You may have heard the term "Positive Action" before but have you ever wondered exactly what does it mean? Although Positive Action is not a legal requirement, provision has been made under the Race Relations Act 1976, Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to enable employers to redress the imbalance of the racial and/or sexual makeup of their workforce. Positive Action is often misconceived as Positive Discrimination by many people but it must be stressed that Strathclyde Fire & Rescue does not adopt this particular type of action. Positive Discrimination is unlawful under current legislation and although some European countries have adopted this type of practice, there are no plans to introduce similar measures in the United Kingdom. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we are duty bound to ensure that our workforce represents the community in which we live and this can be achieved using Positive Action. Positive Action is a legally acceptable means of encouraging applications for employment from under represented groups within the community. If a particular group has been under represented within the workplace in the last 12 months, then these groups may be targeted and assistance given to encourage applications for employment. Positive Action allows for the provision of training and guidance to under-represented groups within the community prior to application for employment. It does not mean lowering or diluting standards to help under-represented groups pass our stringent entry requirements. This initiative ensures that only the best applicants are successful, irrespective of their race and/or sexual background. Positive Action is aimed at individuals who are from an under-represented group. Since SFR’s operational workforce is made up almost entirely from white males, the Positive Action initiative is aimed at encouraging applications both from females and individuals from the minority ethnic background. There is now a steady interest from the identified under-represented groups who are thinking about firefighting as a career. To help raise awareness, a programme of talks and leaflet drops was undertaken in various religious and community centres within Strathclyde Fire & Rescue's area. The interest generated was extremely encouraging. SFR aims to hold Positive Action Campaigns prior to the commencement of the recruitment campaign. The first series of events within the Positive Action Campaign are the Recruitment Information Sessions for under represented groups within the service, such as females, black and minority ethnic communities. The purpose of these sessions is to show the various roles that Strathclyde Fire and Rescue undertakes and to give an insight into the recruitment process. If you feel that you belong to one of the above under represented groups and would like further information regarding the Positive Action Events please contact:
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