Identifying positive impacts
Ask the following questions to help identify potential positive impacts, implications or considerations. Not all will be relevant to every EIA, and there may well be other types of positive impacts that you identify
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Are reasonable adjustments for disabled people being accommodated?
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Is access and participation being enabled?
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Are improved experiences or outcomes likely?
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Is discrimination, harassment or victimisation being prevented?
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Are good relations being fostered?
Are reasonable adjustments for disabled people being accommodated?
The University has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled colleagues, students and service users to enable them to participate fully in work, education and our services. This duty is anticipatory – we have to think ahead, plan and act in advance, as far as we reasonably can, to meet the requirements of disabled students, colleagues and services users. Taking an anticipatory approach to meeting the requirements of disabled students or colleagues can result in positive impacts for individuals. An anticipatory approach could, for instance, include providing teaching materials in alternative formats as standard to enable all students to use them, providing inclusive access to buildings or providing closed captioning as standard in events and lecturers.
Is access and participation being enabled?
You may identify ways in which what you are considering is already aiming to minimise barriers to access or participation, or ways in which it could do so. Consider if it is likely to or could encourage or facilitate any particular group(s) in joining the University/Faculty/School/Unit, especially if that group is underrepresented (a low proportion of the group among students or colleagues). Think about whether it could enable any group/s to take-up or access a particular service or policy, or benefit from an opportunity they might not otherwise. Also consider whether there is potential to increase or encourage diversity through what you are planning, e.g. seeking diversity of participants, users or perspectives.
Are improved experiences or outcomes likely?
Many of the things we plan are intended to improve the experience of colleagues or students. For the EIA, think about whether what you are planning could improve the experience of colleagues or students from a particular group. Consider who might it benefit in particular and how does it improve what we provide that would be of particular benefit to any group(s).
Is discrimination, harassment or victimisation being prevented?
You may have planned already or may be able to identify ways in which a policy / process / activity / change will seek to prevent discrimination, harassment or victimisation from occurring. Consider whether there are ways in which what you are planning can help people understand what these are and what the expectations of behaviour are for our colleagues and students (e.g.through information, training), as well as what systems the University has for reporting and responding to incidents and the support available.
Are good relations being fostered?
Fostering good relations is about promoting tolerance and respect for diversity across staff and student bodies. It includes tackling bias or prejudice, and/or promoting understanding between groups. Consider whether there are any existing or potential tensions between groups in relation to what you are planning or considering through the EIA and whether it could seek to develop understanding and engagement between social groups, promote knowledge of differing lifestyles, beliefs and social groupings, clearly demonstrate that harmful perceptions, assumptions and intolerance within the institution are challenged and/or actively engage in community development and understanding.
