The Amber Trust enables blind and partially sighted beneficiaries to access and enjoy music through The Amber Trust schemes, providing workshops for blind and partially sighted children with additional disabilities, and offering freely available resources online.
The Trustees of The Amber Trust recognise their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and are committed to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion. The Trustees are opposed to all forms of discrimination. They seek to create an environment in which diversity and the contributions of all trustees, staff, volunteers, teachers, practitioners and other professionals, beneficiaries and their families are recognised and valued in all that they do and are committed to ensuring that all applications for Amber Music Awards and Amber Music Services (including Little Amber, AmberPlus, With Music in Mind and Amber Together) and other programmes are treated equally.
No potential beneficiary, members of staff, volunteers, Trustees or practitioners will be discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, colour, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity.
The Amber Trust actively seeks to make families with vision impaired children from all backgrounds aware of The Amber Music Awards and Amber Music Services, and the online materials through links with other organisations and making the application process as accessible as possible.
The Amber Trust will treat seriously all complaints under this policy made by staff, volunteers, families, teachers, therapists, practitioners and other professionals or third parties and will take appropriate action. All complaints will be investigated in accordance with the Complaints and Compliments Policy, as appropriate and the complainant will be informed of the outcome in line with these procedures.
Our Commitment
We are committed to:
- Valuing and respecting people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
- Making our services, activities, and opportunities accessible to all blind and partially sighted children, regardless of race, gender, religion, culture, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background.
- Promoting equality of opportunity for staff, volunteers, children, and families.
- Creating an inclusive and safe environment, free from discrimination, harassment, or bullying.
Practical Steps
To live out this commitment, we will:
- Ensure venues, resources, and communications are accessible to blind and partially sighted children and their families by carrying out site visits and requesting detailed venue information in advance.
- Ensure that all our communications are accessible as possible by checking them regularly against accessibility standards and asking stakeholders to test them when appropriate and possible.
- Provide training and guidance to staff and volunteers on equality, diversity, and accessibility when needed.
- Seek feedback from children and families to ensure our activities are welcoming and inclusive through evaluation and with the help of our Youth Board.
- Monitor participation and representation to help identify and address barriers.
Responsibilities
- Trustees: Ensure the charity upholds this policy and complies with the Equality Act 2010.
- Staff: Treat everyone with dignity and respect, challenge discrimination, and promote inclusion.
- Children and families: Encouraged to share feedback so we can improve our practice.
Review frequency: Annual