefit from our services.  

We aim to provide a welcoming and friendly environment with are inclusive to all our service users and will take all reasonable steps to ensure our services, information and venues are accessible, while being open about what we can and cannot do.  

This includes: 

• Making reasonable adjustments for disabled people and anyone with other additional needs and identifying alternative means of access. 

• Considering the geographical locations of our services and access via public transport. 

• Reviewing all service materials to ensure they are accessible and us plain English. 

• Providing translation and interpretation services where needed.  

• Use anonymous diversity monitoring to measure outcomes and to identify any barriers to our services.  

• Recognising caring responsibilities, religious holidays and other needs when arranging appointments.  

BHIMS is committed to ensuring that staff and volunteers are trained to identify and meet the individual needs of clients, to ensure our services are accessible and inclusive. We will create an ethos of open-mindedness, challenging assumption and conscious/unconscious bias, strong communication and respect.  

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy is fully supported by BHIMS’s senior management, the wider BHIMS team and its Board of Trustees.