arbitration | Arbitration is an important part of Hynt

what is arbitration?

We worked with disabled people pan impairment to create the automatic eligibility criteria for Hynt. The criteria are objective and represent the genuine and assessed needs of disabled people. But, we also know that some people have other access requirements not on our list that mean they need additional care.

If you have access needs that are not on our automatic eligibility criteria or if your original application was rejected you can use Arbitration.

If you need more than 1 carer to attend with you then you can also use Arbitration to see if you are entitled to more than one free ticket.

arbitration advisors

Arbitration is managed by Diverse Cymru. They work with a group of people with a range of knowledge, skills and expertise pan-impairment and pan-Wales. Some of them belong to national disability charities or support organisations, some are part of local access groups or independent living associations.

These people are called Advisors. They help us to make decisions by using their knowledge and experience to help us understand if someone might need support from a Carer or Personal Assistant to be able to attend a performance at a theatre or arts centre.

Specifically Advisors:

Have significant knowledge and expertise in working with disabled people pan-impairment.
Can demonstrate a commitment to the values and principles of the Hynt scheme.

We are always looking for new Advisors to join the group so if you or your organisation is interested in becoming involved please contact Dawn Ashton at Diverse Cymru: dawn.ashton@diverse.cymru

values and principles of arbitration

The values and principles of Arbitration are the same as the values and principles as Hynt:

We are a peer-led initiative rooted in the social model of disability. Working together with disabled people, carers and the third sector we want to improve the quality of service and experience at our theatres and arts centres for anyone with a specific access requirement.

We are committed to promoting accessibility and encouraging more people to enjoy and participate in the arts across Wales.

We are committed to:

Fairness

We will treat people equally,without favouritism or discrimination. We will seek to take a balanced view and explain our decisions clearly. We will always listen to and consider the views and opinions of others.

Understanding

We will demonstrate understanding and awareness across all our work. We will always seek to be considerate of each individual situation or circumstance.

Openness

We will be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions we take. We will give reasons for our decisions and restrict information only when data protection and individual privacy is at risk. Any conflicts of interest will be declared.

Clarity

We will always try to be clear. We will use Plain English. We will explain anything that is unclear. We will respond positively to questions and feedback.

Consistency

We will look to achieve a consistency in our decision making, communications and actions. We will monitor our performance and always seek opportunities to improve.

the arbitration process

When you complete an application form and send it to Hynt, if you know that you do not meet the automatic eligibility criteria you can tick the box on your application form that goes straight to Arbitration.

If we receive your application form but are unable to process it as it falls outside the automatic eligibility criteria then we will contact you and explain the situation and let you know about Arbitration.

It is up to you if you would like your application to go to Arbitration. If you decide to go through Arbitration a member of the Diverse Cymru staff will get in touch with you directly, this person will be your Arbiter.

The Arbiter will ask you to describe your situation. They will ask about the barriers you feel you face and the reasons you may need some additional care to attend a theatre or arts centre. After contacting you they will reflect on the information and if necessary contact an Advisor to assist them. This person would be someone who may have some relevant specialist knowledge or expertise. The arbiter will then come to a final decision about your eligibility for the Hynt card. They will let you know the decision. They will then tell the Hynt team the decision and pass the appropriate information to them.

If you are unhappy with the decision you should contact the Hynt team directly on info@hynt.co.uk and we will advise you of what further action we can pursue.

making a decision

The Hynt card provides a ticket, free-of-charge for a carer or personal assistant for anyone who is in need of this type of support. Arbiters consider whether you have an impairment or specific access requirement that means you could not attend a performance at a theatre or arts centre without additional care from another person.

Arbiters will use the information that you provide along with their knowledge and expertise to come to a fair and balanced decision. If they do not have the relevant knowledge or expertise or would like further information about a specific access requirement they will contact one of the Advisory organisations to gain some additional insight.

Hynt is focused on those individuals who need additional care in order to attend a performance at a theatre or arts centre. We recognise that there are a number of other barriers to engagement. We are working hard to support the sector to address wider issues of access.

Arbiters will contact you to gain an understanding of your specific circumstances. They will ask you to tell them the reasons why you feel you need the support of a carer or personal assistant to attend the theatre.

We are committed to fairness, consistency and openness. We want to make sure that our decision making is clear. All communication between you and an arbiter will be by email or letter. This way we can make sure that we have a clear record for each decision we make.

All communication between you and an arbiter is confidential. You only have to provide the information that you feel is relevant and you are comfortable with sharing. We will also not ask you for any identifying information as every application has a unique reference number.

Arbitration is a simple process. We want to understand your circumstances as best as possible. That means we can make an informed decision about whether or not you should be eligible for ticket, free of charge for a carer or personal assistant.

You should expect a decision about your Arbitration within 7 days.

An Arbiter will inform you of the final decision first. They will then let the team at Hynt know so that we can finalise your application.

complaints procedure

We have worked with disabled people, third sector organisations and theatres and arts centres to create Hynt so it’s as fair and clear as possible.

We have done our best to make sure that people who need a carer or personal assistant to attend a performance do not have the financial barrier of buying a ticket for their carer.

We are committed to the principles and values of fairness, understanding, openess, clarity and consistency.

If you are unhappy about any decision that is made or any action that we have taken then please contact us. We are committed to responding to all criticism and feedback positively. This is the only way that we can continue to improve Hynt and the quality of our work.

We will be open and honest and try to resolve any complaint fairly. If this is not possible we would be happy to use independent mediation as a way of resolving any outstanding issues.

training

Arbitration is managed by Diverse Cymru. All arbiters receive training so that they are able to make consistent and fair decisions. As part of the training we will make sure that:

Arbiters understand the values of Hynt.
Arbiters understand the Arbitration process.
Arbiters are all working to the same decision making framework.
Arbiters all have the same information and guidance.

The training will cover the following areas:

overview of Hynt and why it is important.
the automatic eligibility criteria, how it was decided and how it works.
why we need Arbitration.
how Arbitration works.
making a decision.

monitoring and reviewing

We need to make sure that Arbitration is fair and that decisions are being made well. To do this we have a process of monitoring and review. This will include:

Random audits of decisions

We will regularly look at a selection of decisions and compare them. This means we can identify any inconsistencies or issues. If there are common situations or challenges, then we can learn from this. For example, we might identify potential training needs or gain better understanding about the barriers that audiences are facing. This information will be valuable in helping to develop Hynt and will inform any future changes to the scheme.

Regular contact with individual Arbiters to provide support, guidance and advice

We will provide additional support and advice to Arbiters. Regular contact will also provide opportunities for Arbiters to feed back any comments or challenges to us. This learning will be shared with all the Arbiters to help us improve the way we do things.

Ongoing review

We want to have an ongoing conversation with everyone who is connected to Hynt. We know that the issues we are dealing with around access and care are important and complex. We understand that Hynt will need to be responsive. We do not expect to get things right all the time. We will listen to feedback and find opportunities to discuss opportunities and challenges. This way we can keep improving.

steering group

Hynt has a steering group. This is a group of people that help us to run Hynt. This group includes a range of people including: disabled people, third sector organisations, theatres and arts centres and arts organisations. They will also help us to monitor Arbitration and we will report to them.