Access & Equity Policy

RELEVANT STANDARD(S):

Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 Chapter 3—Support and progression
▪ Clause 1.7—Supporting students

SCOPE

Business Station is committed to providing equal opportunity for all staff and students by promoting inclusive
practices and integrating the principles of access and equity into its policies and procedures.

This policy is the basis for providing and maintaining training and support services that reflect fair and reasonable
opportunity, as well as consideration for all students and staff regardless of characteristics such as race, colour,
religion, gender, age or physical disability, regardless of the prevailing community values. In addition, all staff
and contractors employed or engaged by Business Station are obliged to comply with this policy.

The “Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015” defines access and equity as:
…“policies and approaches aimed at ensuring that VET is responsive to the individual needs of clients whose age,
gender, cultural or ethnic background, disability, sexuality, language skills, literacy or numeracy level,
unemployment, imprisonment or remote location may present a barrier to access, participation and the
achievement of suitable outcomes.”

This Access and Equity Policy meets the requirements of the VET Quality Framework.

Educational and support services may include, but are not limited to, equipment, resources and/or programs
to increase access for learners with disabilities and other learners in accordance with the access and equity
policy.

POLICY PRINCIPLES

The Human Resource Manager and personnel of Business Station will ensure that the staff and student
recruitment and admission processes are bias-free and non-discriminatory.

To ensure that the learning environment is free from harassment, discrimination and victimisation, all staff will
act in accordance with Business Station’s Staff Handbook and all students will be made aware of their rights and
responsibilities in this regard in the Student Handbook.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Business Station is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate against, or favour target groups in
either recruiting or training. Target Groups are defined as:

  1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders;
  2. People with disabilities;
  3. People from non-English speaking backgrounds;
  4. People in transition and other special groups (i.e. people re-entering the workforce, long term unemployed, sole parents, people with literacy problems, and those who have been institutionalised);
  5. Women; and
  6. People from regionally isolated communities.

Rules in Support of Access and Equity

Business Station will apply easily defined and tangible rules in support of access and equity, namely:

  1. All staff are to be given fair and reasonable opportunities to participate in relevant decision-making processes and the allocation of resources and services as required to fulfil their duties and responsibilities.
  2. All students are to be given fair and reasonable opportunities to attend and complete training.
  3. All perceived deficiencies in the Access and Equity Policy are to be documented in the annual Access and Equity Review (conducted every calendar year). Deficiencies are to be investigated to determine whether a problem or policy discrepancy exists, and if so, the impact of that deficiency, how the policy should be amended to eliminate the deficiency and whether the suggested amendment is consistent with a ‘best practice strategy’.

Resources Available

  1. Training Information Centre
  2. Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
  3. Work Health and Safety
  4. WA Equal Opportunity Commission
  5. Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations
  6. National Centre for Vocational Education Research
  7. Job Network Information Line
  8. Department of Immigration

VET Quality Framework

The National VET Quality Framework has laws that govern Vocational Education additional Training. The VET
Quality Framework comprises:

In addition to the VET Quality Framework, there are also the Standards for VET Accredited Courses. The
Standards for VET Accredited Courses apply to all courses regulated by ASQA, including those courses that were
accredited by referring state and territory course accreditation bodies prior to the introduction of the new
national arrangements.

Business Station also utilises information and processes relevant to Vocational Education and Training (VET)
legislation

Equal opportunity legislation

There are laws to protect those involved in the training system. This legislation makes discrimination and
harassment in the provision of education, employment and the provision of goods and services unlawful.
Examples of equal opportunity legislation are the following:

  1. Racial Discrimination Act 1975
  2. Sex Discrimination Act 1984
  3. Disability Discrimination Act 1992
  4. Age Discrimination Act 2004
  5. Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
  6. Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
  7. Fair Work Act 2009

In Queensland, equal opportunity is controlled by the following legislation:

  1. Anti-Discrimination Act 1991
  2. Disability Services Act 2006

In New South Wales, equal opportunity is controlled by the following legislation:

  1. Anti-Discrimination Act 1977
  2. Disability Services Act 1993

In South Australia, equal opportunity is controlled by the following legislation:

  1. Equal Opportunity Act 1984
  2. Disability Services Act 1993

In Victoria, equal opportunity is controlled by the following legislation:

  1. Equal Opportunity Act 2010

In Western Australia, Equal Opportunity is controlled by the following legislation:

  1. Equal Opportunity Act 1984

Details concerning the scope of Business Station’s Access and Equity Policy are to be clearly displayed throughout
the Business Station’s staff handbook and contained within the Business Station’s Code of Practice.

Access to a safe work/training environment is a high priority for Business Station. All training rooms and
environments are to be audited annually for safety related issues. Any issues highlighted will be documented in
the Classroom Hazard Register and are to be minimised or rectified in accordance with relevant WHS legislation.

ANNEX A: Work Health and Safety

  1. The Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act and the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations
  2. The Safe Work Australia Model Codes of Practice

VERSION CONTROL

Version Control Table

Date Summary of Modifications Modified by Version Date of
Implementation
Next Review
Date
Date Document creation 360RTO
Solutions
v. 1.0 14/12/2021 14/12/2022

RTO INFORMATION

Document Name Access and Equity Policy v1.0
RTO/Company Name Business Station
RTO Code 45731
Manager Human Resource Manager

This generic policy document was created to meet the requirements of the VET Quality Framework.
Version: 1.0 | Date: 14/12/2021

Business Station | Access and Equity Policy v1.0
RTO CODE: 45731 PH 08 9396 1959 | E: training@businessstation.com.au

Download our Access & Equity Policy here:

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Head Office: (08) 9396 1959