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Group Starter Pack
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“What am I supposed to believe”
A film about faith by young people
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New resources available from the Partnership Development Project and EERA SMP
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Review of ethnicity in the East of England
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What would a Regional Equalities Forum look like?
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BMET (Black and Minority Ethnic Trainers) Directory
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2004 Survey of BME groups
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Engaging young people in the production of a film about faith
March 2008
MENTER, the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Bedford and Momentum Arts received funding from the Government’s Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund in 2007 for an exciting project. The project is designed to develop understanding of the different faiths by engaging young people in the production of a film. The film, entitled “What am I supposed to believe” will be launched on 2nd April in Bedford.
Elements of the project have developed understanding of shared citizenship and participation in local democracy. The project has been advised by the East of England Faiths Council and Bedford Council of Faiths. It is funded by a Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund grant through the Community Development Foundation who are sponsored by the Communities and Local Government (CLG).
Details of the launch night of the film which included presentations by Member of Parliament for Bedford, Patrick Hall and local boxer Matt Skelton will be appearing here shortly.
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Group starter Pack
Setting up a new community group or voluntary organisation will involve a variety of work and there are a number of things you will need to consider before you start. MENTER’s Shaila Bibi has collated in the starter pack the essentials, from sample constitutions, to environmental policies as well as project sheets. Click here to download the pack.
If you have got any comments, or suggestions please e-mail Shaila, on Shaila “at” menter.org.uk (replace “at” by @).
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What would a Regional Equalities Forum look like?
Summer 2006
Work on the Regional Equalities Forum (REF) project has been developing well. The project is exploring what a REF would look like for the East of England.
MENTER and other key regional partners have been consulting with a cross sector of audiences and regional stakeholders to start formulating a strategy on equalities and to look at possible work priorities for the REF.
A consultation event was held in Cambridge on 30th March for the regional voluntary and community sector (VCS). The objective of the consultation event was to provide participants the opportunity to discuss the following:
key equality issues for the regional VCS how the regional VCS could improve regional policy to impact positively on service delivery at local level what role a REF could have in facilitating improved regional policy and service delivery
Set within a Human Rights framework, the event focused on regional equality policy and legislation. Richard Leong from the London Discrimination Unit gave a presentation titled ‘Tackling Discrimination Using Legislation’. The presentation provided an update on equality and human rights legislation, and where to get support for taking discrimination cases to tribunal. The event was attended by over 30 participants. A report will be available soon.
Work has also started on bringing together regional representatives from the statutory sector. An initial meeting started important discussions on how regional agencies can engage with the REF. The next stage of development will be to engage with local VCS and statutory groups.
Gender and LGBTI
MENTER is keen that the development work of the REF project is inclusive and fully representative. As there are currently no regional LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex) and gender networks, MENTER has been leading on bringing together representatives from local LGBTI and gender organisations to look at setting up regional networks that will feed into the REF. An initial gender meeting for interested organisations and individuals was arranged for 10.30am on Tuesday 13th June 2006 in Cambridge. Membership of the regional gender network is free and open to any organisation based in the East of England and delivering gender services or project work.
If you would like to be involved in the LGBTI or Regional Gender Networks and/or are interested in the Regional Equalities Forum, please contact Joella Hazel Partnership Officer (Race Equality) at MENTER on tel. 01223 355034 or email joella “at” menter.org.uk (please replace “at” by @).
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New resources available from the Partnership Development Project and EERA SMP
Spring 2008
Since 2004, the Partnership Development Project of MENTER, which focuses on assisting with the integration needs of asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers in the East of England, has been working in partnership with the East of England Regional Assembly’s Strategic Migration Partnership (EERA-SMP) and other organisations to produce resource packs for the Multi Agency Forums (MAFs) in the region.
We are pleased to announce that the following resource packs are ready and available for distribution to network members. The packs will initially be available in electronic copies only, but printed copies can be available on request:
· Community Participation Guide -aims to help improve asylum seekers’, refugees’ and migrant workers’ participation and engagement with MAFs
· Refugee Integration Guide -identifies key areas of work which will guide MAFs in their work in helping to integrate asylum seekers and refugees
· Racism Awareness report with recommendations for MAFs - a short report based on an informal assessment of the awareness amongst MAF members of the needs and problems associated with racism towards asylum seekers, refugee and migrant workers with recommended action
· LAA Guide by EERA-SMP-is a set of guidelines which are linked to the LAA national indicators which aims to help regional network members develop LAA’s that respond positively to the opportunities and challenges created by the arrival of asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers
· Information pack available on the CLG website written by MENTER and Loretta Hurley Development Consultant- an information template and how-to guide for developing welcome packs for migrant communities. Go to www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=7917246 for downloading.
The resource packs can be accessed from the project website from 16th June at www.partnershipdevelopment project.org.uk , by tel. 01603 617076 or by email request to the project staff: pamusa “at” menter.org.uk and beatrice “at” menter.org.uk
The Partnership Development Project is funded by Communities and Local Government.
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Review of ethnicity in the East of England
The MENTER review of ethnicity in the East of England was published in Spring 2006. The review, which uses census data, focuses largely on health and housing but also covers older people, experiences and fear of crime and pattern of employment and economic activity.
The research looks at the health of BME groups in terms of disproportionate rates of mental ill-health, long-term illness and poor health and life expectancy amongst BME groups. It also looks at tenure and links between housing, racial incidences and other issues such as overcrowding.
The report includes a useful route map that has links to websites and existing reports and data on ethnicity. The route map is a live document. The intention is that the user adds new reports or useful links to the route map as they become known.
Both the research and the route map are available to download
Final Research Report
Route Map
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Results published of survey of BME groups
The results of a survey of Black and minority ethnic (BME) voluntary groups in the East of England have recently been published. The research was carried out on behalf of MENTER by BMG Research in 2004. 397 organisations were initially mailed the questionnaire and in all, 90 organisations responded, which represents a response rate of 23%.
The overall picture of the sector is one of many small organisations operating with few staff, with a bias towards unpaid voluntary staff (44% have no paid staff). These organisations provide a variety of services from health to community development and advice on race discrimination/ harassment. Three-quarters of respondent organisations are membership organisations. Most organisations have a predominant BME group among their trustees – only 11% have no majority group. In addition to services provided, staffing and trustees, the 12 page report can be also covers funding, organisational status, sector support and planning for the future.
To download the report, click here
Along with the survey MENTER also commissioned a series of in depth interviews across the East of England. Six BME target groups were identified: young people aged 16-24, women, Travellers, refugees, people from newer communities and those living in rural areas. This report is available here.
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BMET (Black and Minority Ethnic Trainers) Directory
During the year you may have read articles on the progress of the BMET project. MENTER worked in partnership with the project initiator, Jim Thakoordin, CRNe, Go-East, the Refugee Council and other partners to promote the work of BME Trainers and Consultants. It was felt that there is a pool of expertise that is under-utilised, usually because training and consultancy contracts are awarded through invisible, informal networks that do not include BME people. Where contracts are awarded these are often related only to equalities work, even though BME trainers have other useful skills e.g. in project management, community development, voluntary sector development and regeneration. The lead organisation for the project was Community Renewal Network East (CRNe). The project team was advised throughout by Jim Thakoordin. The promotion of the project took two routes: (1) Consultation events in Bedford and Luton (2) work with agencies in the region to assess training and consultancy requirements and to highlight the publication of the directory.
The final copy of the BMET Directory includes “good practice” guidelines on writing a brief, contracts and appointing a trainer or consultant. It also includes relevant legislation referring to appointing trainers or consultants and finally the bulk of the directory is focused on details of BME trainers and consultants from the Region. We are pleased to confirm that the directory is available to down load by clicking on the link below:
BMET directory
Although this project was heavily advertised we are aware that some consultants and trainers might not be included. Therefore they can download a questionnaire and include their details in the directory which will be updated quarterly. We would like to thank all those who have supported this project and hope you enjoy using the directory.
For further information please contact:
Shaila Bibi or CRNe (01842 754 101)
Disclaimer: Whilst MENTER have sought to provide advice in this Directory on appropriate and transparent contracting processes, MENTER or any of the partners involved in this project are not responsible for any action or inaction by providers at any stage in the process of recruiting and/or supporting trainers and consultants from any background.
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