WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you should refer to the pdf version of this document. FRONT PAGE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY Paper 5 Annex 1 11/07/08 JOINT EQUALITY SCHEME Incorporating Disability Equality Scheme Gender Equality Scheme Race Equality Scheme Annual Update June 2008 PAGE 2 Foreword This is the Joint Equality Scheme for the Cairngorms National Park Authority and it forms an integral part of the CNPA’s wider commitment to promote equality of opportunity in the delivery of its public functions and as an employer. Throughout 2006 to 2008 we published separate Disability, Gender and Race Equality Schemes, but took the decision more recently to combine these to form a single Joint Equality Scheme, which we will update annually. This joint Equality Scheme contains separate sections for Disability, Gender and Race Equality and separate updated Action Plans for each of the separate strands of equality. The CNPA is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and encouraging diversity across all its functions and in its dealings with all stakeholders and partner organisations. The Joint Equality Scheme sets out how we intend to reinforce this commitment and ensure that the promotion of equality is embedded at the heart of our work as a National Park Authority. Jane Hope Chief Executive Cairngorms National Park Authority June 2008 PAGE 3 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................4 THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK..............................................................................................4 CONTEXT OF THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK................................................6 NATIONAL PARK DESIGNATION AND AIMS ...............................................................8 CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK PROFILE AND DEMOGRAPHICS....................10 Disability.......................................................................................................................... 10 Gender ............................................................................................................................ 11 Ethnicity............................................................................................................................ 11 . DISABILITY EQUALITY...................................................................................................13 DEVELOPMENT OF THE CNPA DISABILITY EQUALITY SCHEME.......................13 Process ........................................................................................................................... 13 Involving People With Disabilities .............................................................................. 13 Gathering Further Information...................................................................................... 15 Impact Assessment....................................................................................................... 16 DELIVERY THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK PLAN ..............................................16 BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION...................................................................................22 GENDER EQUALITY .....................................................................................................24 DEVELOPMENT OF THE CNPA GENDER EQUALITY SCHEME .........................24 Process .......................................................................................................................... 24 Progress to Date........................................................................................................... 24 Involving the Community.............................................................................................. 24 Gathering Further Information..................................................................................... 24 Impact Assessment...................................................................................................... 24 DELIVERY THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK PLAN .............................................25 RACE EQUALITY............................................................................................................32 DEVELOPMENT OF THE CNPA RACE EQUALITY SCHEME................................32 Process .......................................................................................................................... 32 Progress to Date............................................................................................................ 32 Involving the Community............................................................................................... 32 Impact Assessment...................................................................................................... 33 DELIVERY THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK PLAN .............................................33 CNPA DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN ............................................................38 GENDER EQUALITY ACTION PLAN.............................................................................51 CNPA RACE EQUALITY ACTION PLAN ......................................................................63 PAGE 4 INTRODUCTION As a public authority, CNPA is required to make disability, gender and race equality a central part of our work. We welcome this process and are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all sections of society as we carry out our responsibilities. This joint equality scheme sets out our commitment and how we will deliver on that commitment in relation to disability, gender and race. In drawing up our scheme we have been guided by the following: THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK The main equality legislation, which relates to the Cairngorms National Park Authority includes: Sex Discrimination Act 1975 - This legislation outlaws discrimination on the grounds of sex or marital status in employment, training, education, the provision of goods and services and the management and dispersal of premises. The Act outlaws direct discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Race Relations Act 1976 and Amendment - This legislation outlaws discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality and colour in employment and the provision of goods and services. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - This legislation defines disability as a "physical or mental impairment that has a long term adverse impact on the ability to carry out normal day to day duties" and outlaws discrimination on the grounds of disability in employment, education, the provision of goods and services. The 2005 amendments to the Act also placed the Authority under a General and Specific duty to promote disability equality. Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 - These regulations outlaw discrimination in employment and vocational training on the grounds of real or perceived belief. They outlaw direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 - These PAGE 5 regulations outlaw discrimination in employment and vocational training on the grounds of real or perceived orientation. They outlaw direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Gender Recognition Act 2004 - This legislation gives a transsexual person the right to their acquired gender and to be legally recognised. Civil Partnership Act 2004 - This Act establishes a legal relationship when formed by two people of the same sex. Employment Equality (Age) Regulations – These regulations came into force on 1 October 2006 and make it an offence for an employer to discriminate on grounds of age. Gender Equality Duty 2007 - This places a legal obligation on all public bodies to eliminate unlawful sex discrimination and harassment, and to promote equality of opportunity between women and men. Race Equality Duty 2006 - This places a legal obligation on all public bodies to pay 'due regard' to the promotion of eliminating unlawful discrimination; equality of opportunity and good race relations The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 (RR(A)A), and the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) impose a statutory general duty to promote race and disability equality, and to publish equality schemes setting out how they will do this. Additionally, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (SDA) requires public authorities to publish a gender equality scheme demonstrating their approach to the Gender Equality Duty. The aim of the duty is to make equality central to the way public authorities work, and to put it at the heart of policymaking, service delivery, and employment practice. Under the “general” duties, in carrying out their functions, public authorities must have “due regard to the need to”: • eliminate unlawful discrimination. • promote equal opportunities for all • promote good relations between people In addition the DDA requires public authorities to: • eliminate harassment because of disability • take steps to take account of a persons’ disabilities, even where that involves treating them more favourably than others, and • encourage participation by disabled people in public life. PAGE 6 The Gender Equality Duty also contains a requirement to address the causes of any differences between the pay of men and women that are related to their sex. The “general” duties are supported by a number of specific duties. These include duties to produce and maintain race, gender and disability equality schemes and to collect and publish employment monitoring data. These Equalities Duties are reflected in the CNPA’s Corporate Plan, in which two of the outcomes are related to equalities, internally and externally: Implement internal equalities action plans The Authority’s policies and procedures address any potential inequality of access to the organisation or the Park, while our operations fit with and are complementary to development of a strong, fair and inclusive society. Encourage others to deliver equality action plans and meet best practice standards All businesses, private, public and voluntary are actively encouraged to operate in a way that meets the highest equality standards to develop a strong, fair and inclusive society CONTEXT OF THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK One of the first Acts of the Scottish Parliament in 2000 legislated for National Parks in Scotland. There are now two National Parks: Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, established in 2002 and the Cairngorms, established in 2003. Scotland’s National Parks are a distinctive model that combines conservation of the natural and cultural heritage with sustainable use, enjoyment and development of the areas communities. Not only do National Parks seek to conserve and enhance the qualities that make these places special, they offer significant benefits to the people of Scotland. In particular, National Parks offer the following opportunities: • Delivering better outcomes – National Parks, by more co-ordinated efforts of the public, private, community and voluntary sectors, can deliver more integrated and sustainable results in terms of environmental, economic and social benefits. • Developing solutions for rural Scotland – National Parks provide the opportunity to develop and test innovative solutions to rural issues which can be applied to benefit other areas across Scotland. National Parks are an opportunity to develop and disseminate best practice that makes a difference to people living and working in rural Scotland. • Providing a Park for All – National Parks offer excellent opportunities for people of all backgrounds, interests and abilities to enjoy, learn and benefit from these special places. PAGE 7 • Promoting ‘The Pride of Scotland’ – National Parks represent Scotland’s most iconic landscapes and reflect the natural and cultural heritage that shapes our nation’s identity. They are national assets and by showing how people and place can thrive together, National Parks can make a significant contribution to Scotland’s national identity. PAGE 8 NATIONAL PARK DESIGNATION AND AIMS The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 sets three conditions which an area designated as a National Park must satisfy: • That the area is of outstanding national improtance because of its natural heritage, or the combination of its natural and cultural heritage; • That the area has a distinctive character and a coherent identity; • That designating the area as a National Park would meet the special needs of the area and would be the best means of ensuring that the National park aims are collectively achieved The Act also sets out four aims for National Parks in Scotland: • To conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area; • To promote sustainable use of natural resources of the area; • To promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public; • To promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities The Cairngorms National Park Authority is principally an enabling and facilitating body rather than a regulatory body. Its enabling and facilitating powers include: • anything that will help the Park Authority achieve its aims • fixing and recovering charges for goods or services provided in the course of carrying out the aims • carrying out research and related activities • entering into agreements with any person in the Park with an interest in land to ensure that the aims of the Park are met • giving grants and loans (with the consent of Scottish Ministers) • securig the provision of nature reserves • providing information and educational services and facilities to promote understanding and enjoyment of the Park • providing facilities to encourage visitors to national parks for leisure purposes including camp sites, accommodation, meals and refreshments where necessary • being a consultee on a range of matters undertaken by other public bodies, for example Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the creation of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), forestry activities and traffic regulation orders It does have regulatory powers to: PAGE 9 • deal with those planning decisions which may have significant impacts on the Park (by calling in the application for determination). • make management laws and byelaws to: • protect the natural and cultural heritage of the Park. • prevent damage to the land or anything in or under it. • to secure the public’s enjoyment of and safety in the Park. National Context The CNPA’s equalities work can make a significant contribution to delivering five out of fifteen of the Scottish Government’s outcomes in the National Performance Framework, namely: • We live longer, healthier lives. • We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society. • We live in well-designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the amenities and services we need. • We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity. • Our public services are high quality, continually improving, efficient and responsive to local people’s needs. PAGE 10 CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK PROFILE AND DEMOGRAPHICS The Cairngorms National Park is Britain’s largest National Park, covering an area of 3800km². It is home to 16,000 people with a population density of 4.2 people per km². The major centres of population are Aviemore, Ballater, Braemar, Grantown-on-Spey, Kingussie, Newtonmore, and Tomintoul. Tourism-related businesses account for about 80% of the economy, including activities such as ski-ing, walking, fishing, shooting and stalking, and it is thought that at least 500,000 people visited the Cairngorms in 2001 - 350,000 to Badenoch and Strathspey alone. Four different Local Authorities are included within the Cairngorms National Park. These are Highland, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Angus. The table below gives a breakdown of what area of each Local Authority falls within the Cairngorms National Park, and what the percentage of the Park area falls into each Local Authority. Population / Area (km2) / Area of LA in CNP (km2) / % of LA land in CNP / % of CNP by LA Aberdeenshire 226,871 / 6338.82 / 1448.80 / 23 / 38 Highland 213,000 / 26484.36 / 1660.33 / 6 / 44 Moray 86,940 / 2257.07 / 383.31 / 17 / 10 Angus 108,000 / 2204.24 / 323.99 / 15 / 8 CNPA 3816.54 Each of the local authorities has statistics relating to equality which can be used to give a flavour of the demographics of the Cairngorms National Park area, although it may be helpful to note that all of the main centres of population in each of the local authorities falls outwith the National Park Boundary. The following demographics are taken mostly from the 2001 Census and from information supplied on the local authorities’ individual websites. Disability In Scotland as a whole, the 2001 census showed that one in five people (20.31%) have a disability or limiting long term illness. Aberdeenshire In Aberdeenshire the proportion of the population with a limiting long term illness or disability is 15.31%. Of the working age population 11.16% people have a limiting long term illness. 0.38% of the Aberdeenshire population are registered blind or partially sighted; 0.66% of the population are adults with a PAGE 11 learning disability known to the council; and 0.5% of the population accessed mental health services within the Aberdeenshire local authority. Highland In Highland the proportion of the population with a limiting long term illness or disability is 18%. According to a 2005 survey, 55% of working aged disabled people are in employment (compared with 46% nationally in Scotland). According to Highland Council figures1.47% of the population is either registered blind, partially sighted or visually impaired; 0.36% of adults are known to have a learning disability and it is estimated by Highland council that around 40,000 – 50,000 (18% of the population) are likely to experience mental health issues at some point. Moray In Moray the proportion of the population with a limiting long term illness or disability is 16.69%. No further detail about disability in the area was available. Angus In Angus the proportion of the population with a limiting long term illness or disability is 18.56%. No further detail about disability in the area was available. Gender In Scotland as a whole the gender split is 48.05% males, and 51.61% females, with the median age for men being 37 years and the median age for women being 39 years % Men / % Women / Median Male Age / Median Female Age Aberdeenshire 49.57 / 50.43 / 38 / 39 Highland 48.97 / 51.03 / 39 / 41 Moray 49.97 / 50.03 / 37 / 40 Angus 48.39 / 51.61 / 39 / 42 In Scotland the workforce is made up of 47% women and 53% men. A pay gap exists within Scotland which sees women being paid on average 12% less than men for the same work, when comparing full time workers in the same jobs. Women working part time earn on average 35% less than men when comparing hourly rates of pay. (figures obtained from “Close the Gap” research in 2002. Close the Gap is an initiative working in Scotland, funded by the European EQUAL Initiative to raise awareness and capacity building in relation to the Pay Gap). Ethnicity PAGE 12 In Scotland as a whole the average ethnic minority population is around 2% in total. The four local authorities represented in the Park are fairly consistent in having a minority ethnic population of around 0.8% each, and it should be noted that it is likely that the rural areas which fall within the park boundary are likely to have a lower percentage still, although accurate figures are not available for the Park area specifically. Aberdeenshire Those who identified themselves as coming from a minority ethnic group formed 0.8% of the population in Aberdeenshire. No statistics were available about gypsy and traveller populations, which are acknowledged by the local authority to form a significant part of the ethnic mix within Aberdeenshire. 84% of the Aberdeenshire population was born in Scotland and 3.15% were born outside the UK Highland Those who identified themselves as coming from minority ethnic groups formed 0.8% of the population in Highland. According to the census figures the largest defined ethnic minority groups are Pakistani and other South Asian communities and the Chinese community. Approximately half the population in Highland live in the Inner Moray firth area, and around 72% of the people from ethnic minorities live in the Inverness, Ross & Cromarty and Nairn areas, all of which are outside the National Park boundary. 82% of the Highland population was born in Scotland and 2.83% were born outside the UK. Moray The total population in Moray is 86940, with 60% of the total population living in the five main towns outside the Park boundary. Those who identified themselves as coming from minority ethnic groups formed 0.8% of the population, and the Chinese community formed the largest defined ethnic group. 79% of the Moray population was born in Scotland, with 16% born in England and 3.47% born outside the UK. Moray has recently experienced increased inward migration, particularly from Portugal, Poland, Latvia and the Ukraine. Angus The population of Angus is just over 108,000 and those who identified themselves as coming from minority ethnic groups formed 0.8% of the population. The areas of Angus which fall within the National Park have the among the lowest general population figures, as well as the lowest percentages of ethnic minority populations within Angus. 88.33% of the Angus population was born in Scotland, with 8.95 born elsewhere in the UK, and 2.5% being born outside the UK. PAGE 13 DISABILITY EQUALITY DEVELOPMENT OF THE CNPA DISABILITY EQUALITY SCHEME Process The development of this equality scheme has been led by the Education and Inclusion Manager and the HR Manager, with input from across the organisation. We have worked closely with the Highlands & Islands Equality Forum and Inclusive Cairngorms in particular. Involving People With Disabilities Since its inception the CNPA has been committed to ensuring that its policy is shaped by the views and advice of those with disabilities and groups who represent those of all abilities. In 2003 an All Abilities Communications Network was established, with a remit to: • To ensure that (CNPA) policy and best practice is well informed by the views of disabled people and their representative bodies who live in, work in and visit the area; • To provide information and advice to the CNPA; • To generate ideas to put forward to the CNPA Board on disability issues, not just on physical access. This group continues to meet and in 2006 agreed to extend its remit to cover all aspects of equality and social inclusion as well as continuing to advise on disability equality. As a result of this change in remit it also changed its name to “Inclusive Cairngorms”. To date the CNPA has worked closely with the following organisations and will continue to do so in shaping the Park For All theme: Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), Highland Disabled Ramblers, Aberdeenshire Council Social Services (learning disabilities), Scottish Disability Equality Forum, All Abilities Communication Network (sensory and physical disability advisory group for the CNPA), Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum, Local Access Panels, Fieldfare Trust, Badaguish Outdoor Centre (strong focus on disability), Friends of Caberfeidh, Badenoch and Strathspey Community Care Forum, Capability Scotland, Upper Deeside Walking to Health, John Muir Award and the Big Issue Foundation. Involvement with these groups has included consultation on development of policies, provision of funding to promote equality and inclusion and advisory groups to the National Park Authority The Local Outdoor Access Forum (LOAF) is made up of a group of local representatives who provide advice to the CNPA on outdoor access rights, Rights of Way, and core paths throughout the National Park area. A place on this forum was set aside specifically for someone who could represent those PAGE 14 with disabilities, to enhance the level of specific disability equality advice provided by the LOAF. The CNPA Outdoor Access Strategy has been developed through a broad consultation which has included advice and information from the Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum. The LOAF and Inclusive Cairngorms are advisory forums along with three other forums who work closely with the CNPA. The diagram below shows how the Advisory Forums fit into the strategic planning process of the CNPA. Image: Flowchart entitled The Park Plan Implementation Framework (Image not available in full text format) Widespread public consultations have taken place across the National Park in relation to a number of key issues. These have included the National Park Plan formation, Local Plan policy development and the Core Paths Plan. The most recent of these consultations (for the Core Paths Plan) were held in accordance with the National Standards for Community Engagement (developed by Communities Scotland), to encourage maximum participation from people of all abilities. Meetings were held in public buildings with good access for those with reduced mobility, and staff who arrange these meetings PAGE 15 have access to guidance on arranging accessible meetings. Publications and questionnaires were made available in large print format, information was provided on our website about consultations and how to be involved, and staff were available to speak to those who wanted more information. In 2007-08, CNPA piloted a community consultation in Grantown on Spey; “Our Community, A Way Forward”. CNPA produced a toolkit to help communities to undertake their own consultations in the most inclusive manner using the National Standards for Community Engagement. It also included other innovative engagement methodologies including appreciative enquiry and community asset development. This process was driven by the local community themselves. The CNPA also has a board member with a sight impairment who has been particularly active in ensuring that disability equality is at the forefront of decision making at both strategic and operational level within the organisation. At a project development level, all applications to the Integrated Grants Programme are required to demonstrate how inclusion and equality issues are addressed. In addition, expenditure justification and project appraisal forms are being reviewed to ensure that these issues are also considered. Feedback from all these sources has fed into and continues to shape the development of our strategy for promoting disability equality across the broad spectrum of policy development within the National Park Authority. Gathering Further Information Other activities that the CNPA is currently involved in or is planning include:, • Development of “Inclusive Cairngorms”, to improve use of members’ expertise and knowledge of disability and other equalities issues within CNPA, as well as benefits to member organisations. • Formation of sub-committees within Inclusive Cairngorms to work specifically on the different strands of equality. • Involvement of these sub-groups in carrying out prioritisation and impact assessment on CNPA policies. • CNPA carried out a staff survey in 2005. This was analysed for any indications of areas of inequality in the six strands of equality. When the survey is repeated in the future it will be redesigned to capture more information which may be used to further develop equality measures. PAGE 16 • Ensure that our DES Action Plan takes account of our learning from disabled people and is updated and monitored on a regular basis. • We recognise that some disabled people may experience difficulties with some of the language used by public bodies and we will work to remove these communication barriers, initially by training our staff in use of “Plain English”, and continuing to meet any further training needs identified. • Equality monitoring at all stages of employment from selection and recruitment, through training, promotion, formal HR caseloads and leavers has been carried out for the last two years, and the information gathered from this is used to improve processes and assess where there may be barriers to equality. Impact Assessment CNPA will proactively identify aspects of our policies and procedures which may cause barriers to disabled people, and amend them accordingly to prevent any potential discrimination. CNPA is in the process of developing a template for reviewing existing policies, practices and procedures and this will be used to assess new policies as they are developed. The aim of this is to ensure that all aspects of disability are considered in relation to our policies. This template will be reviewed in light of advice from disabled people, and in consultation specifically with the Inclusive Cairngorms Group. The Disability Equality sub-committee of Inclusive Cairngorms will undertake impact assessments on our policies, and will work with CNPA staff to prioritise the policies to be assessed first. Representatives from across the CNPA will be attending training on how to conduct Equality Impact Assessment in July. DELIVERY THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK PLAN The CNPA is largely a facilitating and enabling body, which works in partnership with a wide range of organisations across the park area. This means that much of our work involves influencing others to change the ways in which they work in order to achieve particular aims. The CNPA achieves this through a range of methods including influencing and negotiation, providing training, funding support, relevant appropriate information on the National Park, community involvement and a range of other methods. This section details how disability equality is being addressed within the different parts of the National Park Plan, including the Guiding Principles, the strategic objectives and priority actions. The Guiding Principles of the National Park Plan are used to guide management and PAGE 17 decision making in working towards all objectives of the plan and should be used as a checklist by all involved in its implementation. The Guiding Principles which are particularly relevant to Disability Equality are: Social Justice – A Park for All The benefits of the National Park should be accessible to all, regardless of economic, physical or social constraints. There should be a culture of inclusiveness that seeks to create opportunities for everyone in the National Park. This is encouraged by: • Raising awareness and understanding of the National Park and the opportunities to get involved, specifically with groups which may be excluded – particularly young people, people with disabilities (physical, learning and mental health disabilities) and those on low incomes. • Working with organisations that represent the interests of socially excluded groups to gain a better understanding of their needs. • Addressing the barriers to inclusion, such as transport, service cost and physical access constraints. • Developing social inclusion initiatives which appeal to excluded and equalities groups to encourage participation. • Providing information relevant to those with disabilities. People Participating In The Park – A National Park For People People within and outside the Park should be actively involved in shaping the National Park and its management, building their capacity to do so and encouraging active citizenship. This will be encouraged by: • Operating in an open, transparent and accessible environment where people can easily find any relevant information. In disability equality terms this will include making all information available in a range of formats. We currently ensure that all our publications and communications are available in large print, and we will undertake to provide Braille or audio tapes on request. We make as much information as possible available through our website, which has been designed to be as accessible as possible to those with disabilities. The National Park newsletter “Park Life” is available in large print and audio tape. • Developing mechanisms which allow local communities and communities of interest to influence and engage with the decision making process and management of the Park. The All Abilities Communication Network was established to assist with fulfilling this, and there have been a range of other activities with local groups to encourage those with disabilities to engage with the National Park Authority in shaping the future of the National Park. CNPA will continue to seek out disability interest groups and to work closely with them on a range of initiatives. PAGE 18 Managing Change – A National Park Open to Ideas In an ever changing environment, the management of the National Park should be informed by the best available information to identify and effect positive change, and prepare for and mitigate the potential negative consequences of change that cannot be influenced. • CNPA will seek to share information in a way which is accessible to those with disabilities and establish mechanisms for debate and discussion to achieve the best possible solutions to manage change within the Park. • CNPA will seek to operate in an environment which is flexible, open and responsive to change and receptive to new ideas. It will continue to listen to and work with disability groups and individuals who have disabilities to effect positive change in the development of the National Park over the coming years. Adding Value – A National Park That Makes a Difference The collective efforts of all sectors in managing the National Park should be focussed on delivering positive and tangible outcomes for the people of the Park. This will be encouraged by: • Building trust and co-operation between different interest groups to establish the best way forward to achieve the park aims, including co-operation with disabilities groups and representatives. In addition, disability equality is considered in a number of the Strategic Objectives and Priorities for Action in the National Park Plan. Living and Working in the Park Approximately 16,000 people live or work in the Park and the economic and social needs are similar to those throughout rural Scotland. The Park Authority has a strategic objective to promote the provision of local services which meet the needs of the local communities through community planning and other community development initiatives. Community Planning and provision of local services The CNPA seeks to promote the provision of local services that meet the needs of communities through Community Planning and other community development initiatives. The principles of Community Planning can be extended as a means to involve people in management planning across all aspects of this plan, so that through active engagement the knowledge, needs and ambitions of communities and those with disabilities can be shared and realised. PAGE 19 Promoting Equality in Employment Addressing barriers to employment uptake The National Park area has relatively low unemployment and businesses can face difficulties in recruiting labour. However there are a number of barriers to employment which can affect those with disabilities. These can include poor transport, inflexibility of working hours, small businesses having limited resources to make adaptations in the work place and lack of training or knowledge of employment rights and abilities, and lack of affordable housing. CNPA will work in conjunction with other organisations to address some of these barriers. Transport issues will be covered later in the Action Plan. Training was provided in 2006 through the CNPA Land Based Business Training Project to 53 people working in land based businesses on disability awareness training “More than Ramps and Rails” and a further 11 have attended disability awareness training run by Equal Adventure. These training courses will continue to be a part of the Public Benefits training provided through the CNPA. Within the CNPA CNPA seeks to promote good practices in employment by ensuring that its own practices offer equality of opportunity and care is taken to ensure that we not only fulfil our legal obligations as employers, but go beyond this to promote equality of opportunity and diversity within our workforce. Information is gathered at the recruitment stage, and updated regularly throughout employment to allow us to monitor equality. Our HR database enables reporting of equality issues to accurately assess the balance in relation to recruitment into the organisation, promotion and access to training. There is provision to monitor disciplinary and grievance issues on these grounds as well should they arise. Our recruitment and employment processes are designed to eliminate unlawful discrimination at all levels, and this is monitored on an ongoing basis. Promoting Access to Education and Vocational Training Those of all abilities wishing to train and study locally require more opportunities to do so. The provision of more trainers, courses and modules delivered within the Park will assist local people to gain skills. Housing The need to ensure greater access to affordable and good quality housing to help to create and maintain sustainable communities is a key challenge in the National Park. CNPA is working closely with Registered Social Landlords, Land owners, and other Public Bodies to secure housing which is both affordable and accessible for those who wish to live and work in the National Park. PAGE 20 Transport & Communications Transport infrastructure is an essential component of both residents’ and visitors’ access to the National Park and its environment. The National Park sits at the centre of a national and regional transport network that provides good road and rail links to Inverness, Aberdeen and Perth. However, transport links within the Park are less well developed. Work is continuing to improve local transport links and to encourage public transport providers to move to using accessible vehicles, such as low access buses which are more easily accessed by those with mobility difficulties. One of the buses used by the Heather Hopper service is now accessible. Better timetables and information will also be encouraged and supported to increase ease of access around the National Park. CNPA continues to work in close partnership with other public bodies to provide accessible information on public transport networks across the Park. Enjoying and Understanding the Park Sustainable Tourism The CNPA will work with tourism and outdoor recreation providers to improve and maintain the quality of experience in the National Park for all visitors. This will include working with providers to raise awareness of the needs of those with disabilities and supporting them in meeting these needs. Information Ensuring that visitors to the Cairngorms are aware of the range of opportunities, places to visit and things to do throughout the Park, and appreciate and respect its special qualities. All CNPA information leaflets are designed to standards which take disability requirements into account and are currently available in large print. They will be made available in Braille or audio versions as required. Design of information and interpretation generally will take into account their accessibility for people of all abilities where possible. Visitor information will be targeted at specific audiences and encourage responsible outdoor access, visitor safety and the health benefits of regular outdoor access. As well as promoting the special qualities of the Park, information will seek to promote the benefits of outdoor access. CNPA will seek to support the Ranger services and land owners across the National Park to have a greater awareness of disability issues and how to provide access opportunities for all abilities. Training has been and will continue to be provided to ranger services and land owners in relation to the PAGE 21 Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which specifically covers disability access and the use of specialist motorised vehicles for those with disabilities. The Cairngorms Explorer visitor guide contains information about “access for all routes.” The 2009 guide is to include more comprehensive information for people with disabilities. The CNPA will continue to provide information for publications such as “Walking on Wheels: 50 Wheel Friendly Trails in Scotland”. This publication details 12 routes within the National Park. Access CNPA is working on developing a co-ordinated approach to the sustainable management of high quality outdoor access and recreation by the public, private, community and voluntary sector interest Support and encouragement for local community involvement in the planning and management of outdoor access throughout the Park. All consultation will be conducted in line with National Standards for Community Engagement. The National Park is internationally renowned for the exceptional range and quality of outdoor access and recreational opportunities. The area provides opportunities to enjoy the natural environment in many different ways, providing a range of experiences for people of different abilities. The CNPA is working to develop a co-ordinated approach to the provision of a range of opportunities in the Park for people of all abilities through the sustainable management of high quality outdoor access and recreation involving the public, private, community and voluntary sector. The CNPA seeks to engage with and involve all communities in the planning and management of outdoor access throughout the Park. All consultations will be conducted in line with the National Standards for Community Engagement. Social Inclusion The Cairngorms National Park should be a place where everyone can experience the benefits. The CNPA’s inclusion work is focussed on reaching beyond the individuals and communities who traditionally visit the National Park to socially excluded groups, and encourage them to engage with the Park. This applies particularly to young people, people with disabilities and people on low incomes. The CNPA is committed to work with other partners who already operate in this field, to create opportunities through marketing, community engagement, improving access and developing learning and education outreach programmes. PAGE 22 This will include creating and promoting packages for specific user groups eg people with disabilities, with relevant and user friendly information about the Park which details what is on offer. Ambassadors will use these materials to help promote the Park to excluded groups and a programme of activities will be developed to increase people’s awareness and understanding of the area, for example through volunteering opportunities and the John Muir Award. A joint Outreach project with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is currently being implemented, which will identify the barriers to young people, people with disabilities and those on low incomes engaging with National Parks and National Nature Reserves, and develop a sustainable outreach framework for National Parks. BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION The following have been identified as the five general potential barriers to equality of access for those with disabilities in the Cairngorms National Park. Consideration of these is given in greater detail in the Action Plan itself. Organisational Barriers Equal opportunities for employment within the CNPA in terms of recruitment, work tasks, work terms and conditions can form barriers. Also the culture of the organisation needs to reflect its commitment at all levels to meeting the needs of people with disabilities within and outwith the CNPA. Communication and Information Provision of information in a range of formats, and appropriate use of language, eg Plain English, Easy Read, Braille, Audio which will ensure that it reaches and is useable by people of all abilities is crucial in involving everyone evenly in the benefits of the National Park. Financial Limitations Often there are a higher proportion of people with disabilities among those on lower incomes or among the homeless. Consideration of accessibility to the National Park for those on lower incomes therefore has close links with disability equality. This includes housing issues, employment, affordable transport, access to open spaces and visitor services, including information and interpretation of the National Park’s cultural and natural heritage. Physical barriers Physical access to buildings, paths and other facilities around the National Park area are important considerations in ensuring equality. PAGE 23 Transport Transport into and around the National Park for those of all abilities is an important consideration. This includes accessible public transport as well as suitable parking with accessible paths from carparks for those who use private vehicles. Other considerations may include signage to facilitate entry to the National Park and being able to find places easily once inside the National Park PAGE 24 GENDER EQUALITY DEVELOPMENT OF THE CNPA GENDER EQUALITY SCHEME Process The development of this scheme has been led by our Education and Inclusion manager, with input from across the organisation. We have worked closely with the Highlands & Islands Equality Forum, who have facilitated focus groups and research which has fed into our scheme. We have involved the public, our staff and partners in drawing up this scheme. Progress to Date The focus groups highlighted some areas of good practice which are already in place, and which we intend to build on through our action plan. We will continue to identify areas for improvement in all aspects of equality and diversity. Involving the Community To date the CNPA has worked closely with many organisations in shaping the Park For All theme, and will continue to do so. Our Inclusive Cairngorms group, which seeks to promote social inclusion in the National Park represents a diversity of organisations and interests. Those relevant to gender issues include: YWCA, Women@Work, Local Authority Equalities officers, Highlands and Islands Equality Forum, local learning centres, and other community groups. Involvement with these groups has included consultation on development of social inclusion policies, provision of funding to promote equality and inclusion, and provision of equalities advice to the National Park Authority. In developing the Gender Equalities Scheme, a Sub group of the Inclusive Cairngorms was formed to take it forward, with assistance from Highlands and Islands Equality Forum. Two Focus Groups were held to record gender issues, one with CNPA staff and other with Park service users. Gathering Further Information New contacts have been made through the focus groups, eg with people from the transgender community and we will involve them in future reviews of our GES and action plan. As CNPA builds relationships with its partners and Park service providers, any new gender related issues can be brought to light and incorporated into future GES reviews. Impact Assessment CNPA aims to proactively identify aspects of our policies and procedures which may cause barriers to people of either gender or transgender people, and to amend policies accordingly to stave off any potential discrimination. PAGE 25 CNPA is in the process of developing a template for reviewing existing policies, practices and procedures and this will be used to assess new policies as they are developed. The aim of this is to ensure that any issues of gender and transgender are considered in relation to our policies. This template will be reviewed in light of advice from Park service users, and in consultation specifically with the Inclusive Cairngorms Group. The Gender Equality sub-committee of Inclusive Cairngorms will undertake impact assessments on our policies, and will work with CNPA staff to prioritise the policies to be assessed first. DELIVERY THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK PLAN As already stated in the introduction, the CNPA is largely a facilitating and enabling body, which works in partnership with a wide range of organisations across the park area. This means that much of our work involves influencing others to change the ways in which they work in order to achieve particular aims. The CNPA achieves this through a range of methods including influencing and negotiation, providing training, funding support, relevant appropriate information on the National Park, community involvement and a range of other methods. This section details how gender equality is being addressed within the different parts of the National Park Plan, including the Guiding Principles, the strategic objectives and priority actions. Social Justice – A Park for All The CNPA has established links with inclusion and equalities groups and interests, and will continue to involve them in creating opportunities for everyone to engage with the Park. This includes amongst others, male, female and transgender people. Managing Change – A National Park Open to Ideas The CNPA will seek to listen and work with equalities groups and interests to achieve best possible solutions to manage change within the Park. Adding Value – A National Park That Makes a Difference The CNPA will encourage cooperation between different interests, including equalities groups and interests, to establish the best way forward to achieve Park aims. Living and Working in the Park Community Planning and provision of local services The CNPA will seek to promote the provision of local services that meet the needs of communities through Community Planning and other community PAGE 26 development initiatives. The principles of Community Planning can be extended as a means to involve people in management planning across all aspects of this plan, so that through active engagement the knowledge, needs and ambitions of communities can be shared and realised. Housing and Planning Services Making housing more affordable and sustainable is a key action within the National Park Plan. Those on low incomes, especially women (who are statistically likely to earn less than men) and people who only have one household income, need affordable housing. In general, housing is not a gendered issue, other than the fact that socially affordable housing would support women indirectly because of their low income. The housing planning process should be open, transparent and consider gender equality in terms of allocations. Promoting equality in employment Within the Park The National Park area has relatively low unemployment and businesses can face difficulties in recruiting labour. However there are a number of potential barriers to employment. These can include poor transport, inflexibility of working hours, small businesses having limited resources support flexible working, lack of training or knowledge of employment rights, and lack of affordable housing. CNPA will work in conjunction with other organisations to address some of these barriers and where possible work with organisations to address gender bias created by these barriers. Within the CNPA CNPA seeks to promote good practices in employment by ensuring that its own practices offer equality of opportunity and care is taken to ensure that we not only fulfil our legal obligations as employers, but go beyond this to promote equality of opportunity and diversity within our workforce. Information is gathered at the recruitment stage, and updated regularly throughout employment to allow us to monitor equality. Our HR database enables reporting of equality issues to accurately assess the gender balance in relation to recruitment into the organisation, promotion and access to training. There is provision to monitor disciplinary and grievance issues on these grounds as well should they arise. Our recruitment and employment processes are designed to eliminate unlawful discrimination at all levels, and this is closely monitored on an ongoing basis. Flexible working practices underpin our HR policies, and many of the benefits we offer already go beyond our legal obligations as an employer. We offer a flexi-time system, an enhanced level of maternity pay, career breaks, special leave and home working policies which are all designed to aid those with PAGE 27 caring responsibilities to balance the requirements of work and home more effectively. We have been able to accommodate requests for job-sharing and part time working to facilitate caring responsibilities and work life balance is equally available to all staff regardless of gender. We have also introduced a Child Care Voucher system to enable staff to make tax savings whilst paying for childcare. The Focus Group held with CNPA staff highlighted the following issues: 1. Gender segregation within the CNPA staff All the Admin staff within the CNPA are female and there was a perception that females were under-represented in departments outside administration. The distribution of staff throughout the organisation is shown in the graph below. There was some discussion in the focus group about ensuring that Admin staff were aware of the career paths open to them, and about how to encourage male applicants for admin posts which are more traditionally seen as female dominated. This is reflected in the Action Plan Aim 2, Objectives 2 & 3. Family friendly policies are a high priority within CNPA and are there to support both male and female staff with childcare and other caring responsibilities. It is generally recognised that currently more women than men are affected by childcare issues in society, and this is one of the areas in which CNPA tries to promote equality of opportunity. By assisting both men and women with childcare responsibilities to balance domestic responsibilities with work requirements people are encouraged to apply for higher level posts within the organisation, where domestic responsibilities may otherwise have prevented this. Image: Bar chart entitled Gender Distribution Through CNPA Grades (Not available in full text format) PAGE 28 2. Working with the Wider Community to Promote Equal Opportunities There was a suggestion that work experience opportunities for school children could be created so that they can see the full range of career opportunities available, and that works shadowing could also be used to enhance understanding of opportunities for both genders. This is covered in the Action Plan under Aim 2, Objective 6. 3. CNPA policies generally There were comments that the CNPA has a good record of reacting sensitively to requests for flexible working from both male and female staff. Flexible working policies, childcare vouchers and a general policy of providing support to staff where possible have helped to promote diversity and should provide a lead to other agencies in the Park area. It was agreed that CNPA policies should be monitored and reviewed to ensure that they continue to promote equality in the work place. 4. Engagement with transgender, gay and lesbian community There was a general feeling in the focus group that there was unlikely to be a negative reaction from individual CNPA staff to transgender people joining the workforce, nor was sexuality perceived to be an issue. Any practical issues relating to transgender peoples requirements were felt to be easily overcome (eg toilet provision). As an organisation CNPA values employees of any gender and sexuality and will provide the support required to allow them to work within the organisation. Promoting Access to Education and Vocational Training Rural and traditional jobs are typically male dominated , eg farming, forestry, game keeping, etc. There is a feeling that young females stop engaging with Park activities between ages 12 and 15. Therefore there is scope for CNPA to consider initiatives to encourage young females to take part in traditional vocational employment, eg through its rural skills and vocational training work. Transport & Communications Transport infrastructure is an essential component of both residents’ and visitors’ access to the National Park and its environment. The National Park sits at the centre of a national and regional transport network that provides good road and rail links to Inverness, Aberdeen and Perth. However, transport links within the Park are less well developed, eg links between key towns in early morning and evening. The lack of services within the Park appears to impact more on women than men, as fewer women have driving licences and because it is more common for the man of the household to use the family car for commuting. In addition those on lower incomes are more likely to be women, and this social group is PAGE 29 less likely to own a car. Women with young families at home face additional challenges in being able to access public transport services. Because of lack of services or affordability, there can be personal and road safety implications for people who have to travel on foot in rural areas, and again there is evidence that these are more likely to be women who do not have the same access to a car. Similarly there may be personal safety concerns amongst women and transgender people arising from a lack of awareness amongst public transport service providers on gender issues. The focus group identified a difficulty for parents (usually young mothers) in getting children’s buggies onto public transport. On the other hand, buggies can create a barrier for other passengers, particularly those with disabilities. Buses should be better designed to cater for different needs, and equipment could be available for hire within the Park. The CNPA aims to work with transport providers to address the gaps in public transport provision in the Park and promote sustainable transport initiatives. Better timetables and information will also be encouraged and supported to increase ease of access around the National Park. CNPA continues to work in close partnership with other public bodies to provide accessible information on public transport networks across the Park. Enjoying and Understanding the Park Sustainable Tourism Tourism plays a key role in supporting economic growth, encouraging enjoyment and understanding of the National Park and in helping to promote Scotland on a world stage as a place to live, work and enjoy. The CNPA will work with tourism and outdoor recreation providers to improve and maintain the quality of experience in the National Park for all visitors. In general, recreational facilities appear to be improving in terms of considering equality issues, but there are calls for baby changing and public toilet facilities in rural areas to be improved. Baby changing facilities are quite often in ladies toilets which makes it difficult for men to take children out for the day. There are also personal safety issues for women and transgender people in accessing public toilets in lonely places and late at night. Likewise some women are concerned for their personal safety when mountain biking alone or with their children. Regarding tourist accommodation and other service providers in small rural communities, there appears to be some anecdotal evidence of a lack of acceptance of transgender people and lack of understanding of their needs. The CNPA could help to address this by influencing Park service providers of the need for gender / equalities awareness training. PAGE 30 Information Information is important in ensuring that visitors to the Cairngorms are aware of the range of opportunities, places to visit and things to do throughout the Park, and appreciate and respect its special qualities The Park Plan states that visitor information will be targeted at specific audiences and encourage responsible outdoor access, visitor safety and the health benefits of regular outdoor access. As well as promoting the special qualities of the Park, information will seek to promote the benefits of outdoor access. CNPA will seek to support the Ranger services, land owners, tourism and outdoor recreation providers across the National Park to have a greater awareness of gender issues and how to provide access opportunities for all. The Cairngorms Explorer visitor guide contains information about “access for all routes.” This includes routes which would be suitable for pushchair use. The CNPA will continue to provide information for publications such as “Walking on Wheels: 50 Wheel Friendly Trails in Scotland”. This publication details 12 routes within the National Park. In general, literature produced by the CNPA shows a balanced mix of male/female images, however some highland activities such as shinty and mountain biking are male dominated and care needs to be taken to promote sports for women and for whole family enjoyment. This should also be reflected in literature produced by Park service providers. Feedback from Park users suggests that there appears to be a general lack of information on the Park’s services, for local people and visitors, and for specific groups. Access The CNPA will develop a co-ordinated approach to the provision of a range of opportunities in the Park for people of all abilities through the sustainable management of high quality outdoor access and recreation involving the public, private, community and voluntary sector. The CNPA will seek to engage and involve all communities in the planning and management of outdoor access throughout the Park. All consultations will be conducted in line with the National Standards for Community Engagement. Social Inclusion The Cairngorms National Park should be a place where everyone can experience the benefits, whatever their background or ability. The CNPA’s inclusion work is focussed on reaching beyond the individuals and communities who traditionally visit the National Park, to excluded groups and encourage them to engage with the Park. The CNPA is committed to work PAGE 31 with other partners who already operate in this field, to create opportunities through marketing, community engagement, improving access and developing learning and education outreach programmes This will include creating and promoting packages for specific user groups with relevant and user friendly information about the Park which details what is on offer, eg through Cairngorms on a Shoestring. Ambassadors will use these materials to help promote the Park to excluded groups and a programme of activities will be developed to increase people’s awareness and understanding of the area, for example through volunteering opportunities and the John Muir Award Outreach projects include working with young single-parent mothers and we are developing links with the Women at Work network.. The John Muir Award has worked with groups such as Fairbridge in enabling disadvantaged young women to engage with the Park. Conclusion There is a need for CNPA to remain a vigilant guardian of good practice and to lead the way in promoting equality of opportunity for all, particularly with our partners, Park service providers and users. PAGE 32 RACE EQUALITY DEVELOPMENT OF THE CNPA RACE EQUALITY SCHEME Process The development of this scheme has been led by our Education and Inclusion Manager and our Human Resources Manager, with input from across the organisation. Externally there have been contributions from members of the Inclusive Cairngorms group and other partner organisations with an interest in promoting good relations between people from different race and cultures. Progress to Date The main actions that under pin the commitment of the CNPA to promote race equality have been developed by CNPA staff in consultation with “Inclusive Cairngorms” and other organisations that specifically promote best practice in this area. This is built on existing areas of good practice which are already in place including reviewing our staff hand book regularly to ensure that adequate guidance is available on all equality issues. As part of the restructuring of Inclusive Cairngorms, we have widened our existing networks and data bases to include more racial equality groups, and migrant worker groups. We will continue to identify areas for improvement in all aspects of equality and diversity through our action plan. Involving the Community To date the CNPA has worked closely with many organisations in shaping the Park For All theme, and will continue to do so. Our Inclusive Cairngorms group, which seeks to promote social inclusion in the National Park, represents a diversity of organisations and interests. Those relevant to race issues include: Black Environment Network, Backbone (Black and minority ethnic outdoor recreation agency), Local Authority Equalities officers, Highlands and Islands Equality Forum, and other community groups. Involvement with these groups has included consultation on development of social inclusion policies, provision of funding to promote equality and inclusion, and provision of equalities advice to the National Park Authority. In developing the Race Equalities Scheme, a Sub group of Inclusive Cairngorms was formed to take it forward, with assistance from Highlands and Islands Equality Forum. Backbone project (Black and Minority Ethnic outdoor recreation agency) held an event in October 2007 (funded in part by the CNPA) identifying barriers and ways of addressing them that Black and Minority Ethnic groups face in visiting the “Cairngorms National Park”. Many of these have been incorporated into our RES Action Plan. Subsequent projects are developing from this event including training for leaders from minority ethnic groups in Inverness and Dundee. PAGE 33 Internally, the CNPA has an Equalities Working Group which is responsible for overseeing the production and implementation of our equalities schemes, and has representation from across the organisation including Economic and Social Development, Corporate Services and Communications. Our 60 staff come from a wide mix of backgrounds and individually or collectively can offer a useful sounding board for discussing equalities issues. This is facilitated through the Staff Consultative Committee where equalities issues are a standing item on the meeting agendas. Impact Assessment CNPA aims to proactively identify aspects of our policies and procedures which may cause barriers to people from differing ethnic backgrounds, and to amend policies accordingly to stave off any potential discrimination. CNPA is in the process of developing a template for reviewing existing policies, practices and procedures and this will be used to assess new policies as they are developed. The aim of this is to ensure that any issues of race are considered in relation to our policies. This process may already be partly addressed through the Park for All section in Board papers. However race is not specified (nor are the other equality strands), so this should be highlighted in the guidance to writing Board Papers. (see Action Plan) This template will be reviewed in light of advice from representatives from race equality organisations, and in consultation specifically with Inclusive Cairngorms. It is intended that a sub-group of Inclusive Cairngorms will undertake impact assessments on our policies against the various equalities strands including race, disability and gender. This group will work with CNPA staff to prioritise the policies to be assessed first. DELIVERY THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK PLAN Social Justice – A Park for All The CNPA has established links with inclusion and equalities groups and interests, and will continue to involve them in creating opportunities for everyone to engage with the Park. This has actively sought to broaden its networks to include groups and individuals from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The Cairngorms on a Shoestring project is an example of engaging with groups who find it difficult to access the Park due to low incomes. This could include Black and Ethnic Minorities who may be on low income if they experience marginalisation from society. People Participating In The Park – A National Park For People The CNPA has established links with inclusion and equalities groups and interests, and will continue to involve them in shaping the Park and its PAGE 34 management. This includes amongst others, people from different racial groups. Within the Park area to our knowledge -the existence of different racial groups is low, so our interaction with these groups tend to be focussed on those from outwith the Park, so that we can better accommodate the needs of visitors from a range of ethnic backgrounds. Managing Change – A National Park Open to Ideas The CNPA will seek to listen and work with equalities groups and interests to achieve best possible solutions to manage change within the Park. Adding Value – A National Park That Makes a Difference The CNPA will encourage cooperation between different interests, including equalities groups and interests, to establish the best way forward to achieve Park aims. Living and Working in the Park CNPA seeks to ensure that the work done with those living and working in the park engages people from all the communities and ethnic backgrounds present in the local area by being inclusive when engaging with the local community, adopting the National Standards for Community Engagement. However there is relatively little information available on the numbers of people from different ethnic backgrounds living annd working in the Park. This information would provide useful baseline data to enable the CNPA to assess how to promote equality of opportunity and better relationships between ethnic groups. Community Planning and provision of local services The CNPA will seek to promote the provision of local services that meet the needs of communities through participating in Community Planning and other community development initiatives. The principles of Community Planning can be extended as a means to involve people in management planning across all aspects of this plan, so that through active engagement the knowledge, needs and ambitions of communities can be shared and realised. Promoting Equality In Employment The National Park area has relatively low unemployment and businesses can face difficulties in recruiting labour. There is little information available about the employment statistics for the ethnic minority populations within the Park area. There is much anecdotal evidence of recent inward migration of people from Eastern Europe, particularly Poland to work within the National Park area. Within the CNPA CNPA seeks to promote good practices in employment by ensuring that its own practices offer equality of opportunity and care is taken to ensure that we PAGE 35 not only fulfil our legal obligations as employers, but go beyond this to promote equality of opportunity and diversity within our workforce. Information is gathered at the recruitment stage, and updated regularly throughout employment to allow us to monitor equality. Our HR database enables reporting of equality issues to accurately assess the gender balance in relation to recruitment into the organisation, promotion and access to training. There is provision to monitor disciplinary and grievance issues on these grounds as well should they arise. Our recruitment and employment processes are designed to eliminate unlawful discrimination at all levels, and this is monitored on an ongoing basis. We have also advertised in “Ethnic Britain” and the “BEMIS” year planner to encourage people from ethnic backgrounds which are currently underrepresented within our workforce. Enjoying and Understanding the Park Sustainable Tourism Tourism plays a key role in supporting economic growth, encouraging enjoyment and understanding of the National Park and in helping to promote Scotland on a world stage as a place to live, work and enjoy. The CNPA will work with tourism and outdoor recreation providers to improve and maintain the quality of experience in the National Park for all visitors. A first step to help gauge what is required for meeting the needs of ethnic visitors to the Park was a consultation event held in October 2007 involving community and youth leaders who work with Black and Ethnic minority groups out with the Park. In order to address any of the issues for these groups it is useful to know the actual numbers or demand for these groups to access / experience the Park. This baseline data on numbers of visitors from different racial or ethnic groups taking part in various activities in the Park can then be used to help to plan what is required to improve their experience. Information CNPA needs to ensure that visitors to the Cairngorms are aware of the range of opportunities, places to visit and things to do throughout the Park, and appreciate and respect its special qualities. They do this using a wide range of information tools including publications and signage. The Park Plan states that visitor information will be targeted at specific audiences and encourage responsible outdoor access, visitor safety and the health benefits of regular outdoor access. As well as promoting the special qualities of the Park, information will seek to promote the benefits of outdoor access. PAGE 36 CNPA will seek ways to support the ranger services, land owners, tourism and outdoor recreation providers across the National Park to have a greater awareness of racial equality issues and how to provide access opportunities for all. CNPA will respond to requests for publication of information and leaflets in other languages and in different formats in order to support race equality. Due to the cost of translation and publications in potentially several different languages, it is more efficient to respond to requests on an ad hoc basis. Access The National Park is internationally renowned for the exceptional range and quality of outdoor access and recreational opportunities. The area provides many people with the chance to enjoy the natural environment in many different ways. The CNPA will develop a co-ordinated approach to the provision of a range of opportunities in the Park for people of all abilities and backgrounds through the sustainable management of high quality outdoor access and recreation involving the public, private, community and voluntary sector. The CNPA seeks to engage and involve all communities in the planning and management of outdoor access throughout the Park. All consultations will be conducted in line with the National Standards for Community Engagement. Social Inclusion The Cairngorms National Park should be a place where everyone can experience the benefits. The CNPA’s inclusion work is focussed on reaching beyond the individuals and communities who traditionally visit the National Park, to socially excluded groups or those who may not have considered using the Park, and to encourage them to engage with the Park. The CNPA is committed to work with other partners who already operate in this field, to create opportunities through marketing, community engagement, improving access and developing learning and education outreach programmes. This will include creating and promoting packages for specific user groups with relevant and user friendly information about the Park which details what is on offer, eg through “Cairngorms on a Shoestring”, a publication which gives details of budget options for travelling around and staying within the Cairngorms National Park. Ambassadors will use these materials to help promote the Park to excluded groups and a programme of activities will be developed to increase people’s awareness and understanding of the area, for example through volunteering opportunities and the John Muir Award. PAGE 37 Conclusion The CNPA will seek to improve equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination as detailed above and specifically in the following Action Plan. There is a role for the CNPA to set an example as a good employer and to remain a vigilant guardian of good practice and to lead the way in educating all, including partners, Park service providers and users. There is scope for gathering further baseline information on racial groups, including residents and people visiting the Park, and to analyse where the blockages are to the racial diversity of the area and beyond in accessing life and work in the Park. In addition, the CNPA will look for innovative ways to promote good relations between different racial groups – not just between black and white. PAGES 38 - 71 (Full tables not available in full text format) CNPA DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN (December 2006 – December 2009) Update June 2008 Aim 1 – To promote equality of opportunity between disabled persons and others. Aim 2 – To eliminate unlawful discrimination. Aim 3 – To eliminate harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability. Aim 4 – To promote positive attitudes towards people with disabilities Aim 5 – To encourage participation by disabled people in public life. Aim 6 – To take steps to take account of disabled people’s disabilities even when that involves treating disabled people more favourably than others. GENDER EQUALITY ACTION PLAN (July 2007 – July 2010) Update June 2008 Aim 1 – To Eliminate Unlawful Discrimination and Harassment. Aim 2 – To Promote Equality of Opportunity. Aim 3 – To Promote Positive Attitudes. Aim 4 – To Build Awareness of Specific Barriers to Full Inclusion of Men, Women and Transgender People. CNPA RACE EQUALITY ACTION PLAN (November 2007 – November 2010) Update June 2008 Aim 1 – To Eliminate Unlawful Discrimination: Aim 2 – To Promote Equality of Opportunity. Aim 3 – Promote good relations between persons of different racial groups. Aim 4 – To Build Awareness of Specific Barriers to Full Inclusion of different racial groups