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In partnership with Tower Hamlets CVS, the Osmani Trust, Hackney CVS, the Selby Centre and Islington BAME CVS, this seminar series has now been successfully delivered. Through the series, over 200 representatives from the voluntary, community, statutory and private sectors considered the broad questions: “Is there an elephant in the room? If we live in a post-racial society, why do certain ethnic groups continue to experience disadvantage? This seminar series was launched in November 2011 at the House of Lords to coincide with the retrial into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. It had a particular focus on solutions to persistent and emerging inequalities faced by BAME children, young people and their families.
Over 80 delegates from across the mental health sector and criminal justice system descended on Coin Street Community Centre on 21 July to contribute to a discussion on Exploring the fault line - issues at the intersection of criminal justice and mental health.
The event, joint-hosted by ROTA and Action for Advocacy, brought together experts, including policymakers, practitioners, academics, BAME voluntary sector representatives and professionals, to share thoughtful ideas on key concerns, gaps in service delivery and potential areas of opportunity.
Speakers Simon Fulford (Khulisa UK), Graham Durcan (Centre for Mental Health), Ewan MacKenzie (NOMS), Viv Ahmun (Coreplan UK), Linda Bryant (Together) and Ciaran Rafferty (City Bridge Trust) provided an insightful backdrop for a variety of key topics to be discussed during lively table discussions. Significant areas of discussion included current thinking on the state of offender health provision, steps for improving the physical and mental health of those in the criminal justice system, difficulties with diversion services, extreme trauma and propensity to violence.
Early returns from evaluation forms indicate that the majority of delegates appreciated the opportunity to come together and hear different opinions whilst various aspects around process (audio, food and representation) need further consideration for future work.
Speakers' presentations are available below. View event photos here (all photos courtesy of Elizabeth Frimpong).
Graham Durcan - Diversion: attempting a gold standard
Ewan MacKenzie - Managing equalities in prisons
Ciaran Rafferty - City Bridge Trust - a funder's perspective
On March 11th 2009, ROTA launched its Transformative Justice Project with an evening reception at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. The event had a focus on the 10 year anniversary of the Macpherson Inquiry, with high profile speakers sharing their positions on areas ranging from the value of restorative justice, hate crime in schools to the changing face of institutionalised racism. This will go on to inform the work of ROTA's 4 year Transformative Justice Project
Click HERE to listen to speeches from the event.
In July 2008 ROTA launched the findings of the Building Bridges Project at a youth-led conference. The event highlighted the findings of a two-year youth led study into gangs and the use of weapons in London.
In April, the UCU Conference Unit saw the launch of the second phase of ROTA's Restoring Relations: Addressing Hate Crime through Restorative Justice and Cross-Sector Partnerships: a London Study. Over 100 people representing statutory bodies and Third Sector organisations from London and across the UK attended the event.
Greater London Action on Race Equality (GLARE) transformed into Race on the Agenda in April 1997, after 11 years of operation, ROTA was officially launched in November that year. In March 2008, ROTA hosted an event to celebrate its 10th year in operation.
In December, ROTA hosted the 'BAME Hidden Dimensions of Homelessness' conference. The event presented evidence-based policy recommendations from ROTA's Equal funded project. The study examined barriers to homeless services and service needs of BAME homeless individuals and links between mainstream homeless and BAME organisations.
Click HERE to download the final report
Click HERE to download the findings from interviews with homeless individuals
Click HERE to download the findings from the project groups with homeless individuals
In October 2007, HEAR and Capacitybuilders brought together over 100 representatives of third and public sector organisations, working across equality strands, at Working for Equality 2007. This information and networking event informed and consulted on a number of significant developments affecting the work of agencies supporting equality organisations in the third sector.
ROTA membership is free. ROTA's members are important in all the work we produce. Without your input our publications, events and networks would lack accuracy and depth. Membership will help keep you up to date with the social policy issues affecting BAME communities.
Our contact details are as follows:
Race on the Agenda
c/o Resource for London
356 Holloway Road
London N7 6PA
Tel: 020 7697 4093
Email: rota@rota.org.uk
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