Anti-discriminatory practice is about the implementation of your equal opportunities policy in all aspects of course design, delivery and evaluation.

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The responsibility of the trainer to model good practice

It is the responsibility of the trainer to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to participate in the event and achieve their maximum learning potential. The trainer must model good practice in what they say, how they say it and their actions.

The trainer must avoid using language or behaviour that is in any way discriminatory.  Language must not reflect gender bias or racist or homophobic assumptions.  Phrases like the ‘civilised West’ must be avoided at all costs.

The role of training is always to ensure that the maximum number of people possible have access to the information they need.  Particular intention must be given to avoiding the use of technical language and jargon or if it has to be used, checking out that everyone understands it.

Normally big words are used to either reinforce the impression of the trainer’s cleverness or to mask his/her ignorance.

Workers have an obligation to ensure that everyone who can benefit from their service has an opportunity to access it, and whilst they are using it, to be treated in a way that accords their need for decency and self- respect. People will gauge how much they can trust  the worker and whether they are welcome by the way the worker speaks.

Using non-discriminatory language is a way of not giving unnecessary offence and not putting blocks in the way of client participation,

Discriminatory language often betrays assumptions that have not been based on accurate knowledge or on cultural stereotypes. Often it emphasises the superiority of the speaker or the groups that s/he represents. This need not be conscious for it to be offensive and exasperating. Non-discriminatory language promotes inclusivity by the deliberate attempt to ensure that the language used promotes the equality of all people.

Avoid using gender specific language wherever possible. It gives the impression that the world is made up of only one gender. Although you may know that by ‘man’ you mean everyone, your hearer does not know you mean that.

Man/ mankind:                        humanity

Diminutives are offensive. Never use them. When speaking to adults avoid ‘girls’, ‘boys’, ‘lads’, ‘lassies’ and all the others. 

Avoid assumptions based on occupation. If you do not know the gender of the post holder, use neutral terminology  like ‘he or she’. If possible use the plural, ‘they’.  It used to be polite to begin a letter when you do not know the name of the recipient as ‘Dear Sir.’ It no longer is.

fire man                                    fire fighter

ambulance man                       paramedic

Never modify an occupation to give a feminine form of it. Terms like authoress, actress, poetess or stewardess are no longer acceptable. 

The issues around language and race are difficult and sensitive. This sensitivity is largely due to the great offence given in the past and the high levels of racism experienced by many people.

Say ‘black’ for all people who are not white or ‘black and asian’. When talking about communities use ‘minority ethnic groups’  or ‘ethnic minority groups’.  The term ‘coloured people’ is no longer appropriate. In the USA, ‘people of colour’ is often used and is acceptable there. This term has never been used in Britain and should be avoided.

Never use a racial description as an insult.

Do not use race as a way of describing someone, especially if there might be a difficulty about their behaviour. Examples of this offensive language are give below.

‘The white children in the group were behaving badly.’

‘The white man ran into the shop.’

This convention is now followed in the press.

Do not attribute attributes to a race, nationality or group.

C.f.      The Chinese are inscrutable. 

Black people are musical.

Scottish people are mean.

Referring to people by nationality, unless you know beyond doubt how they define themselves is extremely dangerous. Catch-alls should be avoided and it is easy, and extremely offensive to get the matter wrong. Nearly all Scots are displeased at being thought of as English. British is a different matter. This is not because they are over sensitive or dislike the English. It is because they feel themselves to be from a separate and equal nation which is part of the British Isles. Similarly, people from the Basque may not feel themselves to be Spanish.

Sexuality

The correct terms are for women, ‘lesbians’ and for men ‘gay men’. No other words should be used. The term ‘gay’ is not appropriate to describe men and women. ‘Bisexual’ is not gender specific and can be used for bisexual people. ‘Homosexual’ is a nineteenth century pathological term and many people reject it.   Some lesbians, gay men and bisexuals have tried to rehabilitate words like ‘queer’ but their use is controversial. Unless you want to engage in the debate avoid them.

Avoid describing people by their disability.

Never use ‘mentally handicapped’ or ‘retarded’   - people with learning difficulties

Trainers must not behave in ways that reinforce stereotypes.  It would be inappropriate for a man to give all the information (power) on an event and a woman to do all the process (caring) work. Similarly, in designing case studies or role-plays one must ensure that the examples used do reflect the reality of the communities workers are engaged in rather stereotypes.

It can be very tempting to pigeon-hole participants into certain categories and make large assumptions about their life experience.  In particular one must never assume that course participants are uninfected or unaffected by HIV.  Similarly one cannot make assumptions about patterns of drug use or sexuality.  To talk about people with HIV, lesbians and gay men or drug users as ‘them ‘ or as ‘people out there’ is to ignore the probability that they, or members of their families, are likely to be sitting in front of you. This can serve to bring much trouble upon your head by disrupting the event  and blowing your credibility.

At the beginning of the course it can be useful to make sure that all participants are aware of their obligations to work in an anti-discriminatory way.  This means that if a situation should arise everyone, including the person who has created the problem, knows what to expect.

All resources used in training need to be checked to ensure that they are not creating barriers to access or learning.  It is the responsibility of the trainer to vet all videos, handouts and other resources used to check that they do not bolster prejudice and reflect the realities of communities with which we work.

The venue has to be accessible.  Lifts and appropriate toilets should be indicated at the beginning of the event.

OHP acetates should be clear enough to allow people with different levels of eyesight to see them without discomfort.  Always back up OHPs with handouts.

Avoid using pale colours when writing on acetates or flipcharts.  Be aware that some colours cause problems to people with colour blindness.

One of the biggest issues that can limit access to an event is the time it is held at.  Events that run past 4.30 may make it difficult for parents who have to collect children to attend.  Courses held before 6.00 exclude many kinds of workers.  Can people realistically attend the event?

Many organisations operate discriminatory practices in relation to releasing workers to attend courses.  It is often hardest to reach people who provide high levels of direct care to the public because releasing them means changing duty rosters or hiring agency staff.  In particular nurses and personal carers find it very difficult to gain study time.  This is increased when receiving adequate levels of training is seen as a perk rather than a right; access to training can become a symbol of status rather than need.

If you get it wrong.

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