PROMOTING DIVERSITYAND EQUALITY IN

SCOTLAND

Black and Ethnic Minorities Infrastructure in Scotland

March 09 ISSUE

BEMIS is the nationalumbrella and intermediary bodyrepresenting and supporting the

development of the ethnic minorities voluntary sector

across Scotland and the diverse communities and individuals that this sector represents especially

those under-represented and disadvantaged.

BEMIS recognises that we work in a context of inequality. It aims to redress these inequalities by

empowering communities. BEMIS works towards an inclusive society

by establishing structures that recognise and promote diversity

and empowers the ethnic minorities communities and sector

across Scotland.

BEMIS, The Centrum Building, 3rd Floor, 38 Queen Street, Glasgow, G1 3DX

(t) 0141 548 8047, (f) 0141 548 8284 (e) mail@bemis.org.uk

www.bemis.org.uk

“Promoting Equality, Dignity and Respect in the Workplace”BEMIS in partnership with STUC will be holding a conference addressing;

Employees have rights but also have responsibilities to their employers and vice versa. The conference will be targeted at employers, managers and employees promoting a better understanding and deployment of employment rights within the race equality agenda. We aim to:

• Raise awareness for employers, management committees, managers and employees about employment rights and how such rights can be utilized positively by all to create a positive, healthy and productive working environment that will impact on the work place itself and the well being of any organization and its employees.

• Supporting the EM Voluntary Sector & raising awareness regarding Employment Rights and Responsibilities.

• Promoting and supporting stronger links between the trade union movement and EM organisations in Scotland.

In this context, employers and managers have a big role to play in their efforts to ensure equality and to capacity build their organization and work force; similarly, employees need to understand their rights in addition to their responsibilities. The conference will provide information through workshops to both the employer and employees to promote positive healthy inclusive environment between the employer and the employee. General Workshops Topics:

A. Introduction to employment rights (Des Loughney & Terry Anderson from Support@Work).

B. Tackling discrimination in the workplace (Zaffir Hakim from One Workplace).

C. Closing the Gender Pay Gap: How inequality affects EM women workers (Close the Gap).

D. The Role of the union (STUC Black Workers Committee).

This event will address topics such as: employment contracts, tackling discrimination in the workplace, flexible working, the pay gap and issues for EM employees paying attention to Gender issues, in addition to exploring the role of the Union in supporting both employers and employees, and to exploring opportunities to embrace and embed good practices within your organisations in order to build a healthier and more vibrant and supportive workplace.

To Register or for further information, please contact: Adnan Miyasar BEMIS Information Officer, 38 Queen Street Centrum Offices, Glasgow G1 3DX Adnan.miyasar@bemis.org.uk Tel. 0141 548 8047.

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS: PROMOTING RACE EQUALITY, DIGNITY AND

RESPECT IN THE WORKPLACE FOR EM COMMUNITIES.

Date: 25th March 2009 Place: STUC at 333 Woodlands Rd,

Glasgow G3 6NG Time: 10.30 – 3.00 pm

FREE CONFERENCE

2 MARCH ISSUE

Listening to Communities:Scottish Government’s International Development Policy: Indian Subcontinent Development Programme

The Scottish Government is working on a new international development programme for the Indian Subcontinent. It has held a number of meetings with Consul Generals and a wide range of other stakeholders. The Scottish Government would welcome the opportunity to speak to organisations and individuals from local communities in Scotland who

have links with the Subcontinent to hear their views about the new programme, including what the geographic and thematic focus as well as funding mechanisms. BEMIS has been asked to help with arrangements for a consultation meeting later this month to allow interested parties to discuss aspects of the new programme with representatives from the Scottish

Government. Further details will be sent out in the coming days; however, to register your initial interest in taking part in this event, please contact

Ron Cruickshank ron.Cruickshank@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

or Adnan Miyasar adnan.miyasar@bemis.org.uk

Ethnic Minority Women and FEMOCRACY

Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure (BEMIS) is working with the Fawcett Society* on a project on ethnic minority women’s political empowerment called Femocracy. The project aims to help ethnic minority women engage in politics and use their political voice:

“Ethnic minority women are one of the most excluded groups from formal political decision making processes and are not accessing the tools of political power,”

explains Joella Hazel, who leads on the project. They are less likely to be registered to vote and also tend to be less engaged with mainstream politics than white women and ethnic minority men.

In the run up to the European Elections, Femocracy will be working in partnership with ethnic minority voluntary and community groups to deliver several free workshops in and around Glasgow on politics and democracy for ethnic minority women. The events will build ethnic minority women’s understanding of how democracy is organised, how to take part and influence decision making through exercising their right to vote, the relevance of politics and how politics impacts on their lives.

Femocracy will also be launching Your Voice, Fawcett’s free guide to democracy with useful information about how ethnic minority women can access political power.

The events and guide are a great opportunity for ethnic minority groups in Scotland to help raise awareness of the importance of ethnic minority women using their political voice. If your organisation would like to host a workshop, would like ethnic minority women that you work with to attend any of the events or you would like to order free copies of Your Voice then contact Joella Hazel by email to joella.hazel@fawcettsociety.org.uk or by telephone on 0207 253 2598.

*Fawcett Society is the UK campaign for women’s rights. For more information on Fawcett please visit www.fawcettsociety.org.uk For more information on femocracy and other ways to get involved in the project please visit www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/femocracy

MARCH ISSUE 3

“EVERYONE IN” - How BEMIS and the Equality Network is making sure that no-one is left out

Bemis and the Equality Network are currently doing a ground-breaking research project called “Everyone In”. This project is focusing on our knowledge and understanding of minority ethnic people who may identify themselves as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans gender).

As part of this work BEMIS and the Equality Network hosted a roundtable discussion in Glasgow on 5 February. The event was a great success and attracted a wide variety of representatives from equality organisations, public bodies and individuals.

This was a unique opportunity for people to get together and discuss concerns, issues and the need to celebrate the diversity of all our communities. The event focused on two main questions:

a) What do we want to see changed in Scotland to better meet the needs of minority ethnic people who may identify themselves as LGBT?

b) What can we do to facilitate these changes?

The discussions highlighted a wide variety of key points including:

- the need to ensure that Home Office and immigration policies and services take everyone’s needs into account.

– Engagement with Minority ethnic people who may identify as LGBT around what their experiences and needs are.

– More and better communication between Race and LGBT organisations to ensure that nobody is left out.

– Training of staff members of public and charity organisations so that the diversity of all communities is acknowledged.

– Both Race and LGBT focused research and events should acknowledge and include the diversity of all communities.

Feedback from participants highlighted how important the event was to the minority ethnic people who attended. One participant said

“I loved hearing other people’s stories that were so similar to mine it was scary. It reaffirmed that I’m not alone and I’m not a freak. It was so great to meet other people.”

It was also important for the organisations that attended, not only as a rare chance to network across both the race and LGBT sectors, but also to increase awareness and knowledge in an area that has often been ignored in the past.

BEMIS and the Equality Network were praised by both the Scottish Government and the Equality and Human Rights Commission for pioneering this work.

If you need more information contact:

Samantha Rankin sam@equality-network.org or Tim Cowen tim.c@equality-network.org

Leading on Cross Equality Work EM - LGBT

The Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty Learning Network launched on 27 January with presentations from Jim McCormick, the Scottish Adviser to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Toronto Community Housing Corporation and a range of local regeneration practitioners.

The network will connect people and organisations with an active interest in delivering community regeneration and tackling poverty. It will be demand led by its members and will provide practical solutions and support by connecting them to evidence, expertise, tools, resources and good practice.

To join the network or to find out more about the event contact.

Heather Smith on 0141 271 3736 or alternatively visit www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/pir/learningnetworks/cr

Tackling Poverty Learning Network

4 MARCH ISSUE

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is made up of 4 organisations brought together by the Scottish Government in April 2008.

1. Careers Scotland (both Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise) - provides career information, advice and guidance for people of all ages.

2. Scottish University for Industry (known as learndirect Scotland) - provides information on learning opportunities such as training courses. Learndirect also promote Individual Learning Accounts which can provide some people with the money to pay for their learning.

3. Skills & Learning Department (Scottish Enterprise)

4. Skills & Learning Department (Highlands and Islands Enterprise) - both Skills & Learning departments work with employers to deliver national training programmes such as Modern Apprenticeships, Skillseekers, Get Ready for Work and Training for Work.

The challenge for SDS is bringing all 4 organisations into one, single organisation.

What does Skills Development Scotland do?

The Scottish Government has asked SDS to help improve “Scotland’s skills performance”. This means helping people achieve their full potential by learning new skills and being able to make confident decisions about their careers. We will also be working with employers to make their business more successful by increasing the skills of their employees.

The Scottish Government has many “national outcomes”, or aims, that it would like to reach. SDS can help the Scottish Government achieve these aims. Some of the aims are:

Helping young people become successful at learning, confident individuals and responsible citizens.

Scotland will have more, and better, employment opportunities.

People in Scotland will be better educated, more skilled and more successful.

Tackling the significant inequalities in Scottish society.

Reducing the local and global environmental impact of our consumption and production.

Providing high quality public services that are continually improving and are able to respond to the needs of local people.

BEMIS facilitated a consultation event for SDS with the Scottish Ethnic minority Communities on 26th February 2009.

In Scotland people die young because of poverty.In one of the richest countries in the world, this is wrong.

The Poverty Truth Commission will bring together two groups of people: those who know and understand the struggle against poverty in their lives and those who have the power and influence to change Scotland for the better.

At the Poverty Truth Commission people who have grown up in poverty will testify to the realities they have faced and still face. In their testimonies they will move beyond the hurdles they have faced to describe their hopes for the future and their resolve to work to overcome poverty not only in Scotland but throughout the world.

At the Poverty Truth Commission, community leaders from politics, the media, academia and faith communities will listen and respond to what they have heard and commit themselves to action. The Poverty Truth Commission is your chance to be involved in that vitally important conversation. It will be an afternoon of music, drama, song, tears and laughter, bringing together many astonishing and amazing people.

The Poverty Truth Commission is being hosted by the Rt Rev David Lunan, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and chaired by Ms Tricia McConalogue of Bridging the Gap in the Gorbals.

To register in advance or for more information contact: Tel: 0141 248 2905 email: ptc@faithincommunityscotland.org Write: Poverty Truth Commission, 759a Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8DS.

We encourage you to join us on 21st March.

Call us about child care arrangements.

The Poverty Truth Commission is sponsored by the Church of Scotland Priority Areas and Faith in Community Scotland in cooperation with grass roots organizations throughout the country.

Who is Skills Development Scotland?

MARCH ISSUE 5

Ishara supports Deaf people from the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Communities in Scotland including:

• Information and advice for Deaf BME people on accessing employment, health services, housing, benefits, etc.

• Improving communication for BME families and support workers of Deaf BME people. For example, deaf awareness training and British Sign Language (BSL) classes in a culturally sensitive environment.

• Information, advice and events to enable Deaf BME people to find out more about their own cultures and beliefs.

Ishara is in receipt of funding from the Scottish Government for the Race, Religion and Refugee Integration work in Scotland. We want to contribute to Scottish society by tackling inequality for Deaf BME people by empowering people to become:

• Safer and Stronger

• Healthier

• Wealthier and Fairer

• Smarter

Ishara aims to do this by working with Deaf BME people and organisations. The Asian Deaf Club based in Deaf Connections

hosts events for Deaf BME people from across Scotland. Events and meetings are organised with agencies and local politicians to involve Deaf BME people about how services can be better or how to tackle social problems like crime, anti social behaviour, domestic violence and even forced marriages. This community engagement with Deaf BME people helps develop confidence and a strong profile within Scottish society.

Ishara will also develop resources on key issues, e.g. Forced Marriage and Mental Health issues for the Deaf BME

Community in Scotland. This will help inform agencies and communities of these issues. Also from the training sessions for organisations, we would develop resources in BSL and other community languages to raise awareness around:

• Deaf Community and Culture

• Promoting Good Race Relations

• Different Faiths and Beliefs in Scotland

• Issues for Asylum Seeker and Refugees in Scotland.

More Information?

For more information, please contact: Maryam Imran Tel: 0141 4202819 maryam@deafconnections.co.uk

Ishara Webpage - www.deafconnections.co.uk

Asian Deaf Club Webpage www.deafconnections.co.uk

Recently I visited the Black Community Development Project in Edinburgh.

The BCDP is designed for and led by minority ethnic people. The group challenges

all forms of racism and racial discrimination and advocates issues affecting the

community. Residents of the Greater Pilton area who were angered by the

intimidation and harassment of local residents started the project.

I met a number of staff including Tesfu Gessesse, director of the BCDP and was

shown a video of the history of the project, followed by a presentation on the work

that is carried out by the organisation.

I was encouraged by the support given to the local community, including advice

on housing, education and employment. The project also facilitates a mother and

toddler group, youth group and training courses to name but a few. In November,

the World Café ran by a number of volunteers celebrated its first anniversary.

This milestone is one of many in the project’s 12 year history.

I support the work carried out by the Black Development Project and welcome the

range of activities and advice that is provided by its committed staff. The BCDP

delivers a range of excellent services which are clearly in demand and brings together

people from all the communities living in the area. Having visited the project I can

understand why it calls itself the ‘United Nations of Pilton’! This is an impressive

project and I look forward to hearing about further achievements from them in the

future.

To learn more about the project visit

www.bcdp.org.uk

Shirley-Ann Somerville (MSP)

Visit Local Community Project

My visit to the Edinburgh Black Community Development Project

by Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for the Lothians.

6 MARCH ISSUE

YOUNG SCOT: ACCESS ALL AREAS The Young People’s Integration Project

“Young Scot: Access all Areas” is a new project aimed at empowering young people from ethnic

minority, refugee, asylum seeking and faith groups to influence service provision in their local area, enhance access and promote inclusion. It was developed with a view to involving young people in democratic processes and promoting “informed participation” in local civic structures.

Working in partnership with local agencies and using a Local Investigation Team model, groups of young volunteers will be supported to plan and deliver a research project on a topic of their choice in relation to service provision in their area. Each team will comprise of ten young people, who will be trained in action-based research and consultation techniques. With the support of a Young Scot representative and their local worker, they will go out into their local areas to seek the views of young people and other community members.

They will then be tasked with drawing their findings together to produce their own set of conclusions and recommendations to share with key policy and decision makers such as Community Planning Partnerships. It is hoped that the recommendations will help sensitive local services, as well as Young Scot’s products and services.

The project seeks to benefit young people in a variety of ways. By the end of the project, young people should:

• Have developed a greater understanding about the information and services available to them in their local area

• Have developed stronger links with other young people in their area

• Have developed a greater understanding of civic structures

• Have gained new skills in action-based research, acquiring an accreditation

• Be able to confidently express their views about local services

• Be empowered to influence and sensitive mainstream services

We are seeking to build long-term trusting relationships with local partners, who will play an integral role in this project. Using their local knowledge and practical experience of working with young people, they will support the young volunteers for the entirety of the project, right up to the reporting and evaluation stage. Therefore a commitment of up to a year is required. For this reason, Young Scot is offering a contribution of £1000 to local partners to cover their expenses. This can be used at their discretion, but it is intended to meet the costs of youth worker time, rewards for the young people, etc. In addition, the core project expenses such as room hire, materials, travel costs, etc. will be met by Young Scot.

If you are interested in getting involved or finding out more about the project, please contact the project development officers Lesley Anderson or Lauren Bruce on 0131 313 2488 or on accessallareas@youngscot.org

For more information on Young Scot, log on to our corporate site at: www.youngscot.net

FUNDING FOR CHILDREN’S SUMMER PLAY SCHEMES

The LankellyChase Foundation has announced that it is seeking applications from registered charities to support summer play schemes for children between the ages of 5 - 17 years. Preference is given to small local play schemes lasting 4 - 6 weeks, and groups planning special activities for youngsters who are disadvantaged. In 2009 the Foundation will be supporting specific activities for children and young people living in Refuges and for young carers. This year the Foundation will be making approximately 120 grants of around £500, to organisations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Preference will be given to applications from organisations affiliated to a relevant nationally recognised body

and adhering to national standards of practice. The closing date for applications is the 8th May 2009.

www.lankellychase.org.uk

LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCED FOR BT COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

British Telecom has announced that it will be launching the 2009 Community Connections Awards on the 17th March 2009. BT Community Connections has been run by BT’s Corporate Responsibility Unit since 2000. The scheme targets community and voluntary groups that could benefit from internet access and ICT but don’t necessarily have the resources. Through the scheme, community groups can apply for the award’s package that consists of a multi-media internet-ready computer;

a contribution towards one year’s broadband internet access through BT Total Broadband; and a Community website. The package is valued at £1,300. Since the launch of the awards, it is estimated that Community Connections has enabled over 5,000 groups to get online including silver surfers, play groups, out of school clubs, pre-schools, cultural groups, local environmental initiatives and youth sports organisations.

www.btcommunityconnections.com/page.php?id=1

Funding

SCOTLAND’S SWITCHOVER TIMETABLE ANNOUNCED

The timetable for Scotland to make the switch to digital TV has been announced by Digital UK. Scottish Borders became the first region to complete the change in November 2008 and the switchover will now progress to south-west Scotland in June this year, continuing to the north of Scotland throughout 2010 and finishing in Lothian, parts of Edinburgh and Fife by June 2011.

Digit Al, the switchover robot, was joined for the announcement by TV personalities Norman MacLeod and Kirstin Gove of STV and the BBC’s Colin Wight and Steven Duff in Aberdeen. Switchover will make digital terrestrial television (Freeview) available to virtually every home in Scotland – including, for the first time, hundreds of thousands of viewers served by local ‘relay’ transmitters.

To view the timetable see the Digital UK:

www.digitaluk.co.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/23870/12-11-08_stv_quarters.pdf

digitaluk.co.uk

MARCH ISSUE 7

News from Europe

ENAR National Round Tables on Positive ActionMission Possible I-III: Implementing Positive Action all over EuropePositive action is both a tool and a concept, which has a long history of recognition in European law and in international human rights law. However, as a concept it is multi-facetted and not always easily understood and as a tool the evidence is that it is insufficiently used and not always recognised as such. In the context of its assessment of the equality directives (Directive 2000/43/EC implementing the principle of Equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin and Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation into national law) over the past few years, and most recently as part of the discussion on a new anti-discrimination initiative, ENAR has drawn particular attention to the failure to mandate positive action in EU law and policy. The question of institutional racism remains one of the most pervasive forms of racial discrimination and fails to be addressed in a consistent manner. ENAR considers that positive action is a transversal issue that is a concern across a wide range of policy areas, including non-discrimination in housing, education, etc but also social inclusion, migration, integration, policing and criminal justice.

http://www.enar-eu.org/Page.asp? docid=19158&langue=EN

European Commission’s non-discrimination governmental expert group In order to uphold and advance the legacy of the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities, the European Commission has set up in July 2008 a governmental expert group in the field of non-discrimination and the promotion of equality. The group examines the impact of national and EU-level non-discrimination measures, validates good practice through peer learning and evaluates the effectiveness of non-discrimination policies. The group is composed of one representative of national authorities in charge of policies against discrimination. The objective of the group is to foster the further development of policies at EU and national level aimed at combating discrimination and promoting equality. In 2009, the group will particularly focus on multiple discrimination and non-discrimination mainstreaming.

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=458&furtherNews=yes

Commission to tackle ‘unacceptable’ health inequalitiesThe European Commission is to publish a communication before the end of the year aimed at addressing the growing ‘health gap’ across the EU and within member states. Work on the policy paper is under way at DG Sanco, responsible for health and consumer affairs, and DG Employment. At a briefing in Brussels hosted by the European Policy Centre, Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou pointed to “huge gaps” between countries and social groups. “For example, there is a gap of 18 years in healthy life years across the European Union between the best and the worst.

http://www.euractiv.com/en/health/commission-tackle-unacceptable-health-inequalities/article-179441

Report by the British Refugee Council on violence among refugee womenThe Refugee Council has launched two reports containing the interim findings of its Vulnerable Women Project, a three year scheme set up in 2006 to address the needs of refugee and asylum seeking women who had been subjected to sexual violence or other extreme trauma, both in their countries of origin and in the UK. The report entitled ‘Refugee and asylum seeking women affected by rape or sexual violence’ provides a summary of evidence that is available about the prevalence of sexual violence and sexual exploitation against refugee women. The report stresses that certain factors - such as age, poverty, social housing and health - particularly expose refugee women to risk of sexual violence and exploitation.

http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/news/press/2009/february/20090205.htm

New report says racism still rife in UK police force An independent review chaired by one of the three men who oversaw the Stephen Lawrence inquiry a decade ago has concluded that the police remain institutionally racist. Dr Richard Stone called the review’s findings “dispiriting”. He said it was clear the police had made huge efforts at tackling the problem and that some quarters of the criminal justice system had made significant improvements in dealing with race crime. But Stone said the review suggested that in many areas - chiefly the continued and extensive use of stop-and-search powers and a failure to promote and retain black police officers - the mentality of rank-and-file officers had not altered.

The review, carried out by the Runnymede Trust, the equality and social justice organisation, contains a bleak assessment of police efforts to tackle racism over the last 10 years. The review claims: “There remain many ways in which the relationship between police and black and ethnic minority groups has not changed significantly from 10 years ago.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/15/police-racism

8 JANUARY ISSUE