The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) imposes certain obligations on an employer not only to take all such actions as are reasonable to safeguard the health and safety of their employees, but also to be able to show that they are doing so, by producing adequate written policies and procedures. Step Ahead Productions Ltd fully accepts its responsibilities under the Act.
The Act refers to what is reasonable in given working situations.
Step Ahead Productions will:
- Asses the risks in the workplace
- Ensure that the workplace satisfies health, safety and welfare requirements for ventilation, temperature, lighting and staff facilities
- Ensure safe and clear access to and egress from the building including fire exits
- Regularly check the premises room by room for structural defects, worn fixtures and fittings or electrical equipment, and take the necessary remedial action
- Ensure that all equipment is suitable for its intended use and is properly maintained and used
- Ensure that all staff are area of the fire procedure and regular fire drills are carried out
- Ensure that all members of staff are aware of the procedure in case of accidents
- Ensure that all members of staff are aware of and carry out their health and safety responsibilities as set out in their job descriptions
- Prohibit smoking on the premises
- Prohibit any contractor working on the premises without prior discussion with the officer in charge to negate any risks to the staff or users
- The management considers this matter of such importance, that breach of health and safety procedures by staff constitutes misconduct and will be dealt with as a disciplinary matter.
Employees and Volunteers will also be made aware of their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act and will:
- Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others around them
- Co-Operate with the employer on matters of health and safety
- Use work equipment correctly
- Provide guidance to users (of the centre) and act responsibly to ensure their health and safety
Users will also be made aware of their responsibilities and will:
- Agree to use the equipment in a safe manner with regards to the health and safety of those around them (or the management can ask them to desist etc)
It is not possible to detail here all the health and safety matters that come up on a day-to-day basis, so staff and management must constantly be mindful of their responsibilities individually and collectively for the safety of themselves, their colleagues, parents and students.
Professional boundaries are what define the limits of a relationship between an employee, staff, client and general public. They are a set of standards we agree to uphold that allows this necessary relationship to exist while ensuring the correct detachment is kept in place. Step Ahead Productions expects all employees, self-contractors and outsourced roles to adhere to the following code of conduct to protect the professional integrity of themselves and the company.
The following professional boundaries must be adhered to:
- Personal relationships between employees, volunteer, client and general public are prohibited.
Step Ahead Roles are prohibited from:
- Use of abusive language.
- Inappropriate behaviour / language.
- Engaging in bullying/ harassment/discrimination.
- Use of punishment or chastisement.
- Engaging in argumentative or aggressive discussions.
- Passing on personal contact details.
- Providing personal contact details to general public.
- Discussing information obtained regardless of whether you deem it not to be confidential, without the prior consent of that individual.
- Providing unqualified advice.
- Selling to or buying items from general public
- Accepting responsibility for any valuables on behalf of another member of staff/volunteer/public.
- Purchasing for or providing another member of staff, volunteer, public with, alcohol or drugs.
- Presenting their own opinions as those of Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
- Engaging in conversations with external bodies, on behalf of Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
- Making negative posts on any social media, in relation to Step Ahead Productions or any of their activities, without prior content. This responsibility extends indefinitely and is not restricted to their time as an employee, volunteer.
If the professional boundaries and/or policies are breached this could result in the withdrawal of any future work, volunteering opportunities.
An expression of dissatisfaction is defined as a complaint regarding the provision of a staff member (employed or voluntary) or any other services provided by Step Ahead Productions Ltd or its representatives.
Who can complain?
A complaint can be made by any person who receives a service from Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
If anyone feels they have matters they wish to raise it can be done individually or collectively: staff can feel assured that they will not encounter any disadvantage having logged a complaint in good faith. Complaints received anonymously or by third parties will not be dealt with under this Policy. Step Ahead Productions Ldt has full discretion on how these will be handled. If it is believed that the complaint is vexatious or malicious, the details will be handed to the relevant person/organisation and they may decide to reject the complaint without taking into consideration its full merits. In this event reasons will be given why the complaint is felt to be an abuse of process. If clarification of the scope of the Policy is required or anyone is not sure the appropriate avenues to take to pursue a complaint, candidates should contact the Director in the first instance for clarification.
Confidentiality
All aspects of a grievance will have its confidentiality preserved throughout the investigation which will safeguard the interests of all concerned unless disclosure is necessary to progress the complaint. Step Ahead Productions Ltd would expect all parties concerned to respect the confidentiality of the process. The person or persons the complaint or complaints are made against have the right to be advised of the facts and the nature of the complaint or complaints.
Procedure
For all complaints Step Ahead Productions Ltd will ensure that all reasonable and appropriate action is taken. Where a complaint is found to be justified, all appropriate remedial action will be notified as part of the decision. If at any stage a complaint is found not to be justified, the reasons for the decision will be communicated to the candidate. All complaints received by Step Ahead Productions Ltd will be treated as official unless the complainant informs Step Ahead Productions Ltd otherwise within ten days of the original complaint date. Complaints will only be accepted in writing to the Director and must be clearly marked as such to be deemed official. All complaints are recorded, and a copy of the complaint is sent to the person or persons about whom the complaint has been made, to enable them to respond. Complaints will be investigated by the relevant person dependant on the subject of the complaint. Step Ahead Productions Ltd reserves the right to contact the person or persons about whom the complaint was made for further information. Step Ahead Productions Ltd will deal with all complaints in a timely manner. If there is to be a delay all involved parties will be informed accordingly.
Unresolved Grievances
Anyone unhappy with the outcome of the complaint procedure is welcome to appeal any decisions or seek advice from an outside agency or body.
Monitoring the Process
In order that Step Ahead Productions Ltd can improve services to students, the receipt of complaints and responses to them will be monitored. With this information, Step Ahead Productions Ltd will be able to improve their services and ensure an inclusive, consistent and constructive approach to complaints. The effectiveness of the complaint’s procedure will also be kept under review and if necessary, changes will be made.
Step Ahead Productions realises that social media and networking websites have become a regular part of everyday life and that many people enjoy membership of sites such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. However, we are also aware that these sites can become a negative forum for complaining or gossiping and care must be taken not to breach Step Ahead Productions Ltd Confidentiality Policy or offend anyone when using these services.
General Information
The following policy has been designed to give all staff clear guidelines as to what Step Ahead Productions Ltd expect of them when accessing these sites. The absence of, or lack of, explicit reference to a specific website or service does not limit the extent of the application of this policy. Where no policy or guidelines exist, employees should use their professional judgement and take the most prudent action possible. Consult with the Director if you are uncertain.
Guidance for Personal Use
If you have your own personal profile on a social media website, you should make sure that others cannot access any content, media or information from this profile that:
(a) you are not happy for them to have access to.
(b) which would undermine your position as a professional, trusted and responsible person.
As a basic rule, if you are not happy for others you work with to see particular comments, media or information simply do not post it in a public forum online. When using social media sites, staff members should consider the following:
- Changing the privacy settings on your profile so that only people you have accepted as friends can see your content.
- Reviewing who is on your ‘friends list’ on your personal profile. In most situations you should not accept friend requests on your personal profile from ‘clients’ you work with (this includes young people, parents etc).
- Ensuring personal blogs have clear disclaimers that the views expressed by the author are theirs alone and do not represent the views of Step Ahead Productions Ltd. Make your writing clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
- Ensuring information published on the Internet complies with Step Ahead Productions Ltd confidentiality and data protection policies. Breach of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action and may result in termination of your contract or involvement with Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
Ensuring you are always respectful towards:
- Step Ahead Productions Ltd
- Directors
- Performers
- Other Staff Members
- Other Agencies, Clients and Partners
- Staff should be aware that any disrespectful comments to the above might be seen as libellous and could result in disciplinary action of termination of your contract or involvement with Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
- Step Ahead Productions Ltd logos and trademarks may not be used without written consent.
- At all times, in or out of working hours, you are an ambassador for Step Ahead Productions Ltd. Be aware that your actions captured via images, posts or comments online can reflect on the organisation.
Use of Official Accounts
Step Ahead Productions Ltd operates a number of accounts on social media websites for the promotion of activities and events, and as a communication method. The following outlines the limits of their use:
- An official account on any social media website may only be set-up with prior consent from the Director.
- Only authorised staff may use these accounts to post online and access to those account should be strictly limited.
- All information published on the Internet must comply with Step Ahead Productions Ltd confidentiality and data protection policies.
- Copyright laws must be respected, with references or sources cited appropriately.
- Any employee, volunteer or teacher who becomes aware of any social networking activity that would be deemed distasteful should make the Director aware as soon as possible.
All staff using official accounts must adhere to the above guidelines; breech of this policy may result in disciplinary action or termination of your contract or involvement with Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
Overview
- The safety, well-being and protection of our staff are the paramount considerations in all decisions staff, at Step Ahead Productions Ltd make about confidentiality. The appropriate sharing of information between staff is an essential element in ensuring ultimate privacy.
- It is an essential part of the ethos of Step Ahead Productions that trust is established to enable staff to seek help both within and outside the company. We, therefore, minimise information sharing to those occasions which are appropriate to ensure staff are supported and safe.
- Staff need to know the boundaries of confidentiality in order to feel safe and comfortable in discussing personal issues and concerns.
- The companies’ attitude to confidentiality is open and easily understood and everyone should be able to trust the boundaries of confidentiality operating within the company.
- Everyone in the Step Ahead Productions Ltd community needs to know that no one can offer absolute confidentiality and that there are limits of confidentiality that can be offered by individuals within the Step Ahead Productions Ltd community – so they can make informed decisions about the most appropriate person to talk to.
The expectation of Confidentiality
When speaking confidentially to someone, the confider has the belief that the confidant will not discuss the content of the conversation with another. The confider is asking for the content of the conversation to be kept secret. Anyone offering absolute confidentiality to someone else would be offering to keep the content of his or her conversation completely secret and discuss it with no one.
In practice there are few situations where absolute confidentiality is offered. We have to strike a balance between ensuring the safety, well-being and protection of our staff, ensuring there is an ethos of trust where students and staff can ask for help when they need it – and ensuring that when it is essential to share personal information and good practice are followed.
This means that in most cases what is on offer is limited confidentiality. Disclosure of the content of a conversation could be discussed with professional colleagues but the confider would not be identified except in certain circumstances. The general rule is that staff should make clear at the beginning of the conversation that there are limits to confidentiality.
The legal position for Company staff
Staff (including non-teaching and voluntary staff) should not promise confidentiality. No member of this company’s staff can or should give such a promise. Company staff are not obliged to break confidentiality except where another wellbeing may be an issue, however, at Step Ahead Productions Ltd we believe it is important that staff are able to share their concerns about another in a professional and supportive way, on a need-to-know basis, to ensure staff receive the guidance and support they need and the students’ safety and well-being is maintained. Step Ahead Productions Ltd staff should discuss such concerns with the Director.
In May 2018, the regulations surrounding how companies and organisations can hold your personal data changed. This Notice tells you how we handle your Personal Data and the rights you have, when we hold it. This Notice is intended to comply with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation EU 2016/679 (GDPR) which governs how Personal Data is processed within the European Economic Area (EEA).
Who are we?
Step Ahead Productions Ltd. We are the “data controller” for the purposes of GDPR.
This means that we decide how your Personal Data is processed and for what purposes.
Your personal data – what is it?
Personal Data is data that relates to a living individual who can be identified from that data. We might be able to identify you from the data itself or by linking that data to other information we have access to. GDPR tells us how we must process your Personal Data.
How do we process your Personal Data?
We comply with our obligations under GDPR in the following ways:
- by keeping Personal Data up to date;
- by storing and destroying it securely;
- by not collecting or retaining unnecessary or excessive amounts of data;
- by protecting Personal Data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access and disclosure; and
- by ensuring that appropriate technical measures are in place to protect Personal Data.
We use your Personal Data for the following purposes:
- To manage your membership information, point of communication and process payments for the organisation we run.
- To inform you of news, events, activities or services which we think you might like to hear about.
- To share your contact details with officials and other authorised people and companies for the purpose of delivering the service we provide.
What is the legal basis for processing your personal data?
- You have given us consent to use your Personal Data for the purposes given in the consent statement you agreed to. To see the statement again, please ask a member of Step Ahead Productions Ltd staff and they will be happy to produce the statement from out Step Ahead Productions Ltd folder.
- Where you have given us sensitive information (such as medical data), we will have asked for and you will have given us explicit consent to store and use that information. You always have the right to refuse to give us any information, particularly sensitive information.
Sharing your personal data
Your Personal Data will be treated as strictly confidential and will be shared only with organisations whose services are required in order to provide the services we offer. We use other companies to help us process your Personal Data so that we can offer you the best possible service.
We will only share your Personal Data with other third parties with your consent. These third parties, in turn, may rely on data processors to provide services that help them help us.
Some third parties we use may operate outside the EEA. In these cases, we will make sure that we have robust contracts in place with those third parties and that adequate safeguards exist to protect and secure your Personal Data.
When you give your consent to our holding of your Personal data you agree to us sharing your Personal Data (including special categories of Personal Data – where we have your explicit consent) with third party processors and sub-processors located both inside and outside the EEA.
How long do we keep your Personal Data?
We keep your Personal Data for as long as you are a member of our organisation. After you leave, we will keep your information for no longer than we reasonably need. Usually, this will be for a period of six months. This is so that we can initiate the dismissal and disposal process of your membership and in case of any legal/insurance claims or complaints.
Your rights and your Personal Data
Unless we have an exemption under GDPR, you have the following rights with respect to your Personal Data: –
- The right to request a copy of the Personal Data which we hold about you, without any charge.
- The right to request that we correct any Personal Data found to be inaccurate or out of date.
- The right to request that your Personal Data is erased where it is no longer necessary for us to keep it.
- The right to withdraw your consent to the processing we carry out at any time.
- The right to request that we provide you with your Personal Data and, where possible, to send that data directly to another data controller.
- The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your Personal Data, to ask us to restrict further processing.
- The right to object to the processing of Personal Data.
- The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office and to seek legal recourse.
Further processing
If we wish to use your Personal Data for a new purpose, not covered by this Notice, then we will provide you with a new notice explaining this new use. We will do this before we start processing for the new use. We will set out the relevant purposes and processing conditions. Where and whenever necessary, we will seek your prior consent to the new processing.
Contact Details
If you have a problem, complaint or, if there is something you don’t understand, please contact us first using the following:
Step Ahead Productions at 07581229887 – stepahead.production@outlook.com
Staff & Safeguarding
The quality of staff at Step Ahead Productions Ltd is paramount to its success. We are committed to employing the highest quality professionals.
All staff are required to hold appropriate qualifications, documentations and licensing.
Staff undertake regular training and enrichment activities which enable them to ensure that they have current knowledge of the Professional Performing Arts sector.
Step Ahead Productions Ltd will risk assess any activities off-site and hold a Risk and Fire Safety Assessment for the building.
Physical Correction
Dancing is a physical skill and in order to help and facilitate learning, the member of staff may need to physically guide or correct a movement by touch, always used in an appropriate manner. Touch promotes kinaesthetic learning and can produce a quicker response to correction than other teaching tools. Physical corrections may be given in classes amongst a range of teaching tools. The staff at Step Ahead Productions Ltd are experts in their profession and have the advantage of years of training and experience.
By attending a rehearsal, performance/event, individuals are accepting the style of care used, however should an individual be uncomfortable with this practice, individuals are asked to contact the Director of Step Ahead Productions Ltd.
Step Ahead Productions Ltd is fully committed to providing equality in the workplace and all opportunities for, and during employment, will be afforded to individuals fairly and irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race including colour, ethnic or national origins and nationality, religion or belief or sexual orientation (“the protected characteristics”). We aim to create a working environment that is free from discrimination and harassment in any form, in which all staff, customers, clients and suppliers are treated with dignity and respect.
Step Ahead Productions Ltd will not unlawfully discriminate in the arrangements we make for recruitment and selection or in the opportunities afforded for employment, training or any other benefit. All decisions will be made fairly and objectively. We aim, as far as reasonably practicable, to ensure that all our working practices are applied fairly and consistently and, where necessary, we will take reasonable steps to avoid or overcome any particular disadvantage these may cause and to promote equality.
Step Ahead Productions Ltd has overall responsibility for the effective operation of this policy and for ensuring compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and associated legislation and for observing relevant Codes of Practice. Step Ahead Productions is also responsible for monitoring and reviewing the policy and for ensuring that all employment-related policies, procedures and practices adhere to this policy.
All staff have a responsibility not to discriminate or harass other staff, clients, customers and suppliers and to report any such behaviour of which they become aware to a Company Director. Company Director are responsible for implementing the Equal Opportunities Policy and must apply the policy as part of their day-to-day management of the Company.
Forms of Discrimination
The following are forms of discrimination that this policy aims to avoid:
Direct Discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic that they either have or are thought to have. Direct discrimination can also occur by way of association, which is when a person is treated less favourably because, for example, their spouse or partner or other relative has the protected characteristic.
Indirect Discrimination occurs when a provision, criterion or practice is applied equally to everyone, but has a disproportionately adverse effect on people who share a particular protected characteristic. A person with the protected characteristic who is disadvantaged in that way has the right to complain.
To be justified the provision, criterion, or practice must be necessary for legitimate business reasons in circumstances where less discriminatory alternatives are not reasonably available.
Victimisation occurs where someone is treated unfavourably because he/she has raised a complaint under this policy or taken legal action, in relation to any alleged act of unlawful discrimination, against the Company or because he/she has supported someone else in doing this.
Harassment is unwanted conduct that violates an individual’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Harassment can take many different forms and may involve inappropriate actions, behaviour, comments, emails or physical contact that causes offence or are objectionable.
Harassment may involve a single incident or persistent behaviour that extends over a period of time and can occur even if someone did not mean to cause offence. It also means that a person can be subjected to harassment by behaviour that is not aimed at them directly but which they nonetheless find unpleasant.
Harassment is always unacceptable and where it relates to a protected characteristic it will amount to an unlawful act of discrimination.
Discrimination arising from Disability – In addition to the above, it is unlawful to treat a person unfavourably because of something that is the result, effect or outcome of their disability, unless the treatment is necessary and can be objectively justified. Furthermore, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled applicants, employees or other workers are not substantially disadvantaged.
Creating Equal Opportunities in the Workplace
There are a number of ways in which the Company aims to ensure equal opportunities in the workplace, including:
Recruitment and selection procedures will be free from bias or discrimination. Recruitment procedures will be conducted objectively and will be based upon specific and reasonable job-related criteria. Decisions regarding an individual’s suitability for a particular role will be based on aptitude and ability.
We will consider making appropriate reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure that disabled applicants are not substantially disadvantaged.
Wherever possible, vacancies will be advertised as being suitable for flexible working, to encourage applications from individuals seeking work on a part time or job share basis]
Step Ahead Productions Ltd will consider taking appropriate positive action to enable or encourage applications from persons with a protected characteristic that is under represented in the organisation.
Step Ahead Productions is committed to promoting equality and diversity and promoting a culture that actively values difference and recognises that people from different backgrounds and experiences can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way we work.
We aim to be an inclusive organisation, committed to providing equal opportunities throughout employment including in the recruitment, training and development of employees, and to pro-actively tackling and eliminating discrimination.
At Step Ahead Productions Ltd, we consider that equality means breaking down barriers, eliminating discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities and access for all groups both in employment, and to goods and services. We consider diversity to mean celebrating difference and valuing everyone. Each person is an individual with visible and non-visible differences and by respecting this everyone can feel valued for their contributions which is beneficial not only for the individual but for Step Ahead Productions Ltd too.
The rights and obligations set out in this policy apply equally to all employees, whether part time or full time on a substantive or fixed-term contract, and also to associated persons such as secondees, agency staff, contractors and others employed under a contract of service.
Every employee is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity, equality and respect for all. Step Ahead Productions Ltd will not tolerate any acts of unlawful or unfair discrimination (including harassment and bullying) committed against an employee, contractor, job applicant or visitor because of a protected characteristic:
- sex • gender reassignment • marriage and civil partnership • pregnancy and maternity • race (including ethnic origin, colour, nationality and national origin) • disability • sexual orientation • religion and or belief • age.
No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated. If you believe that you may have suffered discrimination because of any of the above protected characteristics, you should consider the appropriateness and feasibility of attempted informal resolution by discussion in the first instance with your line manager or another colleague in a relevant position of seniority.
Allegations regarding potential breaches of this policy will be treated in confidence and investigated in accordance with the appropriate procedure. Step Ahead Productions will ensure that individuals who make such allegations in good faith will not be victimised or treated less favourably by Step Ahead Productions Ltd as a result. However, false allegations of a breach of this policy which are found to have been made in bad faith will be dealt with accordingly.
Employees may also be personally liable for any acts of discrimination prohibited by this policy that they commit, meaning that they can be sued by the victim.
