Craigmillar Partnership Equalities Strategy

 

Promotion of social inclusion for all the residents of Craigmillar regardless of background or personal circumstances is central to the work of the Partnership. The aim of the Partnership is to develop strategies for all the key areas namely.

  • Housing and the Environment
  • Education
  • Health and Community Care
  • Community Safety
  • Economic Development

Once complete these individual strategies will combine to form a strategic plan for the Partnership, which will reflect the Social Justice agenda and will have equality for all as central. Until then it is appropriate for the Partnership to develop a specific Equalities Strategy which will clarify the Partnership's commitment to addressing inequalities.

The Equalities strategy reflects that of the City of Edinburgh Council and will focus on the following groups

  • People with disabilities (including those with learning disabilities and mental health difficulties).

  • People from Black and Ethnic Minority Groups (including Gypsy/Travellers and Refugees).

  • Women.

  • Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.

  • Children and Young people.

  • Older people.

It is recognised that simply belonging to one of these groups can result in people being more likely to experience discrimination or disadvantage. Not only can this be against the law, it is also against the principles of social inclusion that underpin the Partnership.

The Partnership therefore took on a lengthy consultation process and developed a document that highlights what can be expected of the Partnership as an employing organization, what can be expected of the Partnership as a supporting organization and what the Partnership expects of projects that the Partnership sponsors.

Within the Partnership as an Organization

  • Ensure equality issues are woven into the Partnership's day-to-day operation and its support for the people of Craigmillar.

  • The Partnership will undertake recruitment policies which are based solely on experience and ability to do the job.

  • Equality issues will be mainstreamed into all the Partnership's developing strategy documents.

  • To ensure equalities issues remain central to the Partnership, we will continue to liase with the Equalities Unit at the Council.

What Others Can Expect of the Partnership

  • The Partnership will endeavour to ensure that all public meetings we hold are accessible for everyone.

  • Whilst monitoring progress in Craigmillar every effort will be made to gather data on disability, race, gender, sexual orientation and age.

  • The Partnership will support organizations and projects targeted directly at specific excluded groups.

  • The Partnership will connect individuals and groups with relevant support organizations.

What the Partnership Expects From its Sponsored Projects

  • To be open and accessible to all residents of Craigmillar. If necessary to support excluded groups through discussion and the tailoring of individual services.

  • To be open and accountable in terms of recruitment and the reconciliation of staff grievances.

  • To record data on equalities issues to monitor how well they are providing for excluded groups.
  • To identify difficulties in providing for all groups and to inform the Partnership of them, and what would need to be done to overcome the issue.

To ensure that these expectations are met the Partnership has developed a strategic timetable which it has been working towards since it formally converted to a SIP in April 2000. These action points are given below, and although all have a target date for completion it is recognised that many of these targets will have to be continually returned to and updated to ensure that Equalities issues remain central.


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Checklist for Equalities Working in Craigmillar

 

Achieved

Recruit staff in line with Equal Opportunities Commission guidelines.

  • Develop Equalities Strategy

  • Develop equalities related project monitoring approaches

  • Hold public meetings at accessible locations

  • Liase with the CEC Equalities unit

  • Support projects working directly with excluded groups

Future Targets

  • Mainstream equalities into the Partnership's other strategy documents
    Target date summer 2002.

  • Get a reliable baseline for excluded groups in Craigmillar
    Target date summer 2003 (census publication).

  • Monitor projects support for excluded groups
    Target date ongoing currently

Most of the above are ongoing currently and will support the development of equality work in Craigmillar through existing service provision.

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Craigmillar Partnership Strategy and the Law

 

The Craigmillar Partnership Equalities Strategy aims to fulfil both current and future legislation. In order to do this effectively, measures have been identified that will allow the law and its requirements to be dovetailed into day to day Partnership working.

Putting the equality law into practice means that:

  1. It binds the government, public bodies, and those providing similar services to a culture of rights and responsibilities.

  2. It covers a range of human rights issues from different legal and policy perspectives, to assist in the provision of equalities for all.

  3. It promotes a greater unity in achieving a multicultural society by encouraging openness and participation.

  4. It allows for addressing discrimination before it takes place, and where it does take place, allows the victim to seek legal support.

The implementation of Equalities Legislation is central to this strategy. When developing this Strategy the Craigmillar Partnership identified six key steps that are central to the development and maintenance of this strategy. Understanding and developing these key steps further will aid any organization adopting the Strategy, and will ensure that good equalities practice becomes, and remains, central to all project activities.

1. Seek training on equalities law

  • Mainstream equalities into the Partnership s other strategy documents
    Target date summer 2002

  • Get a reliable baseline for excluded groups in Craigmillar
    Target date summer 2003 (census publication)

  • Monitor projects support for excluded groups
    Target date ongoing currently

Most of the above are ongoing currently and will support the development of equality work in Craigmillar through existing service provision.


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1. Seek training on equalities law

Achieved
Five seminars arranged by the Partnership office to support the equality strategy and assist with its implementation.

 

Goals
Explore further equality law training opportunities.

2. Close networking with people from the key equality organizations

Achieved
Equality seminars held by the Partnership were led by key organisations.

 

Goals
Use the Equalities Network regularly for information and advice on applying the equality legislation within the working practice and service-delivery.

3. Arrange regular information on equalities law update

Achieved
This strategy contains information the main UK equality legislation and some directives under the EU law. It provides a brief guidance on the legislative framework with contact points to access more information.

 

Goals
Register with key equalities organizations to receive updates on equalities legislation.

4. Hold regular information events and seminars

Achieved
Events and seminars were arranged during the period leading to the development of the Equality Strategy for Craigmillar.

 

Goals
Ensure that all planned events address equalities issues.

5. Consult with people from various groups of interest

Achieved
There are now various forums within Craigmillar that address equalities issues e.g. the Craigmillar Partnership Equalities Forum and the Multicultural Women's Group.

A Resource Pack produced as part of the Equality Strategy gives useful information about various equality community groups both within Craigmillar and further afield.

 

Goals
Ensure attendance at interest groups to share ideas and experiences.

Make sure that the Resource Pack is available to your project

6. Identify a person within your organization to be responsible for equalities issues

Achieved
During the development of this Equality Strategy a network was set up to advise on general equality work in Craigmillar. This network is familiar with the work on the development of the Equality Strategy in Craigmillar and is well placed to follow it up once the Strategy is implemented.

 

Goals
Ensure support and resources are available to cover equalities work.

This strategy is an important tool for the Craigmillar Partnership to use in its work promoting social inclusion in the area. Equalities issues are central to the work of the Partnership and everything that it strives to achieve.

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