Equality, diversity and inclusion

What inclusion means to us

We won't ask you to prove that things have been hard enough, explain yourself, or fit a particular label before you can take part. Unless an activity has a clear reason for working with a specific group, you don't need a referral, a diagnosis, or a story that sounds serious enough to justify being here.

We don't run a hierarchy of hardship. Someone who's been through something significant shouldn't feel defined by it. Someone who can't point to one big thing that happened shouldn't feel like their reasons for coming are less valid. Different people, different circumstances, same welcome.

This goes further than what the law requires. Things like your financial situation, your housing history, your employment status, your caring responsibilities, past involvement with the criminal justice system, how you speak, or simply not knowing yet what you want next — none of that should get in the way of taking part.

Alongside this, we take our legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 seriously, including our duties around age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Access and adjustments

If something about how an activity works makes it harder for you to take part, tell us. That might mean adjusting how we share information, giving more time, thinking about venue accessibility, allowing a support person, or something else specific to you. We'll only ask what we genuinely need to know to help — not for medical detail beyond that.

We can't always guarantee we can meet every request, depending on the activity and our resources, but we'll always explain why and look for another way where we can. See our Accessibility page for more on how we approach this, including for our website.

Cost shouldn't be the reason you can't take part

Where we can, we try to keep activities free or low-cost, and we think about other barriers too — like transport or materials — where our resources allow. We can't promise this for everything, but it's something we actively consider.

How we expect people to treat each other

Inclusion doesn't mean anything goes. Everyone taking part in Beyond Today — including directors, staff, facilitators and volunteers — is expected to treat other people with dignity and respect. Discrimination, harassment, bullying and sexual harassment aren't acceptable, and we'll take action where they happen.

People won't always agree, and that's fine — respectful disagreement is a normal part of being in a community together. But that's different from behaviour that's discriminatory, threatening or abusive, and we'll respond to that seriously and proportionately.

Sharing your story

If you choose to share your experience with us — through Beyond Today Voices or otherwise — that's valued, but it's never expected. Nobody should feel they have to disclose their story to prove they belong here, and nothing you share is used publicly without agreeing that with you first.

If something isn't right

If you feel you've experienced discrimination, harassment or unfair treatment connected with Beyond Today, please tell us — speak to a facilitator, the person responsible for the activity, or contact us directly. We'll take it seriously. Where something also raises a safeguarding concern, it's handled under our Safeguarding policy.

Our full policy

This page is a summary. Our full Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy sets out our approach in more detail, including how we handle reasonable adjustments, recruitment, monitoring, and how concerns and breaches of this policy are handled.

A copy of our full Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy is available on request.

For a copy of the policy, or for questions about equality, diversity and inclusion at Beyond Today, email hello@beyondtoday.org.uk.