The British Council has adopted an Equal Opportunities Policy that prohibits unjustifiable discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, sexual identity, religious belief, political opinion, race, work pattern, age, disability or HIV/AIDS status, socio-economic background, past convictions, trade union activity or membership, or on the basis of having or not having dependants.

The British Council is committed to Equal Opportunities and Diversity. We focus on seven areas of diversity:

1. Age
2. Disability
3. Gender
4. Race
5. Religion
6. Sexual Identity
7. Work-Life Balance

We believe diversity complements our work in cultural relations and in promoting the UK. Find out more about our Equal Opportunities and Diversity policy.

We have regular training events for our staff, including induction, diversity awareness training, and an e-learning module in diversity.

What is Equality and Diversity?

Equality of opportunity....

• is about social justice
• recognises that disadvantage and discrimination exist in society
• seeks to remove disadvantage and discrimination by action

It is about treating people fairly and without bias, and about creating conditions in the workplace and society at large that encourage and value diversity and promote dignity.

It is also about trying to redress past imbalances and ensuring that dealings with clients, customers and suppliers are conducted in a constructive way which does not give rise to unjustified discrimination and which supports appropriate inclusion.  

Equality of opportunity means that people should have the same opportunities regardless of different physical features, characteristics, interests, intelligence, talent and strength, work, wealth or reputation, and that there should be no special privileges. Consideration, advancement and reward should be based only on merit - an ability to do a certain job or meet specified, agreed criteria.

What is Diversity?

Diversity is an inclusive concept concerned with creating an inclusive environment and practices which benefit the organisation and those who work in and with it. It is based on the belief that for good business, moral and legal reasons, people should be valued as individuals. It takes account of the fact that people differ from one another in many ways: gender, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, mental capacity, religion and belief, education, economic status, personality, communication style and approaches to work, for example. These differences can result in varying experiences, values, ways of thinking, behaving, communicating and working.

Managing diversity is based on a positive view of difference and a commitment to valuing individuals for social and moral reasons, in addition to business ones. Understanding, valuing and effectively managing these differences can result in greater participation that can be leveraged for success at an individual, team and organisational level. It can help to combat prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination, harassment and unfair behaviour, and to support people to give of their best, gain satisfaction in their working lives and to be aware of the impact that actions and words can have on others.

How do we embed EO&D in our in-country programmes and projects?

See examples of how Equal Opportunities & Diversity themes have been built into our local programmes.

Diversity Initiative

A Volunteering and Internship Scheme provides volunteering and internship opportunities to students and other interested persons, providing them with an opportunity to learn from the British Council’s working environment and to gain experience, helping them to compete in the local market.

This initiative is open to people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups. Please contact us to find out more about it.

Reading Challenge project

A Reading Challenge project organised in partnership with the Ministry of Education and other NGOs helps young learners and teens to discover the pleasure and excitement of reading, to maximize their reading potential and to promote a sense of achievement among them. On this project, we involve students with disabilities, including visual impairment, and others from national orphanages, blending them together with other students to enjoy the sessions together. Click here to find out more about this project.

International Inspiration 2012 project

International Inspiration 2012 is the London 2012 legacy aimed at transforming the lives of children and young people of all abilities around the world through the power of high-quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play. Through this project, new partnerships are being established between national organisations with responsibility for youth, education, sport, health, women, and disabilities, leading to a positive change in the attitudes of policy makers in Jordan towards the importance of high-quality and inclusive PE, sport and play.

Amongst the project's planned outcomes:

• Sport is integrated into existing legislation and national strategies, and the use of sport and play as tools to achieve national priorities is enhanced
• Improved understanding and practices for the delivery of high-quality and inclusive PE and Sport in schools (including UNRWA schools and Military Education schools - especially in the Badia region and refugee camps), and delivery of sport and play activities in youth centres in target areas
• Increased capacity of selected sports federations to more broad-based sports and increased participation by girls, recognising the importance of inclusive sport and working with educational and community organisations
• Sport Leadership integrated into the King Abdullah II Award for fitness
• Children and young people in targeted areas in Jordan, including those youngsters in displaced communities, and with a particular focus on girls and children with a disability, to take part in high-quality and inclusive PE, sport and play activities to promote their social inclusion and to equip them with leadership and life skills.

Capacity Building for the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities

Through a 2-year, FCO-funded project, the British Council is supporting the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities, helping to build its capacity to assess the quality of current service provision to persons with disabilities, to develop standards and quality-assurance policies, and to develop a system for the effective monitoring of service provision.

Project outputs:

1. Training Needs Assessment reports on i) diagnostic services and ii) ongoing related services provision to cross-disability groups
2. Development of guidelines on standards of services for cross-disability groups, using a participatory methodology and adapted to the Jordanian context
3. Development and introduction of a monitoring and evaluation framework specific to the Jordanian context, to be used to monitor progress of the National Disability Strategy 2010-2015
4. Specialized staff trained in diagnosis, early intervention, evaluation, and services on cross-disability
5. Enhanced awareness amongst all Jordanians on early detection techniques and of standards of services

Equality and Diversity in British Council Jordan staff

Gender:

Age:

Disability:

* = Source 2008 BC EO&D questionnaire results: 75 staff members at British Council – Amman office.

Please contact us at info@britishcouncil.org.jo to find out more about our work on Equal Opportunities and Diversity.