Young, gifted and black in a (white and) changing landscape

What can a college do?

Brenda WestonEquality Development/Policy and research officer

Labour Equality Act: Coalition government

• Mismatch between Equality Act and coalition priorities

• ‘Equality Strategy’ - shifts the equality agenda

• New policy landscape an obstacle course for progressing equality

• Localism - lack of focus on social justice and equalities

How the landscape is changing

• Deficit reduction, public spending cuts

• Big Society/Localism

• Diversification in major service provision (NHS, schools, work programme)

• Cutting Red Tape/bonfire of the quangos

• Elected Police Commissioners

• ‘Equality’ - reframed and redefined

Deficit reduction and ‘front loaded’ public spending cuts

Loss of security and access to support• Disproportionate loss of public sector jobs for BME

communities and women• EMA abolished• ESOL cut• Youth services cut / outsourced• BME self-help and support groups (e.g. RECs) folding/

demand for support services increasing• Welfare and legal aid cuts, law centres closing• Public sector E&D specialists redundant/reassigned• Specialist police units threatened/disbanded (hate

crime)

The Big (white) SocietyRisk of exclusion under Localism• Decisions devolved to lowest possible level (LAs,

parish councils, ‘neighbourhood groups’)• ‘Communities’ can

• Bid to take over public assets and run services

• Instigate referendums on local tax and spending (50+% of those voting will decide outcome)

• Concerns about • Minority/marginalised people’s’ interests and voices

• Scarcity of resources > strains on community cohesion

• ‘Neighbourhood group’ accountability/legal responsibilities?

• Individuals/equality groups expected to challenge on equality

Diversification of servicesResponsibility for Equality Duty?• Multiple providers – local / multi-national

• Fragmented delivery

• Different rules governing provision (free schools, academies; Work Programme providers)

• Confusion, lack of consistency, lack of transparency for service users

Cutting Red Tape/bonfire of quangos

Reduced capacity /commitment to progress/ enforce equality

• Regulatory and enforcement bodies (Audit Commission, EHRC) abolished/weakened

• ‘Light touch regulations’ Ofsted, Specific Duties

• End of targets and indicators: National Indicators, PSAs, Local Area Agreements, CAAs

• Red Tape Challenge - ‘spotlight’ on the Equality Act

• Best Value guidance – LA s advised against equality monitoring

• Parts of Equality Act abandoned/reversed

Election of police commissioners

Politicisation of policing?

• Concerns about policing priorities determined by elected individuals

• Action on hate crime - locally determined?

Equality reframed: Coalition Equality StrategyReduced emphasis on race equality• (new approach) “moves away from treating

people as groups or ‘equality strands’ and instead recognises that we are a nation of 62 million individuals.”

• Concerns about a ‘hierarchy of equality’ - Up: LGB and Trans, gender (in the board room); Down: Race, disability, age, R and B.

• Language of ‘equality’ being replaced by ‘fairness’

Implications for BME studentsA more uncertain world for BME students• Schools - policies on admissions, bullying, equality

in practice?

• Home – BME job losses, impacts of Welfare Reforms and other cuts

• Neighbourhoods - Fewer safe spaces for young people/ getting heard as a minority voice/ less community-based and equalities-aware policing/ fewer BME support organisations/ more racial tensions…?

• Access to services and support – more difficult accessing information, advice, advocacy, protection, justice?

SW BME focus group on colleges

• Schools and colleges often do not understand BME communities or the needs of BME students

• Colleges unwilling to consult BME people about learning needs and aspirations ...

• Leads to inability to target courses or design publicity attractive to BME people

• Language issues a barrier for some– Celebrate cultural differences– Customise marketing– Improve services for BME students

Colleges - creating a safe and nourishing environment • Inclusive images in all publicity – check

your mirror! • Equality monitoring in all management

and performance data collection• Facilitate BME student focus and

consultation groups• Advertise for staff in BME press• Zero tolerance of bullying and

harassment – in practice and in policies• Staff training and awareness of racism

and its impacts

.... and say it with posters!

Discussion?