race and education 2012
DESCRIPTION
Young, gifted and black in a (white and)changing landscape - What can a college do?TRANSCRIPT
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