British Values

At The College of Animal Welfare we believe in creating an ethos that promotes the ‘British Values’ of Democracy, Individual Liberty, The Rule of Law and Mutual Respect and Tolerance at every level.

We are dedicated to promoting these values to ensure our learners develop a strong sense of social and moral responsibility, become well-rounded individuals, are respectful to one another and are able to contribute effectively to the wider community.

Democracy

Democracy is central to how we operate at the College, and staff and students have many opportunities for their voices to be heard.

Students are always listened to, and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. We encourage students to take ownership of their own learning and progress, and participate fully in college activities.

We are passionate about continually seeking to review and improve our provision, and encourage our students to have their say in how the College develops and improves its service. 

How we promote Democracy at The College of Animal Welfare:

• Our community elects a number of class representatives and student ambassadors, who advise the college on behalf of the student community.
• We have an employer advisory group made up of veterinary and animal care employers, in order to gain meaningful advice and input on our activities and provision.
• A clear complaints procedure is in place for students, staff or other members of the community to voice any concerns or complaints they may have about the college’s services, processes or procedures.
• The college sends out regular surveys to students and staff members to collate feedback and suggestions about how to improve our services.
• Every year, we have a Student and Teacher Awards Ceremony, where staff and students are invited to celebrate and nominate individuals they believe to have gone above and beyond the call of duty in relation to their studies or work.  
• Suggestion boxes dotted around all of our centres, for students to submit suggestions about how we can improve our services, policies and procedures. Every suggestion is considered, and we action suggestions made where appropriate. 

Individual Liberty

As a college, we actively encourage all members of our community to make independent choices and provide the education, tools and resources students need to make informed choices for their personal lives, careers and education. We encourage our students to understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms, advising them on how to do so safely.

How we promote Individual Liberty at The College of Animal Welfare:

• We provide our students with the tools and resources to enable them to feel empowered to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing. We offer a confidential counselling service, 24/7 access to online mental health service Togetherall, and a wealth of information and advice on mental and physical health via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
• Students are regularly advised on how to exercise their personal freedoms safely, for example by providing information and advice on e-safety.
• We run classroom workshops and tutorials on topics such as Health and Wellbeing, Safeguarding, Prevent and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
• In order to help our students and wider community to make informed decisions about their future careers, education and training; we run an annual Careers With Animals Day.
• All students undergo an induction, where their skills will be assessed to identify any additional support of adjustments they may need during their programme, to complete their studies successfully.
• A number of measures are in place to ensure the personal safety of all of our students whilst in college. Read more about safety at CAW
• We actively participate and promote awareness events dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, for example supporting events that promote gender, LGBT+ and racial equality.
• We run career days for students who’re leaving college, to ensure they can make informed decisions about their future education and career plans. 

The Rule of Law

As a society, we have rules in place to ensure we create a happy, safe and secure environment for everyone to live, work and learn in.

At The College of Animal Welfare, both students and staff are taught the rules and expectations of the College. We reinforce the importance of laws, the responsibility following the law involves, and the consequences in place when laws are broken.

How we promote The Rule of Law at The College of Animal Welfare:

• We require all members of our community to identify themselves using ID badges and lanyards on campus.
• We have procedures and expectations in place for student attendance, behaviour and commitment to study.
• All members of our community are expected to adhere to our student and staff codes of conduct.
• Rules are in place to ensure students use and access the internet and college IT systems safely. Any misuse of electronic media via college resources or students own devices will be dealt with very seriously and may involve using the College’s Student Behaviour Policy and the Student Social Media Policy to address the issues.
• Cyber-bullying is not tolerated at the College. Students are encouraged to think carefully about anything they communicate to others via social networking, text or email. 
• Disciplinary policies and procedures are in place for those who do not adhere to college rules.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance

At The College of Animal Welfare, we believe that Mutual Respect and Tolerance underpin what it means to be a citizen in a modern and diverse United Kingdom.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance allows us to create environments free from discrimination, whilst strengthening relationships within the community. It also plays a vital role in ensuring that groups or individuals within the College are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation.

How we promote Mutual Respect and Tolerance at The College of Animal Welfare:

• All members of the college community are expected to treat each other with mutual respect and tolerance, and mutual respect is embraced throughout our curriculum This is also reiterated through our teaching and learning environments. Lecturers provide regular opportunities for students to express their views in a safe and understanding environment.
• All students and members of staff undergo anti-bullying training and we have a robust anti-bullying culture, with strong anti-bullying, cyberbullying and safeguarding policies in place, to ensure all students feel safe and supported at College.
• We maintain a positive learning environment for all our students by promoting our key CAW Learner Expectations.
• Equal opportunities policies are in place, which ensures there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. Read more about how we promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• We run “Prevent” tutorials and workshops, in order to allow our students a safe space to explore their concerns and ideas, and to challenge prejudicial, discriminatory or extremist views. 
• Students are encouraged to lead on their own events to better understand British Values, such as through workshops and cultural awareness days.
• We regularly recognise cultural celebrations from a broad range of faiths, religions, beliefs and cultures, emphasising the principles of mutual respect and tolerance through our visual branding and information throughout the campus buildings to spread awareness and understanding.