Gambling Lived Experience Network (GLEN) Equity and EDI Policy

Introduction

The Gambling Lived Experience Network – also known as GLEN – prides itself on being a fully inclusive network which strives to be open and accessible to all. Our values are Honesty, Integrity, and Hope without Judgement.

We fully understand that our members will have in all probability acted at some point in the past in ways which they now regret, or will have experienced actions which they now wish had not occurred. They will have caused harm to themselves, caused harm to others, or been subjected to harm inflicted on them by others.  And at all points in the previous two sentences where you see the words “they” and “them” written it is very much the case that these instances can be changed to “we” and “our” because as an organisation GLEN does not believe in a concept of them and us.

We are all us, working collectively for shared goals and outcomes. Which means that none of us are them.

Nor does this spirit of joint purpose and collective identity end at actions or goals. It extends to who we are as a network of individuals, and to who each of us is as an individual.

It is fully possible to share purpose and values while retaining individuality and personal characteristics, whether these are characteristics we have chosen to embrace or whether they are characteristics bestowed upon us by random nature.

If we ask ourselves to be tolerant of others that is only, and can only ever be, in relation to actions, beliefs, words or ideas, and never in terms of who they are. Or, indeed, who we are.

We will never ask ourselves or anyone else to be tolerant of others for being who they are. No-one can make such an ask as no-one should ever be in a position where they require tolerance from others for being who they are. What we do ask is that everyone involved in GLEN respects and accepts others for who they are, and for who they choose to be.

When we say “without judgement” in stating our values, the same values which were decided upon collectively by our members at our very inception, we do not mean that we choose to withhold judgement or ask other to do similar. Instead, we mean that we have no right to make judgement as there is nothing to be judged. We all arrive here equal, and all have equal value and equal rights to be respected. All that can ever matter is who we are now. Not who we have been in the past or what we have done, but who we are here in the present and what we do now and what we can achieve going forward.

As a network we seek to embody hope.

And we do it in the spirit of understanding that hope applies equally to all people.

To each and every one of us.

And that individually and collectively we are all wonderful human beings.

And we should be fully proud of that.

GLEN’s Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

The Gambling Lived Experience Network (aka GLEN) fully expect that all individuals interacting with, or on behalf of, GLEN respect the personal beliefs of others, whether these be religious, cultural, gender identity, or relating to any other aspect of personal identity or characteristic.

We are proud of our membership-selected core values which are: Honesty, Integrity, and Hope without Judgement.

We fully support and seek to uphold the rights enshrined in UK law to all individuals through recognition of the nine protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation) as identified under the Equalities Act 2010.

Further to this we strongly believe that as a network containing and supporting unique and diverse individuals that we have to be willing to go beyond such specifics and be respectful and give equity of opportunity and access to absolutely everyone, however they may self-identify or present themselves.

We believe that a person’s religion, relationship status, sexual orientation or gender identity simply reflects the diversity of human beings as a race and is something to be absolutely welcomed and celebrated in all forms.

We abhor and will actively oppose and have zero tolerance towards racism, ableism, misogyny, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and all forms of discrimination and prejudice, however and wherever they occur, in activities which involve or include GLEN as an organisation.

As a network based organisation we seek to form partnerships and mutual cooperation agreements with other organisations which value and support Lived Experience but will only do so in good faith with individuals and organisations which share our own values on inclusivity and which respect the rights of others to self-identify and self-represent their own personal identities.

The Gambling Lived Experience Network stand fully behind LGBTQ+ rights and recognise and morally support the extensive work which Stonewall have undertaken in demystifying the concepts and terms which underpin gender identity in areas such as Transgender inclusiveness.

We will never knowingly misgender or disrespect any individual’s right to self-identification and will respect the use of pronouns and other forms of self-expressing gender identity by individuals where we are made aware of their use. If we are found wanting in this regard then please point this out to us respectfully and we will endeavour to apologise and rectify this oversight. Even the best intention can sometimes fall victim to lack of awareness or lack of informed understanding and we cannot and do not claim to be experts across the full range of human experiences. We do however commit to being responsive to being made aware of areas where we are under performing.

We cannot and will not accept discrimination, harassment, or disrespect where it is found to exist. This does not just apply to lawfully protected characteristics but to ALL characteristics and personal identities, except where those identities or self-adopted characteristics/belief systems do in themselves promulgate or support discrimination or hatred of others.

Everyone in our society is susceptible to experiencing gambling harms. Our ambition is to be a network capable of making a real difference to people’s lives and to be a leading voice against harmful gambling on behalf of everyone at risk of experiencing harmful impact. Just as harms caused by gambling are indiscriminate in their range, scope and nature so must we be non-discriminating when identifying those we seek to represent and protect. We see our responsibility as extending equally to everyone in society, and that means that we must be accepting and respectful of all aspects of personal identity which exist in society.

We are rightly proud and respectful of the diversity embodied within our membership, and also in our Board of Trustees.

Future Actions and Commitments to EDI

As a small charity with limited financial and staff resources we are mindful and respecting of the policies and actions of other organisations in embedding what they have determined to be best practice regarding Equality, Equity of access, Diversity and Inclusion but may not be in a position to be able to replicate such strategies and actions in full at this time.

This extends to being able to provide material in accessible formats which ensure full equity of access and opportunities. We will endeavour to meet any such requests as are received but our ability to fully comply with suggested adaptations or accommodations will always have to be tempered by our capacity to reasonably do so.

It is our intention that as our capacity to do so increases that we will seek to also increase our adoption of more comprehensive EDI focused strategies and output, including and appointing roles and allocating duties which enable this purpose.

We ask that if anyone has cause to raise concern over what provisions we do have in place, or have suggestions as to how we can increase our capacity to offer equity to members with differing needs, that they contact us using our info@glenetwork.org email mailbox giving details of such concerns/suggestions and including the phrase “EDI Request” either in the email subject line or at the top of any letter/email body. We commit to acknowledging receipt of any such approaches within 5 working days and also commit to considering contents and details contained within as fully, as respectfully and as appropriately as possible, including reaching out to arrange how best to explore these concerns with the individual(s) who raised them.

Similarly, if anyone feels that a representative of GLEN, or that material or activities produced in support of GLEN, have breached our EDI commitments then please contact us using the info mail address given above and including the phrase “EDI Complaint” either in the email subject line or at the top of any letter/email body. We commit to acknowledging receipt of any such approaches within 5 working days and also commit to considering contents and details contained within as fully, as respectfully and as appropriately as possible, including reaching out to arrange how best to explore these concerns further with the individual(s) who raised them.

All communications on EDI related matters will in the first instance be handled by our operations staffing team but if anyone making such an approach to GLEN feels that we have not responded timeously or in a manner which is deemed satisfactory to the nature and seriousness of the issues raised then in our acknowledgement we will outline the processes by which we will be progressing their request and will provide details of how further complaints or appeal can be escalated to our Board of Trustees.

While we fully understand the importance of being able to evidence performance and compliance to our own EDI policies we also respect the rights of our membership, staff and Trustees not to feel profiled or to be put in a position where they are required to provide identifying information regarding personal characteristics beyond that which has a direct and necessary bearing on the operational aims of the Gambling Lived Experience Network. As such, any statistics regarding EDI participation with GLEN activities will be by nature limited to specific programmes/projects and will be reflective of each individual’s right not to disclose personal or identifying details.

As an organisation, the Gambling Lived Experience Network have developed our own policies regarding members’ use of GLEN messaging and email facilities which outline what is and is not acceptable in order to ensure that personal rights (including EDI) and boundaries are fully respected. These and other policies can be provided upon request.