Disability and discrimination policy
Updated October 2021
CICD is proud to have an environment where everybody is welcome and is entitled to equal respect. Our students in the Development Instructor and Climate Activist courses work with some of the most unfortunate people in today’s world during their project period and will be expected to care for them, respect them and regard them as equal to themselves. It is imperative for the management at CICD to maintain a culture without discrimination in any shape or form.
It is against the law to discriminate against people with a disability. A person is defined as having a disability if he or she “has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities”.
This policy covers both employees and students.
Employees
CICD practices a very flexible working environment with a lot of emphasis on teamwork and helpfulness. We have and have had staff members who are disabled according to the definitions — we just never think or talk of each other in those terms. We have made adjustments to work schedules and responsibilities to allow for more time to rest or more direct help with organising and carrying out work.
If any existing employee gets more severely disabled, CICD will do our utmost to make changes so that this person can keep on performing their job. This can include physical changes to buildings and facilities, a higher degree of supervision by management, flexible working hours, medical treatment, changes in job description. CICD is very alert to the fact that every human being has strengths, qualities and skills to be developed and built upon regardless of the fact that every person also has weaknesses and some (in this context) a disability.
With regards to new staff, CICD will ensure that disabled job applicants are not treated less favourably than other applicants.
Students
CICD is an extremely open college and has always had a very diverse student group. We are proud of this and want to maintain an ethos of people being valued and appreciated for their strengths and not being judged or discriminated against in any way.
Any disability among student applicants is identified during the enrolment process. CICD will go to great lengths to accommodate students with disabilities and focus on their qualities and talents. We offer increased support, flexible programmes and, in some cases, physical adjustments to buildings and facilities. It is a matter for the whole Teachers Council to discuss and decide how applicants with disabilities can be included at CICD.
With regards to the Development Instructor programme, the nature of the second period does place some limitations on us as to who can be enrolled for the programme. This will be carefully discussed in the Teachers’ Council and with the applicant.
