Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

This policy sets out how Calm Connect CIC puts equality, diversity and inclusion into practice. It explains our commitments, the standards we hold ourselves to, and how we expect everyone connected to Calm Connect to work. It is intended to be a working document, not a statement of good intentions: it focuses on the outcomes we produce, not only the values we hold.

This policy should be read alongside our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement, Volunteer Policy, Safeguarding Policies, Code of Conduct and Complaints Policy.

This policy applies to everyone involved in Calm Connect, including service users, volunteers, trustees/directors, partners, contractors and anyone acting on our behalf. It covers all our activities, services, events, communications and decision-making.

Calm Connect is a neurodivergent-affirming and trauma-informed organisation. We exist to support neurodivergent people and communities affected by health inequalities, and we are guided by the principle of “nothing about us without us”: the people most affected by our work help shape it.

We believe everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, to be safe, and to take part fully in their community on their own terms. We are committed to removing the barriers that stop that from happening.

We work in line with the Equality Act 2010 and do not discriminate against, harass or victimise anyone on the basis of a protected characteristic: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. In addition, we actively welcome and support people of all neurotypes, health conditions, caring responsibilities and socio-economic backgrounds.

Equality means treating people fairly and without discrimination.

Equity means recognising that people start from different places and may need different things to reach the same outcome. We aim for equity, not just equal treatment.

Diversity means valuing the range of people, backgrounds, identities and ways of thinking in our community.

Inclusion means making sure people can take part fully and feel they belong, not simply be present.

Intersectionality means recognising that people’s identities and experiences overlap, and that those living with more than one form of disadvantage are often the people most likely to be missed by systems built around single categories. We pay particular attention to where our own ways of working might let people fall through the gaps.

Reasonable adjustments are the changes we make to our practices, environments and communication so that disabled and neurodivergent people are not put at a disadvantage.

We treat neurological variation, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other profiles, as a natural and expected part of human diversity rather than a deficit to be corrected. We understand that many of the barriers neurodivergent people face come from environments designed around a narrow norm, not from the people themselves.

In practice, this means we:

• Build access by default, so people do not have to ask for it under pressure or disclose a diagnosis to receive it, where possible.
• Offer flexible and clear communication, including written alternatives, advance agendas and notice of changes.
• Consider sensory needs in our spaces and events.
• Take a strengths-based approach and avoid describing neurodivergent communication styles as “unprofessional” or “difficult” without examining our own expectations first.
• Welcome people to tell us what helps them take part at their best, without needing a formal diagnosis.

We recognise that many of the people we work with, and people on our own team, may have experienced trauma, including trauma linked to discrimination, exclusion or being failed by services. We aim to avoid causing further harm and to create conditions in which people feel safe.

Our trauma-informed approach is built on:

• Safety - creating physically and emotionally safe spaces and interactions.
• Trust and transparency - being clear about what we do, what to expect and why.
• Choice and control - offering options and respecting people’s right to make decisions about their own participation.
• Collaboration - working with people rather than doing things to or for them.
• Empowerment - recognising people’s strengths and supporting their voice and agency.
• Cultural awareness - being alert to how culture, identity and history shape people’s experiences and needs.

Services and activities. We design our services to reach people who are often missed, rather than leaving them to navigate gaps alone. Access needs are considered from the start.

Recruitment and volunteering. We recruit volunteers and trustees openly and fairly, welcome applications from people who reflect the communities we serve, and offer adjustments throughout the process. We define what we are actually looking for rather than relying on vague ideas of “fit.”

Governance and decision-making. We seek input from a range of people before making decisions that affect the wider group, and we centre the leadership and lived experience of the people most affected by inequality.

Communications. We aim for accessible, inclusive and respectful language in everything we produce.

Training. We make sure trustees and volunteers understand equality, diversity and inclusion. EDI is covered at induction for everyone when they join, with a refresher session for all trustees and volunteers at least every two years. Our most recent EDI training took place on 10 March 2026, and our next EDI refresher is due in 2028.

We hold ourselves accountable for the outcomes we produce, not only our intentions. This means:

• We review our own processes regularly to check who they may be working less well for, and we act on what we find rather than waiting for a complaint.
• When someone raises a concern about discrimination, bias or access, we listen first to the outcome they describe, take it seriously, and aim to change the condition that caused it.
• We treat information about who joins, stays, progresses or leaves as useful data about how we are doing, and we look for patterns.
• We understand that meaningful change can involve discomfort and cost, and we are willing to act anyway.

Calm Connect is a signatory of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Equality and Equity Charter, and we are committed to its pledges to promote equality, improve accessibility and inclusion, embed equal opportunity in our practice, address discrimination and harassment, build good relations between communities, share good practice, and measure and share our progress.

Trustees/directors are responsible for this policy, for leading by example, and for ensuring Calm Connect meets its commitments and legal duties.

The Designated Safeguarding Leads (Rowan Pubble and Elaine Bhalla) ensure that equality and access concerns connected to safety are handled appropriately.

Everyone involved in Calm Connect is responsible for treating others with respect, following this policy, and raising concerns about discrimination, exclusion or unmet access needs.

Anyone who experiences or witnesses discrimination, harassment or exclusion can raise it with Calm Connect. Concerns can be raised informally in the first instance, or through our Complaints Policy. Where a concern relates to safety, it should be raised with a Designated Safeguarding Lead. We will not victimise anyone for raising a genuine concern.

Contact: calmconnectuk@gmail.com / 07962 400996

We will review this policy at least once a year, or sooner if there are relevant changes in law, guidance or our activities. As part of this, we will reflect on what we have actually changed as a result of the policy, not only whether the policy exists.

Signed

Rowan Pubble

Date: 16 June 2026

Print name: Rowan Pubble