At a MEETING of the RACE, ETHNICITY AND BELIEF ACTION GROUP held at Dundee on 23rd
February, 2011.
Present:Bruce PATRICK, Chair, Dundee City Council
Joyce BARCLAY, Co-Chair, Dundee City Council
Raghi Raj, Bharatixa Ashram, Dundee
Ann Young, Social Work Department
Scott MANDS, Dundee City Council
Cathy McInnes, Building Bridges
Alister Fowler, Building Bridges
Anne HAMILTON, Dundee College
Ron McLaren, Humanist Society
Apologies were submitted by
I
.
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Bruce Patrick welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made round the table.
II
MINUTE OF MEETING OF 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2010
The minute was submitted and approved.
III
MATTERS ARISING
Bruce Patrick advised that he had investigated the work of the SCVO regarding government funded
initiatives within Dundee and had discovered that SCVO were planning an intelligence database for
such initiatives.
IV
SOCIAL CARE/HOME CARE AND CULTURAL NEEDS
Anne Young, Team Manager of the Council's Social Work Enablement & Support Team gave a
detailed presentation on the social care services delivered by the Council.
Anne also outlined training that each member received to ensure that the needs of each client was
being met, in particular care needs cultural assessments and that cultural needs were being
respected.
Anne further advised that the use of language line was being piloted to ensure communication
difficulties with non-English speakers could be overcome. It was noted that services were less likely to
be accessed by minority groups however progress was being made to ensure barriers were being
overcome, with reference being made to actions ongoing at the Ashram Centre and the provision of
training to informal carers.
It was also noted that the Gypsy Traveller community were often not accessing these services due to
traditional beliefs that family would provide care, however lack of knowledge on how to access
services was a concern.
Concern was also raised regarding the provision of care services at the Balmuir Wood site and which
local authority was responsible for community members here. It was remitted to Scott to seek clarity
on this issue and report back at the next meeting.
Thereafter, Bruce thanked Anne for her interesting and informative presentation and the meaningful
discussion that the presentation prompted.
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V
SINGLE EQUALITY SCHEME ANNUAL REPORT
Scott Mands gave a brief presentation to members on the Dundee City Council Single Equality
Scheme, which was approved by the Policy & Resources Committee on 14th February, 2011.
Scott advised that under this scheme Dundee City Council had raised staff and citizens awareness of
the Council's legislative equality duties and how communities were involved in the delivery of the
Council's Single Equality Scheme. The City Council also recognised and shared good practice
through the publication of all relevant equalities information on the Dundee City Council equalities web
pages.
In 2010 Dundee City Council's Equality Core Group also delivered regular equality briefings to the
Council Management Team on progress towards meeting the actions set out in the Single Equality
Scheme.
Furthermore, protected characteristic communities involvement in the delivery of the Single Equality
Scheme progressed through their increasing participation in Dundee City Council's Equality Action
Groups for race, ethnicity, religion, belief, disability, age, gender and sexual orientation, and all
relevant policies and practices put before Council Committee had been Equality Impact Assessed and
published on the Council Web pages.
Over two hundred Council staff were being trained in undertaking Equality Impact Assessments and
all departmental Equality Champions received regular equalities training and a corporate Equality and
Diversity Training Strategy was adopted.
Guidelines had been produced for accessible venues and events, and the City Council was taking a
lead role in the formation of a Hate Crime Working Group.
Members noted the progress that had been made in this first year of the scheme and welcomed any
future developments.
VI
AOCB
(i)
Ron McLaren advised that he had been involved in a Scottish Government Working
Group on Religion and Belief since 2007, and that the findings of this group was to be
launched on 8th march, 2011, entitled "Belief in Dialogue". It was agreed that Ron
give a full presentation at the next meeting.
VII
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
25th May, 2011.