‘Broad brush’ approach to integration strategy points finger without direction

The Department for Communities and Local Government’s integration strategy arrives at a time of popular anxiety over the economy, security and immigration. Unfortunately, its broad brush brand of vintage populism provides none of the strong leadership demanded of the situation, argues Elizabeth Henry, ROTA CEO.

The current debate on multiculturalism and immigration set out in the DCLG’s Creating the conditions for integration focuses on two reasons for our ‘integration failures’. One, according to the paper, policies based in legal rights and anti-discrimination law have ‘not solved the problem and, where it has encouraged a focus on single issues and specific groups, may in some cases have exacerbated it’. The second failure is alleged to be consequence of those migrants who are ‘unwilling to integrate’.

This repetition of myths about ‘red tape’ bureaucracy and ‘hard to reach’ minorities immediately sets off alarm bells. What evidence do we have that particular groups are failing to buy-in to the UK’s value system? Should we be lumping the vast and super-diverse individuals who populate modern Britain into groups of ‘will's’ and ‘will not's’? Are muscularly ‘localist’ policies that give local groups the power to ultimately decide who does and does not belong responsible? Where is the evaluation of the strides we have made? What about the role of the BAME voluntary sector?

There is a third, unavoidable failure that we have to consider if we are to properly judge the merits of the strategy.

See here for more.

Unemployment and ethnicity

The Department of Work and Pensions have released data analysed using the Labour Force Survey. The data reveals that the rate of unemployment for young black people is 44% compared to 20% of the white population. This is important when research has clearly stressed that unemployment rates for people from minority ethnic groups rises faster than average unemployment during recessions (Berthoud, 2009). This is a pattern which has been repeated in past recessions (Smith 1977, Jones, 1993) with ethnic minority unemployment rising faster than white unemployment. How fair is that?

More information and DWP additional statistical analyses can be found here.

Racism is making an unwelcome resurgence

The racially aggravated abuse of Mauro Demetrio by PC Alex MacFarlane is one of a string of abuses gaining coverage in the media. Add to that those who have taken to Twitter to abuse black football players from Fabrice Muamba to James Perch and we have a situation in need of swift action. What is frustrating is that in the wake of the Evra/Ferdinand affair(s), few, Twitter abusers without the requisite institutional backing aside, are actually being held to account for their actions. Months after convictions were finally gained in the Stephen Lawrence case, the fact that PC MacFarlane has not been held to account is a symbol that we can not drop our guard.

This leads to one suggestion. A study by the LSE’s Alan Manning on sense of belonging among minority ethnic and white British communities argues that Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities say they have a strong sense of belonging to Britain and their local community, despite factors such as residential segregation. It is the white British respondents who reported a lower sense of belonging, especially when asked if they agreed if one can belong to Britain and maintain a separate/religious identity. In one sense, the integration strategy follows this line of logic, it gives precedence to these anxieties of the majority population, without advocating policy that diffuses them, dispelling myths about migrants and speaking in clear terms about issues of integration, legislation and identity.

A related point has been made that Government policy on multiculturalism has never been the heavy-handed and deep set of prescriptions we are made to believe it is. The suggestion here is that it has failed because it has not been applied liberally enough. Controversially in London, one of the most diverse cities in the world, should be implementing substantive policies and programmes that address intercultural relations between minority ethnic groups, tackle racism and impact on the real, material circumstances of belonging – education, criminal justice, access to health, jobs and physical security. At the same time, this should reject the idea that celebrating difference widens the gap between us all.

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/2011/04/14/multiculturalism-immigration-support-white-population/.

London Councils consultation

London Councils latest consultation on the London Borough Grants Scheme closed on 23 March 2012.

Through the consultation, London Councils asked about its proposals to further reduce the scheme, which for years has funded the voluntary and community sector to address inequalities in London. A significant proportion of the fund has been targeted at disadvantaged BAME communities. It is possible that the budget for the scheme will be reduced to as little as £8 million in 2013 – 14. In 2009 – 10 the budget was £26 million.

ROTA has submitted a response which is available from the publications pages of our website at www.rota.org.uk along with responses to previous consultations.

London Councils will make a final decision about the future of the London Borough Grants Scheme on 12th June.

Race Equality Scorecard Launch

On 30 January, the Runnymede Trust launched its Race Equality Scorecard project in partnership with the Kingston Race Equality Council. The project aims to enable communities to hold local authorities and strategic stakeholders, such as the police and NHS, to account for how they are working to combat racial inequalities. To find out more email phil@runnymedetrust.org.

Integration strategy fails to address race equality

The Government’s integration strategy, ‘Creating the Conditions for Integration’ was published on Tuesday 21st February. This document does little to address racial inequalities.

The strategy presents integration as being a one way process, with an emphasis on adhering to ‘British values’ and the social norms of the ‘majority’. It also has little evidence backing up its approach, very few policy solutions and very little focus on race equality. In addition, the strategy fails to consider the benefits of working with BME voluntary and community organisations to promote integration and achieve equality, despite the valuable work they do across the country.

Voice4Change is running a campaign for a fairer society calling for a Race Equality Strategy, for further information please click here.

Runnymede report identifies race as a causal factor in the 2011 riots

Runnymede’s report of the Riot Roundtables project was published in March 2012.

The Riot Roundtables brought key local decision-makers, professionals, young people and members of the community together to find out what happened during the riots and what can be done to prevent something similar happening again. Runnymede was keen to find out if race played a role in the riots.

To find out more about Runnymede’s Riot Roundtables, please click here.

Seminar: It’s time to move on from ‘race’

30th April 2012, from 11am to 2pm

Dr Yasmin Gunaratnam of Goldsmiths, University of London is chairing a seminar to celebrate the a launch of a new book from Policy Press. Understanding ‘Race’ and Ethnicity: Theory, history, policy, practice edited by Gary Craig, Karl Atkin, Sangeta Chattoo and Ronny Flynn refute the claim by politicians that the issue of ‘race’ is well covered by the present policy and political context.

The seminar is on the 30th April 2012, from 11am to 2pm with refreshments and a light lunch provided. The venue for the seminar is Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA.

To attend please contact sally.stephenson@york.ac.uk by the 16th April.

Restorative Justice Training

Community Empowerment Network are hosting a 2 Day Restorative Justice Awareness course (Saturdays 5th and 12th May and a 4 Day Restorative Justice Facilitators training course (Saturdays 5th, 12th 19th & 26th May 2012 ) to be held in the Shakespeare Business Centre, 245a Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8RR.

Restorative Justice is ‘…a process whereby all the parties with a stake in a particular offence (or incident) come together to resolve collectively how to deal with the aftermath of the offence and the implications for the future’ (Marshall, 1999).

The two day (RJ Awareness) and the four day (RJ Facilitators) training courses are aimed at anyone who wants to either familiarise themselves with RJ principles and background as well as those who want to be able to provide RJ conferencing and includes school staff, youth workers; youth offending services; social care services; residential care; community and voluntary services; probation services; police forces; local authorities; and human resource personnel.

For further details and to register, please contact Deuan German, Training Officer at Communities Empowerment Network deuan.@cenlive.org T: 020 7733 0297 M: 07958 546 113 www.cenlive.org.