Released: 22nd July 2008.
“BME Third Sector contributes to cohesion”
National organisation Voice4Change England has called for the vital contribution of the BME third sector to be recognised and appropriately funded.
According to V4CE Director Vandna Gohil: “A consequence of the claim that supporting diversity encourages division is that Black and Minority Ethnic organisations increasingly face a new burden of proof to demonstrate their work also benefits British society. This move away from the funding of single identity groups threatens the funding base of the BME Third Sector and puts at risk the vital work it does in bonding society and promoting cohesion. The Government needs to both recognise this contribution and ensure it is fairly funded.’
She added; “To facilitate this V4CE has convened a policy symposium so that the BME third sector can engage with generalist third sector organisations, academics and funding agencies, to inform the making of public policy on cohesion where the role of the BME third sector is recognised and concepts of equality, diversity, multiculturalism and cohesion are collectively discussed and deliberated.
The event brings together 50 of the country’s key thinkers to discuss ‘Equality and Cohesion in Diverse Britain’ and takes place at Goodenough College, London, on Wednesday 23rd July.
Attendees will hear a keynote address by Dr Amrit Wilson, Honorary Research Fellow at Royal Holloway College. She will talk about ‘Changing meanings and interpretations of equality, multiculturalism, cohesion and integration in the making of public policy in England’.
Two other papers will be presented.
In ‘The Cohesion Debate and the Role of BME third sector organisations in Diverse Britain’ Dr Sanjiv Lingayah, of London Metropolitan University, will suggests a greater role for BME third sector organisations in contributing to cohesion objectives. The paper also calls for a more productive approach to support BME third sector organisations to shape a Britain that is more united in its diversity.
In ‘Needs, Equality and Community Cohesion: An Anthropological Insight of Public Policy’ Dr Daljeet Singh, Policy Officer with North East of England BME Network BECON, will argues that the proposed ‘cohesion model’ does not recognise the social reality of a multicultural society where unfulfilled needs can cause conflicts and lower mutuality among diverse communities. He concludes that ‘in a multicultural context, fulfilling differential and different needs of communities and individuals will require a fundamental reshaping of public institutions, rebalancing of power and a collective re-examination of the national ‘self’.’
The symposium is timely, coming after the High Court victory for Southall Black Sisters in their fight to protect services for their users. SBS successfully challenged Ealing Council’s decision to withdraw funding – a decision based on a pre-emptive use of the Government’s draft Cohesion Guidance for Funders – in line with Communities & Local Government’s stated aim to move away from funding single group.
Ends,
Further details from Martin Ball, V4CE Head of Campaigns, on 020-7843 6131 or 07794-424591.
Copies of the briefing papers are available on request.