Equal opportunities
Overseas volunteering opportunities must be delivered in line with UK Equal Opportunities legislation (the Equality Act 2010). It is important to be aware that some countries around the world do not have the same stance on equal opportunities as we are used to in the UK and therefore extra thought may be needed with regards to keeping volunteers safe.
Consideration should be given to the country context, including the legal, political, social and cultural context, in relation to characteristics that are protected under the Equality Act 2010 in the UK (age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation) but that might be subject to different attitudes and laws in the destination country. Procedures should be in place to minimise any potential associated risks.
The University’s guidance ‘Travelling Overseas with a Protected Characteristic’ aims to raise awareness of health and safety implications and potential complications that students who have one or more of the protected characteristics set out above may encounter when undertaking overseas travel on behalf of the University. Further support is available from the Equality and Diversity Team.
In order to accommodate students with disabilities reasonable adjustments should be made in line with equalities legislation where realistically possible and taking into account the potential limitations posed when travelling to some countries overseas. Please speak to the Volunteering and Community Engagement Team for further advice.
