Background

Link Housing Association is one of the largest organisations of its kind in Scotland. It provides quality housing management services to more than 6,500 tenants in social rented accommodation - both general needs and sheltered housing.

Housing Associations are not “listed authorities” in terms of Schedule 19 to the Equality Act 2010, and are not obliged to produce equality impact assessments. Nevertheless, Link Housing recognise that equality impact assessments can be used as a form of continuous improvement and better anticipating the needs of stakeholders, and asked us to work with them on their template and in facilitating sessions with decision makers.

Approach

Staff had demonstrated an existing high level of sensitivity towards the implications of  equality and diversity, and from the outset we focused on promoting equality impact assessments as a positive tool which will enable a more systematic approach to meeting the diverse needs of stakeholders.

Process

The inhouse equality impact assessment template was revised and tested. Case studies were developed, including one on a Housing Allocations Policy. Draft materials were submitted to the client with notes, and client feedback enabled the production of highly relevant, tailored equality impact assessments training. To increase impact, we made the sessions highly interactive.