Appendix 1
Progress on Anti Racism Strategy Prioritised Actions by BHCC Directorate
Below is a summary of the progress made against the prioritised actions in the council’s anti-racism strategy. It is important to note that all actions have been agreed on the basis they will be delivered over a five-year period 2023-28. Therefore, different actions will be at different stages of progress.
Housing Neighbourhoods and Communities Directorate
1. Anti-Racism Community Advisory Group
1.1. The Anti-Racism Community Advisory Group (CAG) continues to meet on a quarterly basis. The group is made up of community stakeholders, advocates and organisation leaders from Black and Racially Minoritised communities across the city. At every meeting, the communities decide on the topics they want to discuss and council officers that work in the respective areas deliver a presentation on the progress of their anti-racism work. The topics chosen by the CAG this year have been: Housing Management, Education, BME Infrastructure Support Network, Violence against Women and Girls.
2. Community Voluntary Sector Infrastructure Support Network
2.1. Using re-allocated funding from the World Re-Imagined Project (£110,000), and with the CAG’s agreement, the council commissioned an external consultancy (Ottaway Strategic Management) to research the Black and Racially Minoritised Community Voluntary Sector (CVS) infrastructure. This involved engagement with a wide range of organisations to ensure that community voices were involved from the very start in the decision-making process. In addition to appointing the consultancy, the council also created the post of Anti-Racism Project Officer to oversee, and project manage the work. The findings and recommendations from the report were considered by the Members Advisory Group (MAG) and CAG in April 2023. Both MAG and CAG agreed with working in a partnership of Black and Racially Minoritised CVS organisations to build an alliance of organisations to deliver infrastructure provision. The groups have chosen the name for this structure to be the ‘BME Infrastructure Network.’
2.2. Currently, we are working with a Steering Group made up of 7 such organisations who take responsibility for the strategic direction and management of the Brighton & Hove (B&H) ‘BME Infrastructure Network.’ The Steering Group members are working together to build an entity that can provide infrastructure support to Black and Racially Minoritised CVS organisations in Brighton and Hove. The 7 organisations that are currently engaged in the work of the Steering Group are: BME Community Partnership (BMECP), BME Young People’s Project (BMEYPP), Bridging Change, B&H Muslim Forum, Euro-Mediterranean Resources Network (Euro-Mernet), MOSAIC, Racial Harassment Forum (RHF) and Sussex Racial Equality Action Project.
3. Communities Fund
3.1. In 2023-24 period, £70,000 of grant fund money has been awarded to organisations that are led by and/or serve Black and Racially Minoritised communities through the Communities Fund. This includes the recently agreed ‘BME Engagement Fund’
3.2. The organisations funded are: EuroMernet, Socially Engaged Art Salon (SEAS), Writing Our Legacy, The Network Of International Women, BMECP, Sussex Refugee and Migrant Support, Kalinka Sussex Russian Centre, Migrant English Project, Salaam FC, Oromo Community in Brighton, Sussex Syrian Community, Brighton Malayalee Association, Sudanese Women and Children's Group, Sudanese Community in Sussex, UK Egyptian Coptic Association Sudan Club, Christian Arabic Club, I-Bogey, Walks of Wisdom, Brighton Multicultural Women's Cycling Group, Sudanese Society in Brighton and Hove, Christian Arabic Club, Black Anti Racism Community Organisation, Women of Colour Group Brighton.
4. Build and develop Libraries of Sanctuary work
4.1. The library service has begun consultation with public via workshops and community organisations such as Network of International Women. Externally facilitated library staff training has been completed and 40 Sanctuary engagements were achieved in Q2.
5. Increase engagement with and support for Black & Minoritised community groups in using libraries facilities
5.1. A Black History Month programme of events for all ages was delivered in Oct 2023 in collaboration with 6 local organisations. The Library services has also updated event evaluation forms to monitor relevant equalities data from attendees. They are also working with the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service to target engagement with schools more effectively
6. Housing Allocations Review
6.1. Housing Needs service are currently reviewing the way in which council housing is allocated. A thorough EIA is being undertaken to ensure we are aware of any disproportionate impacts to protected characteristics in the way housing is allocated. HNC’s EDI Business Partner and Legal Business Partner sit on the Allocation Policy Board to support with all equality considerations.
7. Overrepresentation of Black and Racially Minoritised residents in Temporary Acccomodation
7.1. A task and finish group has been established by the Housing Needs service to identify any disproportionate representation in temporary accommodation across protected characteristics. The group will gather insight into the causes of overrepresentation of Black and Racially Minoritised residents intersectionally, with the aim of developing better pathways to settled accommodation based on findings.
8. Improve reporting Pathways for Black & Racially Minoritised council tenants
8.1. The Housing Management team are developing a hate policy to address the reporting pathways of racism and hate incidents. They are signposting to services such as the Third Party Reporting Centre to provide support for victims of racism in council housing and accommodation.
8.2. Housing Management working with public health to undertake a health needs assessment within the Gypsy, Roma, traveller Community (GRT)
Environment, Economy and Culture Directorate
9. Engaging with Black and Racially Minoritised Artists
9.1. The Anti-Racism Collective (ARC), a working group of the culture alliance, is now formed and operating. It is being chaired by Kim Jack Riley, and recruiting new members Feb-Mar 2024, developing events to take place from April.
9.2. The Exhale Creative Grant scheme was successfully delivered June – November 2023, commissioning 3 projects that responded to the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade in the city and showcasing Black and Racially Minoritised local artists. The work has provided insight into the perspectives and needs of Black and Racially Minoritised creatives and artists working in the city. There was also press coverage in B&H News, The Argus and local blogs, as well as radio coverage on BBC Radio Sussex and Platform B radio. Evaluation docs for the awards show a high level of engagement and extremely positive feedback.
10. Embedding Anti-Racism Principles into the New Economic Strategy
10.1. Consultations for the new Economic Strategy commenced in November 2023 – January 2024. This included an 'inclusive and equitable' workshop in partnership with Brighton & Hove Connected, specifically focused on addressing key inequalities within the city. The consultants have also visited the Business and Intellectual Property Centre and spoken to key staff supporting delivery of advice to Black and Racially Minoritised entrepreneurs. There are plans to include a mission that focuses on addressing intersectional inequality and this will feed into the production of the final strategy.
11. Delivering an Emergency Food Needs Action Plan for Black and Racially Minoritised Communities and Refugees and Asylum seekers
11.1. In 2022-23, the council funded community organisation Bridging Change to develop a report on inequality in accessing emergency food resources in the city. They partnered with Brighton and Hove Food Partnership to complete this report, which outlined a list of recommended actions in response to the inequality their research highlighted.
11.2. Brighton & Hove Food Partnership are currently supporting food banks in getting food bank information translated. The University of Brighton has been connected with the Emergency Food Network and is implementing a range of measures following the report. The Emergency Food Network has had a facilitated meeting discussing the recommendations in the report. Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is now hosting Refugee and Asylum seeker cooking sessions at the Community Kitchen.
Families Children & Learning Directorate
12. Anti-Racist Strategic Lead now in post
12.1. In August 2023, FCL appointed the council’s first ever Anti-Racist Strategic Lead. The role’s focus is to support the development of anti-racist best practice and intersectionality within the directorate.
12.2. The role leads on anti-racist, cultural competence and racialised trauma training delivery, workshop facilitation and engagement. This is delivered to both FCL colleagues and city stakeholders such as rightoon & Hove Care Partnership multi-agency professionals, Sussex Police, Sussex Magistrates and judges, Brighton and Sussex University BA and MA social work students and Apprenticeships.
12.3. Additionally, the role aims to raise the profile of anti-racism work in social care with other local authorities nationally. This has included appearances and speaking engagements at conferences such as Community Care and the Careleavers Conference.
12.4. Further work of the Anti-Racist Strategic Lead has involved the continued advocacy and securing agreement for a Black and Racially Minoritised emotional support group, with an external facilitator, which continues on a bi-monthly basis. Additionally, the FCL Black and Racially Minoritised staff group continues monthly.
12.5. The role supports various boards and projects including the Workforce Race Equality Group (WRES) and social care’s Anti-Racist Project Board.
13. Training & Upskilling in Anti-Racism and Intersectionality
13.1. FCL’s Senior Leadership Team have been working through ‘The Good Ally’ written by Nova Reid. The majority of the FCL social workers/workforce have read and worked through the book ‘Me and my White Supremacy, written by Layla Saad. These books help facilitate conversations with White members of staff about racism and what they can do to understand the lived experiences of Black & Racially Minoritised people in order to become more informed allies. These conversations are supported by the Anti-Racist Strategic Lead.
13.2. Partners in Change consultations with the lead practitioner that offer reflective spaces for social workers to discuss race, culture and identity need of the children and families they may be working with.
13.3. Weekly anti-racist drop-in discussion groups continue in FCL. Anti-racist practice discussions in group supervisions.
14. Engagement with Families, Children and Carers
14.1. Continued engagement with the Black & Racially community groups and events such as BARCO, AFRORI Books, BMEYPP, A Seat at The Table.
14.2. Additionally, the role supports the establishing of engagement events and workshops, where the voices and views of Black & Racially Minoritised young people in the city and within social care can be heard. The next event is being organised in partnership with Audioactive, a community organisation, to hear the voices of young people. This will be held in April 2024.
15. Health & SEND
15.1. The Health and SEND service are working closely with the Anti-Racist Strategic Lead to identify key areas for development in the work. This includes having important conversations to help understand the impact of racism in the service and supporting staff to improve in their understanding of how racism ay manifest and how to address it.
Health and Adult Social Care Directorate
16. Adult Social Care
16.1. The Adult Social Care service is focusing on improving communication and engagement with Black & Racially Minoritised residents about adult social care services. They are also improving the collection and use of quantitative and qualitative data, and evidence on access to services and health and wellbeing outcomes experienced by Black & Racially Minoritised communities.
16.2. HASC has already started the work on embedding experience of Black and Racially Minoritised communities’ and intersectional considerations into the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and its products. JSNA review was completed and agreed by Health and Wellbeing Board. A Gypsy, Roma & Traveller community group were commissioned to co-produce qualitative health research.
17. Review access routes into Adult Social Care and embed anti racist best practice.
17.1. The Adult Social Care service is redesigning their Adult Social Care website and analysing it’s content with an anti-racist, intersectional lens, to make it more accessible. They have also developed an action plan, following an engagement report that Trust for Developing Communities (TDC) were commissioned to develop. The aim of the website redesign and action plan is to better utilise feedback and ensure more diversity in engagement with customers.
18. Public Health
18.1. Adjustments to case management system were made to help identify differences in access and outcomes for service users relating to their ethnicity and other intersectional protected characteristics to enable action planning to address inequality. The adjustments were also communicated to operational staff. Data review is planned for March 2024.
18.2. HASC identified the need to work across departments to have a consistent approach to improvement of the collection and use of data. Equalities commissioning subgroup was set up to monitor and use equalities information across commissioning.
18.3. Recommendations from Trust for Developing Communities (TDC) report on experiences of Black and Racially Minoritised services users have been turned into an action plan. Action plan was developed, response was published and actions were added to FIAP.
18.4. HASC Engagement & Involvement Reference Group has been meeting quarterly with an established work plan and is linking with the BHCC Engagement & Consultation Network to ensure activity is aligned with and compliments the corporate engagement work programme. Engagement Planning Tool was promoted and Reward & Recognition Policy is being developed.
18.5. HASC has been producing a steady flow of EIAs and officers demonstrated high levels of deep understanding and dedication to the process. EIA timetable was adjusted to reflect 2023/2024 directorate and service plans and monitoring of EIA tracker is taking place at DEDG. Work has also started on ensuring that any incomplete EIAs are finished and sent for review to EDI business partner, who has been meeting with officers to explore the best ways of providing regular support and advice.
Governance People and Resources Directorate
19. Diverse Talent Programme
19.1. The Diverse Talent (DT) programme is a staff development initiative for Black & Racially Minoritised staff members. It ran for 6 months from April to September 2023 and built on the success of the 2022 pilot DT programme. The programme aimed to support Black & Racially Minoritised colleagues with: personal and professional workforce development, increasing confidence and skills to progress in careers, to understand and overcome barriers in accessing opportunities and gaining promotion. This was a positive action programme driven by our data. The DT programme was structured over six months through a series of monthly workshops. Each participant was matched to a sponsor, a senior leader at the council, offered two coaching sessions as well as access to the council’s training offer via the new Learning Zone. There is much to learn from the programme, but there are key successes to take from this year’s programme including large increases in confidence for those who took part. Out of fifteen participants on the programme, two people were promoted within the council during the programme and a third person was offered an Apprenticeship. It is important to note that this programme ran at the same time the council implemented the recruitment freeze, so there were less opportunities available.
20. Anti-Racism Learning & Development
20.1. In the year April 2023 – April 2024 the council offered a total of 8 training sessions covering a range of different anti-racism topics. 3 of these sessions were titled ‘Active Anti-Racism’ and were facilitated by an external organisation, Watch This Space. Each session was 1.5 hours long and could accommodate up to 25 people. Of the total 75 spaces available, 55 attended.
20.2. A further 3 sessions were titled ‘Active Allyship’ and were also facilitated by Watch This Space. Each session was 1.5 hours long and could accommodate up to 25 people. Of the 75 spaces in total, 51 attended.
20.3. Another 2 sessions were titled ‘Racial Micro Aggressions – how to recognise and challenge’ and were facilitated by external organisation Amber and Green. Each session lasted 2.5 hours and accommodated up to 12 people. Of the 24 spaces in total, 15 attended.
20.4. Uptake is high and all sessions were fully booked with waiting lists. However, not everyone attends on the day, which is occurring across all training offers across the board. People get fined for not attending on the day if they have not cancelled their place beforehand.
20.5. For 2024-2025, the council has increased the number of anti-racism courses offered to staff members. There will be an additional 3 sessions of ‘Active Anti Racism’, including one session for Foster Carers. This will provide a total of 6 sessions and 150 spaces.
20.6. There will be an additional 2 sessions of ‘Active Allyship’. This will provide a total of 5 sessions and 125 spaces.
20.7. There will be an additional session of ‘Racial Micro Aggressions,’ this time facilitated by Diversity Resource International. This will provide a total of 3 sessions and 42 spaces.