The HEEU has always gathered information about the equality work being done in the colleges. This information is particularly useful for those who wish to develop practice and policy in specific areas. In 1999 Rose Morris undertook to develop a system for gathering and collating this information which resulted in an updated Equality Initiatives Database. We are grateful for the on-going assistance of the HEEU National Network of (College) Equality Representatives in updating this information.
The HEEU Database of Equality Initiatives holds information on the work being done by third-level institutions to promote and support equality of opportunity and access for staff and students. Equality initiatives include policies, programmes, projects, centres etc and the employment of specific personnel to develop and co-ordinate them. There are 47 third-level institutions (North and South) listed on the database which includes the Universities, Institutes of Technology, Colleges of Education and a number of further institutions with which we have links. We hold information on initiatives of 41 of these institutions. There is also a section dedicated to inter-college initiatives (e.g. HEEU National Network).
The database currently has 335 entries. It is updated on a continual basis. The following tables summarises the information held in the database. For further information contact Olive at (021) 4902167 or heeu@ucc.ie
TABLE: Summarises information from the HEEU Database of Equality Initiatives
|
Issue/ Category |
ACTION |
Documents(1) |
Personnel(2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Adult/Mature Student (35) |
30 - ie programmes, entry routes, centres, support info |
5 - ie mainly mature student officers & support personnel |
|
|
Class/Socio-Economic Disadvantage (36) |
23 - ie progs, schools links, reserved places, free accommodation |
2 |
11 - Mainly access officers & prog. co-ordinators |
|
Community Links (4) |
3 - ie Centres |
1 |
|
|
Disability (64) |
32 - ie Centres, accessible accommodation, committees, assistive technology; programmes; info. provision. |
15 - ie Policies & Codes of Practice |
17 - Disability Liaison Officers & specific service staff |
|
Employment Equality (14) |
14 - ie policies re colleges obligations as employers, codes of practice. General, recruitment, selection, interview; various staff |
||
|
Equality Committees (13) |
13 - groups, subgroups, committees. Some cover staff issues only |
||
|
Excluded/Under-represented groups(3) (26) |
17 - mainly centres developing educational opportunities |
1 - Access progress report |
8 - Access officers with brief of two, more areas or global access |
|
Family/Care Responsibilities (32) |
22 - Creche/childcare subsidy, maternity/paternity leave arrangements, carers schemes, flexible working arrangements; |
10 |
Note: Creche staff not listed but info on same in actions details |
|
Financial Hardship (short-term) (9) |
9 - Mainly short-term financial assistance (ie hardship funds); |
||
|
Gender (18) |
15 - Women’s Studies Centres, courses/programmes, |
3 |
Note: Women’s Studies Centres gives brief details of Centre staff |
|
General Equality/Access (37) |
6 - ie Centres/Units with equality brief |
23 - policy documents which outline colleges obligations as employers AND providers of education; also Centres/Units |
8 - Equality officers (with brief of staff and/or students) |
|
Good Practice/Policy Development (5) |
4 - Centres/Units to research and develop good/practice |
1 |
Actions include any equality related undertaking by colleges excluding personnel and documentation
Documentation covers policies, codes of practice, guidelines etc.
Personnel covers individuals working in equality related position e.g. Access Officers, Equality officers,
Mature Student Officers etc. Centre/Unit staff are mainly included in one entry as an action
**This relates to initiatives aimed at widening participation which are not specifically targeted.
May include a number of specific groups or aims to look at access generally
(1) Documentation &endash; policies, codes of practice, guidelines etc
(2) Individuals working in equality related positions ie Access officers, equality officers, mature student officers etc. Centre/Unit staff are mainly included as one entry as an action.
(3) This relates to initiatives aimed at widening participation which are not specifically targeted. May include a number of specifc groups or aim to look at access generally