Living in Harmony forum: Addressing inequality in employment

Addressing Inequality in Employment forum meeting

29^th June 1.30-4pm at Spartans Community Football Academy

Employment is a big issue for many people in North Edinburgh. Research in the recent Framework for Racial Equality highlighted that BME people are underrepresented in many areas. How should organisations address this?

We will have a guest speaker from the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights giving an overview of the current inequalities and how these could be addressed. We will also hear from organisations, including Port of Leith Housing, that have reviewed their recruitment practices to try to make them more accessible or to reach out to specific groups.

Local BME residents who have been supported by Community Renewal to find work or start businesses will share their experiences. There will be a chance to exchange ideas and discuss ways of moving forward both collectively and as individual organisations or residents. Lunch and crèche included. Please RSVP.

Hannah Kitchen

Development Worker, Living in Harmony,

Pilton Community Health Project

0131 551 1671

hannahkitchen@pchp.org.uk

www.pchp.org.uk

Positively Diverse programme announced

We have now finalised the programme for our learning event Positively Diverse on the 1 October (see below). The event will support organisations to implement positive practices that include BME residents.

Please do BOOK your place by calling us on 0131 551 1671 or emailing admin@pchp.org.uk if you want to attend.

Programme

9.30am Arrive and coffee

10.00am Welcome

10.30am Professor Rebecca Kay, co-convenor of Glasgow refugee, asylum and migration network: ‘Living in Harmony: the benefits and joy of working with a diverse client group’

11.00am Residents tell their stories – followed by Q&A

12.15pm Lunch

1pm A Welcoming North Edinburgh – past and present

1.15pm How to make it happen – best practice from local organisations -followed by Q&A.

2.30pm What can you do next?

3.15pm Summing up

3.30pm Finish

Anita Aggarwal

Community Development Manager, Pilton Community Health Project

Creating a more inclusive community? That’s Positively Diverse!

Is your group or organisation fully engaged with the BME community? Would you like to think about ways to do this more effectively?

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and Pilton Community Health Project’s Living in Harmony Group are staging a Positively Diverse, a free one-day learning event for local workers to encourage and support them to think about how to include a more diverse section of the community in their activities.

The event takes place at

Spartans Community Football Academy at Ainslie Park

on Thursday 1 October from 10am – 3.30pm.

To book your place call PCHP on 551 1671 or email admin@pchp.org.uk

Organ donation project funding extended

Scottish Government appeal to black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to donate

The Scottish Government is encouraging the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to consider organ donation. Only one per cent of Scots on the NHS Organ Donor Register are from the BME communities, but around 8% of people on the organ donation waiting list are from that group.

Nearly 400 people from black, asian and minority ethnic communities in Scotland have signed the NHS Organ Donor Register over the last year, as part of a drive funded by the Scottish Government.

The initiative, run by Kidney Research UK, was set up last year to address the chronic shortage of organ donors from these communities and the Scottish Government has announced it will commit £22,000 to fund the project for another year.

Kidney Research UK have recruited peer-educators to speak to people about organ donation in locations such as Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) , Mandirs (Hindu temples) and the annual Mela festivals in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

It is also working with the Muslim community through engagement with the Muslim Council of Scotland.

On Sunday, the team was present at the Glasgow Mela in Kelvingrove Park to talk to people about organ donation and encourage them to consider becoming an organ donor.

Over 2 million people in Scotland have joined the NHS Organ Donor Register, but only around 2000 people are from black, asian and minority ethnic communities.

Kidney failure is up to five times more common in people from black, asian and minority ethnic communities, with South Asian people with diabetes ten times more likely to suffer from kidney failure than white people.

Public Health Minister, Maureen Watt, said: “In Scotland, as in the rest of the UK, the shortage of donors from black, asian and minority ethnic communities is a real issue, so it’s vital we continue to engage with people to explore the beliefs that can act as a barrier to donation.

“The peer educator programme has so far been extremely successful, but we want to go further and train up more peer educators to talk to communities about organ donation.

“Just over one per cent of Scots on the NHS Organ Donor Register are from black, asian and minority ethnic communities, but this group account for nearly 8 per cent of people waiting on a transplant. Crucially, there is a much greater success rate when transplants are carried out within the same ethnic group.

“Of course, it’s an individual choice, but we want to ensure people have the right information to make an informed decision and that’s why education and projects like this are vitally important.”

Kidney Research UK’s Peer Educators have been trained to talk to their communities about kidney health and the risk of kidney disease, working closely with individuals, families, community groups and faith groups.

They offer practical help and advice, explaining the reasons for the increased risk and suggesting lifestyle changes that could help to prevent disease.

They also challenge some of the myths surrounding organ donation, and highlight the shortage of compatible donors in their communities.

Neerja Jain, Kidney Research UK’s Health Improvement Project Manager, said: “The passion of our Peer Educators is really helping to move this work forward considerably. Their amazing drive, enthusiasm and physical and mental energy is truly amazing. As volunteers, what they do, is really making a difference.”

Further information on BAME organ donation and transplantation is available at www.organdonationscotland.org

Welcoming a Greener Future

Project launch this Satuday – all welcome!

The Welcoming Association are launching a new initiative this weekend – the Welcoming a Greener Future Project.

This new and exciting project aims to help members of Edinburgh’s migrant communities save energy and reduce their carbon footprints.

The launch takes place on Saturday 2 May from 3 – 6 pm at St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street, Edinburgh.

We plan for this to be a family event with free multicultural food, live music and entertainment. Please see attached publicity poster for more details. I really hope you will be able to join us!

I would appreciate it if you could confirm your attendance by 29 April to help us to organise things more efficiently.

For more information or to book a place, please contact myself or Christina Rizou on 0131 346 8577 or email info@thewelcoming.org

Adil Ibrahim, Community Development Practitioner

Welcoming a Greener Future Project, The Welcoming Association

0131 346 8577

www.thewelcoming.org

Lottery cash to support victims of honour abuse

A unique project supporting victims of honour abuse within Edinburgh’s black and minority ethnic communities is to receive £786,814 from the Big Lottery Fund, it was announced today.

Over four years, the Bright Choices project, will support 130 families across Edinburgh affected by honour abuse – which are violent crimes thought justified to protect or restore the ‘honour’ of a family.

Developed in consultation with Police Scotland, the project is a new partnership between Sacro, Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council and Multi-Cultural Family Base.

In a recent survey of 300 Edinburgh residents, carried out by Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council, 63% of people stated that honour abuse was a part of their family’s belief system while 52% said that “honour” would prevent them reporting a crime to the police.

In Edinburgh and the Lothians, a sharp rise in honour abuse has been identified both by the Police and by local voluntary organisations. Lothian & Borders Police dealt with 41 such incidents in 2012, compared with 31 in the previous two years, although only seven of these resulted in charges being made, an indication of the difficulties and sensitivities involved in investigating such cases. Reported incidents, however, are widely accepted as being only a fraction of the actual levels of abuse occurring within communities.

Through this partnership project, each organisation will play its only distinct role in raising awareness of the impact of honour abuse within communities, as well as providing counselling and mediation for families and therapeutic play for children.

Sacro’s Ian McDonough said: “We will use restorative and mediation approaches to dealing with individual cases which have not resulted in formal action such as criminal prosecution but present indications that honour abuse is an actual or potential issue. Restorative approaches focus on repairing harm done to individuals and relationships by assisting people who have caused harm to acknowledge this and make amends and assisting those harmed to have reparation made to them.”

Steve Gowenlock from Multi-Cultural Family Base, said: ‘We will offer one-to-one support using a counselling skills approach with the aim of helping an individual to make informed choices about their options. Family and group work for children, young people or adults will be offered aimed at improving family communication and functioning while play based approaches will be used with children.”

Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council’s Ekta Marwaha added: “Our role within this project will be to provide community engagement and an extensive outreach strategy. As an organisation our focus will be to raise awareness, provide initial advice, liaise with and provide training for professionals, community groups and organisations on the impact of ‘honour abuse’ and highlight the best methodologies for intervention.”

Announcing today’s award, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair Maureen McGinn, said: “This project represents a new approach to helping black and minority ethnic families affected by honour abuse. At the Big Lottery Fund we are keen to support such an intervention which brings together the skills, experience and knowledge of a range of partner organisations. Working in partnership, they’ll engage with, and support families at as early a stage possible whilst raising awareness and tackling this complex subject matter head on.”

SACRO is just one of 11 groups receiving funding, totalling £6,599,118, from the Big Lottery Fund’s Investing in Communities fund. Vulnerable older people, young carers and people facing barriers to work are amongst thousands of Scots to benefit from the latest Big Lottery Fund awards.

The other groups receiving funding today are:

Albyn Housing Society Limited £857,950

This project will provide financial advice to 2,500 tenants living in rural areas. It will work in partnership with Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association, Lochaber Housing Association, Cairn Housing Association and Pentland Housing Association.

Cothrom Limited £503,635

This project will grow and diversify the organisation ‘ReStore’ training service and social enterprise on South Uist. ReStore delivers training and personal development through local community recycling and reuse activities.

CSV £343,682

This project will support vulnerable and isolated elderly people living in the Forth Valley helping them maintain their independence in their home. Volunteers will provide a handyman service, a health and safety DIY house check, befriending and support in attending social events.

DEAP Limited £548,494

This project will provide practical and emotional support to care experienced young people, aged between 15 and 25, living in Dundee. It will offer a range of activities aimed at helping them to live independently while improving their chances of gaining employment or continuing in education.

DEAP Limited £457,874

This project delivered in Arbroath, Brechin, Montrose and Forfar will address barriers to effective job seeking and entering employment. The project will provide support to improve job seeking skills including training for online job seeking, taster placements and job brokering.

The Ecology Centre £920,849

This group will be able to relocate their existing centre to a new sustainable building. Once complete the centre will continue to provide much needed education space, meeting rooms and office space for local organisations.

ENABLE Scotland £309,939

This project will support children who are yet to receive a diagnosis for their condition, or who have recently been diagnosed. The project will also support families to adjust and develop ways of coping and come to terms with a diagnosis.

Fife Young Carers £531,721

This project will support young carers to cope with the demands of their school work and their caring role. It will also help them to make positive choices about their futures when they leave school.

The Machan Trust £481,127

This project will provide breakfast clubs and an after school/weekend play and sports activity programmes for children aged five to nine. Families will also benefit from healthy eating workshops.

North Glasgow Housing Association Ltd £857,033

This project, run in partnership with Greater Easterhouse Money Advice Project, will improve financial skills, develop knowledge of key financial products, and provide participants with a personal financial plan. Group sessions will focus on topics such as welfare reform, budgeting, and affordable credit.

Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGScotland #biglf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Celebrate Africa at Craigroyston

We are pleased to invite you to the CELEBRATING AFRICA event on Saturday 21 June at Craigroyston Community High School on Pennywell Road.

The event aims to provide a unique opportunity showcasing African heritage and culture by the African community groups who live/ work across Edinburgh & the Lothians. Themes for the event are participation, heritage, culture and sports.

There will be live African music, dance, cultural performances, stalls, workshops and children activities at the event. Popular traditional food will be cooked on site and served by members of the African community groups.

As Scotland hosts the Glasgow 2014, we are proud to welcome participating African nations and celebrate their heritage. The event is supported by the Big Lottery – Celebrate fund. Please find about stall booking & for interested community groups and volunteers who wish to participate at http://elrecafricacelebration.wordpress.com/ .

This is a free event but places are limited. If you wish to attend the event please register online at:

http://celebratingafrica2014.eventbrite.co.uk

For more information about the event please contact Mizan Rahman e-mail: mrahman@elrec.org.uk or call 0131 556 0441.

We very much look forward to welcoming you at this celebration.

Mona Adhikari

Manager, Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council

Tel: 0131 556 0441 | Fax: 0131 556 8577 | email: MAdhikari@elrec.org.uk | www.elrec.org.uk

Living in Harmony: making it happen

National, citywide and local agencies, organisations and individuals joined together to find ways to fill the gaps when CORE (formerly the Black Community Development Project) was forced to close last year. That work continues, as Pilton Community Health Project’s Anita Aggarwal reports …

You may be aware that since the closure of CORE last year a small group of local people and organisations have been looking at the ongoing issues for the BME (black and minority ethnic) community.

There was a short consultation and the findings have been written up in the ‘Living in Harmony’ report (see below). We have offered to facilitate an action planning session to look at how local organisations and people can come together to tackle some of the issues raised in the report.

There has been a significant rise in the incidence of hate crime in the area, as well as many issues that affect the wider community. We hope that a broad spectrum of people and organisations will want to be part of this planning event. We also hope that by the end of the event local organisations and individuals will have committed to take forward actions that encourage interaction and integration between ethnic groups in the area and remove or reduce some of the barriers for the BME population to accessing services.

This workshop is open for all and we will provide creche (IF BOOKED IN ADVANCE) and refreshments. We particularly welcome members of the local Scottish community to take part.

It will take place on Friday 31 May from 9.30 – 12 followed by lunch, at The Spartans Academy at Ainslie Park. Please let me know if you will attend, or give me a call if you would like more information. Please feel free to forward this invitation to other interested parties.

Living in harmony

Anita Aggarwal
Senior Development Worker (Health Inequalities)
Pilton Community Health Project, 73 Boswall Parkway
Edinburgh, EH5 2PW
0131 551 1671
anitaaggarwal@pchp.org.uk
www.pchp.org.uk