BEN EQUAL (E.M.P.O.W.E.R) PROJECT IN SCOTLAND QUARTER 1 REPORT FROM OCT - DEC 2004 Shaheen Safdar, BEN Equal Positive Action Worker for Scotland

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1 BEN EQUAL (E.M.P.O.W.E.R) PROJECT IN SCOTLAND QUARTER 1 REPORT FROM OCT - DEC 2004 Shaheen Safdar, BEN Equal Positive Action Worker for Scotland Many reports by the Commission for Racial Equality identify that minority ethnic communities face disproportionate levels of unemployment across the U.K. Our work in Scotland shows that, although there are huge employment opportunities within the environment and heritage organisations, this is one sector least likely to find individuals from ethnic communities employed or seeking employment. BEN s Proposal under the EMPOWER EQUAL Project is to raise and increase awareness of the employment opportunities available within the heritage and environment sector to Black and Minority Ethnic communities in Scotland. This is an area that has never been addressed before by any organisation in the UK. BEN EQUAL is presently working with heritage and environment organisations in order to promote inclusiveness, equality and diversity within the workforce in Scotland BEN is working with other BEN Partners within the heritage and environment sector to brief them about Equal EMPOWER (Ethnic Minorities Participating on Wider Economic Responsibilities). These are the Scottish Museums Council, National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, British Trust Conservation for Volunteers, Historic Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Forestry Commission and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). BEN s partnership work in Scotland is to promote the inclusion of ethnic communities in the heritage and environment sector. BEN is supporting mainstream organisations to be pro-active in reaching Black and minority ethnic communities. BEN has also offered policy support to these organisations within the built and natural environment, as well as access to the Diversity Training Modules. BEN s work is sustainable and transferable. EMPOWER (Ethnic Minorities Participating on wider economic responsibilities) BEN have attended meetings in relation to Round 2 Application. BEN have submitted Feedback in relation to the EMPOWER Award Ceremony and have submitted an article for the EMPOWER publication Essentials. BEN have attended two communication within partnership meetings in Falkirk and Edinburgh 1

2 MAINSTREAMING BEN SCOTLAND WORK BEN in Scotland will be mainstreaming their work. BEN will produce and disseminate good practice guidelines, case studies and posters of BEN EQUAL s work in Scotland. These will target both heritage and environment organisations, as well as ethnic minority grassroots community groups and organisations and Transnational Partners. BEN will launch publications at a Seminar for the heritage and environment sector and ethnic minority community groups. BEN will share experiences of their work in Scotland in order to develop new networking opportunities and promote good practice. ROUND 2 BEN have submitted Proposal which includes building on and sustaining work accomplished in Scotland. TRANSNATIONAL PARTNERS MEETING IN SCOTLAND Link with Museum of World Cultures in Gothenburg, Sweden The Museums of World Cultures in Sweden is the only museums within the EQUAL Project. It is envisaged that the Museums of World Cultures will be open to the public in January The Museum of World Cultures Exhibition African Voices Exhibition will travel to Scotland in January to March This will be supported by EMPOWER Development Partners. DIVERSITY TRAINING MODULE BEN Equals first Training Module BEN Equal s first diversity training module is titled Ethnic Minority Participation in the Built and Natural Environment. BEN Equals second Training Module is titled Working in Partnership with Ethnic Minority Communities in Scotland BEN Equals third Training Module BEN Positive Action Worker and BEN Policy and Training Officer with the assistance of the community representatives known as BEN s Diversity Training Advisors have began work on the third Diversity Training Modules. This has provisionally been titled Managing Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace. DELIVERY OF MODULES Greenspace Scotland Members including Scottish Natural Heritage Forestry Commission Scotland Scottish Museum Council Members including Glasgow City Council Organisations within the heritage and environment sector have expressed interest in accessing the Diversity Training Module. These are: Scottish Environment Link 2

3 Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority EREEF members EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS Caledonian University School of Built and Natural Environment Scottish Agricultural College SCOTTISH MUSEUMS COUNCIL Positive Action Traineeship Scheme in Museums SMC will be implementing a Positive Action Traineeship (PAT) scheme in Scotland based on the Museums Association Diversify Initiative in England. There will be two trainees who will be identified from under-represented BME backgrounds. The hosts of the PAT have been identified as Glasgow City Council (GCC) and The City of Edinburgh Council (ECC) who have recently begun to address the under-representation of ethnic minorities in the within the built heritage. The recruitment process will begin in February BEN will support both Trainees in their first year with a Travelling Allowance. BEN has been assisting SMC, GCC and ECC with valuable advice and guidance on possible recruitment timescales, potential targeting for recruitment of ethnic minority graduates. OTHER SIGNIFICANT ORGANISATIONS CONTACTED Communities Scotland Community Recycling Network Scotland Scottish Parliament (Jessica Pepper) Green Party (MSP for Glasgow Patrick Harvie) Venture Scotland POLICY SUPPORT TO HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT ORGANISATIONS Including Project Development British Conversation Trust for Volunteers Scotland and BCTV Positive Images Project Greenspace Scotland Edinburgh Green Belt Trust Historic Scotland The Green Team Forestry Commission Scotland Presentation at Social Justice on 5 th October 2004 in Crieff, Perthshire. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTS Scottish Executive Green Jobs Strategy Scottish Museums Council s National Access and Learning Strategy Steering Group Historic Scotland Historic Environment Grants Forums Edinburgh Lothian Regional Environment Education Forum (ELREEF) The Hidden Gardens Advisory Group 3

4 Advisory Bodies Scottish Museums Council Scottish National Heritage National Trust for Scotland Royal Society for the Protection of Birds British Conservation Trust for Volunteers Historic Scotland Scottish Wildlife Trust Forestry Commission Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Green Group in the Scottish Parliament Coalitions Scottish Equalities and Human Rights Coalition (SEHR) SUPPORT TO ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING ETHNIC MINORITY PARTICIPATION Communities Scotland Edinburgh City Council Biodiversity Team Venture Scotland PROMOTION OF HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT SECTOR TO ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES as an area of enjoyment, education and employment BEN Positive Action Worker has also communicated with ethnic community organisations to promote the Equal EMPOWER Project and raise awareness of the employment opportunities available in the heritage and environment sector (and increase individual and organisation membership) throughout Scotland. Multicultural Family Base AGM Presentation Benefits from the Environment on 14 th October 2004 NEW VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES National Trust for Scotland enlisted the support of BEN to promote volunteering opportunities available to ethnic minority community groups. BEN supporting and providing invaluable advice to Glasgow City Council (GCC) volunteer Co-ordinator Catherine Cartmell in relation to volunteering opportunities for BMEs and placements in Museums. At present recruiting for placements at GOMA for Rule of Thumb exhibition. BEN also advising GCC Sarah Hunt in relation to setting up an Advisory Panel for the New Riverside Museum which is due to open in Soft indicators of BENs impact in Scotland in Heritage and environment employment education sector. 4

5 Both Venture Scotland and GCC Museums have advertised volunteering opportunities to BMEs. Glasgow Caledonian University - Heritage Futures promoting their course MSc Cultural Heritage Studies leaflet in EVOC Learning publication Memo which is a monthly information circular for BME s in Edinburgh. Heritage and Education Access Project (HEAP)benefits from BEN EQUAL Historic Scotland Stirling Castle PRESENT PROJECTS IN SCOTLAND Multicultural Family Base and Employment Opportunities COMPLETED PROJECTS Black Community Development Project and Junior Countryside Rangers Pilot Project Multicultural Family Base and Outdoor Education Employment Opportunities Creating Awareness and Opportunities in Sustainable Development. The aim of the project was to deliver a series of sustainable development education and training workshops to promote benefits, resources and employment opportunities within the built and natural environment. The quilts were exhibited at the Tramway Theatre as part of the Rabita Project Dupattas and Scarves the Stories They Tell. The exhibition highlighted aspects of the creative process in textile design and shows how objects of cultural and personal significance can take on different meanings in new environments without losing their original redolence. One World Quilt project is featured as a case study in New Awards for All in Scotland Application pack. Sikh Sanjog at Eskdalemuir Tibetan Center Buddhist Monastery in Dumfries about growing and maintaining fruit and vegetable gardens for sustainable living. Ethnic Minority Youth Participating in the Built and Natural Environment Project and Exhibition RESEARCH TRAINING COURSES On behalf of BEN Scotland Project, the EQUAL Positive Action Worker attended a training course(s) in : Shaping Womens Careers and New Leaders 5

6 BEN Positive Action Worker has also attended various Heritage and Environment events to raise awareness and promote the BEN Equal and the EMPOWER Project SCVO Building Bridges Launch of Scottish Equalities Human Rights Commission Forestry Commission Social Justice Seminar Multicultural Family Base AGM Full Employment in Scotland Rural Community Seminar At these events BEN continues to raise awareness of the under-representation of ethnic minorities working within the heritage and environment sector in Scotland. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP(S) of key voluntary and ethnic community networks BEMIS (Black Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland) CEMVO (Council for Ethnic Minorities in Voluntary Organisations) Ethnic Minorities Enterprise Centre (EMEC) Edinburgh Race Equality Forum Glasgow Black and Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Network Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS) Meridian Multi-Ethnic Aberdeen Limited Muslim Women s Resource Centre (MWRC) Positive Action in Housing (PaiH) Scottish Council Voluntary Sector (SCVO) Scottish Civic Forum MEMBERSHIP OF HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT NETWORKS Botanic Gardens Education Network Centre for Human Ecology Edinburgh and Lothian Regional Environmental Education Forum (ELREEF) Friends of the Earth Scottish Education and Action for Development (SEAD) Funded by the ESF EQUAL and LLOYDS TSB SCOTLAND with in kind support from BEN Network members in Scotland. 6