Accessibility
WoW are committed to ensuring our building and any venues we hire throughout the year are accessible to all. This page includes details around building access to Toxteth Library and information on the accessibility of our events.
Building Access
Pavement/level access to WoW’s office at Toxteth Library is available on Windsor Street.
The entrance to the library and children’s library (where events such as our Writers Bloc take place) is on the ground floor and are accessible to visitors with limited mobility, including wheelchair users.
Our office is located on the first floor of the building and is accessible via a lift.
Guide Dogs and Medical Assistance Dogs
Guide dogs and trained medical assistance dogs are allowed access to Toxteth Library. Our staff will be happy to provide drinking water for your dog if requested.
Venue Accessibility
Throughout the year, particularly during WoWFEST and Black History Month, WoW hires venues across the city centre for various events and workshops. All of our venues are accessible – including for wheelchair users – and this is indicated on the individual event pages.
If you ever have any questions about venue accessibility, please email us on info@writingonthewall.org.uk or call us on 0151 703 0020.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
We believe in the power of creative participation and writing to transform lives. At Writing on the Wall, we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion across every aspect of our work – from our programming to governance, to the communities we serve.
The legal framework for this policy is the Equality Act 2010. WoW’s policy is built around the protected characteristics listed in The Equality Act 2010: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
The Equality Act 2010 harmonises, strengthens and replaces most previous equality legislation. The following legislation is still relevant:
In valuing diversity, WoW also has chosen to include the following characteristic to reflect the full diversity of Liverpool and Merseyside: socio-economic background, gender identity and neurodiversity.
Equal Opportunities Policy
Writing on the Wall is committed to equal opportunities in all aspects of its work. The purpose of this policy is to provide genuine equality of opportunity for all employees, service users, individuals, and external groups/organisations.
Writing on the Wall’s equal opportunities policy is designed to redress discrimination and positively encourage and benefit people from disadvantaged groups. All employees, service users, individuals and people from external groups/organisations will be treated fairly and equally irrespective of gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, marital status, class, disability, sexuality, age, political or religious beliefs.
Where necessary, positive action will be taken to meet the need of groups who are disadvantaged in a range of aspects including education and training, business and entrepreneurial activity, social and economic activity.
To achieve this, Writing on the Wall will ensure that:
The policy will be implemented within the framework of the relevant legislation which includes:
Writing on the Wall will seek to ensure that its employees, service users and individuals from external groups/organisations are encouraged to develop to their full potential by promoting models of good practice and participation in its activities. This will be integrated into all publicity and media events, publications, training programmes and business projects.
Writing on the Wall will offer equal opportunities training to all employees and undertake to monitor and review this training annually.
Breaches of our equal opportunities policy will be regarded as misconduct and may lead to disciplinary proceedings.
This policy will be monitored and reviewed annually.
Women
Writing on the Wall complies with all relevant legislation and the Equal Opportunities Commission’s Code of Practice. We will ensure that women have equal access to all aspects of our employment and service delivery policies and practices. We will undertake the following measures:
Black and Racial Minorities
Writing on the Wall complies with all relevant legislation and the Commission for Racial Equality’s Code of Practice. We will ensure that Black people and people from racial minority groups have equal access to all aspects of our employment and service-delivery policies and procedures. We will undertake the following measures:
Sexuality
Writing on the Wall complies with all relevant legislation and aims to combat discrimination against lesbians and gay men. We oppose any legislation that promotes discrimination against these groups. We will undertake the following measures:
Irish People in Britain
Writing on the Wall supports the Commission for Racial Equality’s recognition of Irish people as an ethnic minority for the purposes of Equality Act 2010. We aim to ensure that Irish people are included in our work. We will ensure that Irish people have equal access to all aspects of our employment and service delivery policies and practices. We will undertake the following measures:
Writing on the Wall recognises that a significant minority of Irish people in Britain are travellers who face discrimination both as Irish people and as travellers. We are committed to ensuring that all travellers have equal access to all aspects of our employment and service delivery policies and practices
HIV/AIDS
Writing on the Wall is aware that there is currently no specific anti-discrimination legislation to protect people who are HIV positive or living with AIDS. We are committed to ensuring that such discrimination is not condoned and to providing an environment where people who are HIV positive or living with AIDS feel safe and confident. We will undertake the following measures:
Disabled People
Writing on the Wall complies with all relevant legislation and aims and the Disability Rights Commission’s Code of Practice. We will ensure that disabled people have equal access to all aspects of our employment and service delivery policies and practice. We will undertake the following measures:
Religion or Belief
Writing on the Wall complies with all relevant legislation. We will ensure that individuals have equal access to all aspects of our employment and service delivery policies and practices regardless of their religion or religious belief or similar philosophical belief (not including any philosophical or political belief unless it is similar to religious belief).
We will undertake the following measures:
Transgender
Trans and transgender are terms that are used to describe people who do not conform to the traditional division of male and female. Trans embraces many different types of people and lifestyles, including:
Writing on the Wall complies with all relevant legislation and ensures that individuals have equal access to all aspects of our employment and service-delivery policies and practices regardless of how gender is defined.
We will undertake the following measures:
Equal opportunities training
Writing on the Wall will ensure that all staff and clients receive suitable and up to date training that covers all aspects of equal opportunities. Training will be evaluated and reviewed to ensure that it remains relevant and current.
Breaches of the Equal Opportunities Policy
All breaches of the Equal Opportunities Policy will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure.
Monitoring and Review of Policy
The policy will be monitored by the Co-Directors who will provide for the board the following reports annually:
The Co-Directors will recommend any action needed as a result of any of the above.
The Equal Opportunities Policy of Writing on the Wall aims to provide genuine equality of opportunity for all employees, service users, individuals, and external groups/organizations, regardless of their gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, marital status, class, disability, sexuality, age, political or religious beliefs. The policy is designed to redress discrimination and positively encourage and benefit people from disadvantaged groups. To achieve this, the policy ensures that activities are designed to positively encourage and benefit people from disadvantaged groups, and all recruitment and selection will take place in line with equal opportunities procedures. Breaches of the policy may lead to disciplinary proceedings. The policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it is effective and current.