Released: 12th October 2007.
Much to welcome in the Government’s reply to the Commission on Integration and Cohesion if doubts remain over funding for ‘single identity’ groups
Black and Minority Ethnic Third Sector partnership organisation Voice4Change England (V4CE) has broadly welcomed the Government’s response to the ‘Our Shared Futures’ report produced by the
Commission on Integration and Cohesion. The response comes in a letter from Hazel Blears, DCLG Secretary of State, to the Commission’s Chair Darra Singh that sets out the Government’s position in advance of a formal response in 2008.
Voice4Change England Director Vandna Gohil commented: “There are a number of areas where the Government’s has responded to concerns we have raised, especially the acknowledgment of the importance of specialist support provision in supporting marginalised communities, and in developing Cohesion Guidance for funders instead of the proposed Guidance to assist funders in deciding the appropriateness of ‘single group funding’. We also welcome the increased investment and the new PSA indicators on ‘meaningful interaction’ and on ‘developing a sense of belonging’.
Yet, we remain concerned about a number of key areas, in particular how the £50 million be allocated to local authorities to promote community cohesion given that some councils are already implementing the proposals suggested by the Our Shared Future report. Our worry is whether local voices are being heard in deciding local priorities for cohesion. If this is not the case than the default position of ‘one size fits all’ approach will be adopted, which is counter to the sentiments expressed in the Secretary of State’s response.
We are pleased to see that the letter does not use the terms ‘single identity’ or ‘single group’ and strongly urge the DCLG to discourage local authorities and other funding agencies using it in setting their policies. Generally speaking we believe a balanced approach is needed to bridge the gap between the ‘arriving communities’ and the ‘receiving communities’.”
Vandna Gohil added: “We will maintain our dialogue with the Department and seek a formal response on a review of Annex D of the Commission’s report, and welcome an opportunity to be involved in the development of Cohesion Guidance for funders using the experience of our Partners to ensure that that the role BME groups play in bonding and bridging communities is recognised and valued.”
The sections below outline the positive and areas of concern on the Secretary of State’s letter to the Commission’s Chair.
Voice4Change England concerns that the Government has listened to
1. The letter acknowledges that the terminology of ‘Single Group Funding’ as outlined by the Commission might be misleading and that the new funding guidance on Cohesion will be for all funded organisations to consider and not just the BME voluntary sector. The guidance will focus on activities that support defined outcomes and not on the type of organisation.
2. There is also an acknowledgment of the specialist support provision for example to migrant communities and to women within particular communities with recognition that “organisations formed around one particular identity may still provide activities for many communities and groups” and that these organisations are agents of social change and should “continue to support excluded and marginalised communities to succeed”.
3. And finally with this backdrop our main demand has been heard; instead of the previously proposed Guidance to Funders in deciding on the appropriateness of Single Group Funding,
Hazel Blears talks about Government’s Cohesion Guidance for Funders which will clarify how organisations working at local level can best provide the bridging activities that the Government wants to prioritise.
Other aspects of the Government response that Voice4Change England welcomes is the:
1. Announcement of £50million investment over next three years to promote community cohesion and support local authorities in preventing and managing community tensions; an increase from £2million in 2007/08.
2. Extended emphasis on Cohesion to be measured by Public Service Agreements for Local Authorities – two new indicators focused on ‘meaningful interaction’ and on ‘developing a sense of belonging,’ to be introduced.
3. Focused support from central Government for local areas who are now charged with building cohesion as part of their core business. The new Local Area Agreements will empower Local Authorities “to set their own agendas on cohesion and to decide where their own priorities lie”. We welcome DCLG’s plan to publish best practice for different types of areas and the shift from developing top down national policies on a ‘one size fits all’ basis.
Aspects of the Government response that Voice4Change England remains concerned about:
1. Although we are delighted to see more investment for ESOL provision, we still believe that translation and interpretation services to diverse communities in specific services such as health and legal justice are vital to tackle discrimination and persistent inequalities. We would like to assume that the proposed ‘local area information packs’ for new arrivals will be available in languages of the arriving communities.
2. On a more general level, it is worrying to note that the current discourse of Cohesion and Integration seems to suggest that ‘arriving communities’ are more responsible to understand the ‘local customs’. We favour a more balanced approach to bridge the gap of awareness and understanding between the ‘arriving communities’ and the ‘receiving communities’ with equal responsibilities on both to nurture a culture of tolerance and accept diverse cultures and customs.