Theme Key:

Issue based resources Resources for specific target groups Community leadership and management

Developing citizens’ skills and confidence Understanding and influencing structures and processes Case Study

Overcoming Inequalities in Service Provision: Tendring and Minority Ethnic Partnership

Inspire East/ National Empowerment Project

A group experience

Tendring and Colchester Minority Ethnic Partnership (TaCMEP) worked to promote good race relations, eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunities among all residents in Colchester and Tendring.

Inspire East is the regional centre of excellence for sustainable communities in the East of , with the aim of delivering the knowledge, skills and advice that inspire people to use and apply best practice.

Funded by: Department for Communities and Local Government

“When I walk in… I relax!”

1. Project purpose

Tendring and Colchester Minority Ethnic Partnership (TaCMEP) was formed in 2002 under the objective of raising awareness and improving the understanding of religious, ethnic and cultural difference. TaCMEP built on the foundations set by the North East Minority Ethnic Project , established by a group of retired Black Caribbean nurses who responded to poor black, Asian minority ethnic (BAME) health service provision.

The following statutory bodies provided funding and support for TaCMEP:

• Colchester Borough Council • Council • Essex County Council • North East Essex Primary Care Trust • Colchester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership • Tendring Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership

TaCMEP works to promote good race relations, target discrimination and reduce inequality. Its objectives are:

• Improve access to health and other services for the minority ethnic (BAME) community • Address specific health problems associated with BAME people in conjunction with Primary Care Trust, health centres and surgeries • Promote awareness and understanding of issues related to cultural difference through a programme of training within all statutory and voluntary bodies • Work in conjunction with the Police to reduce cases of racial harassment and domestic violence within the BAME community • Develop strategies to put an end to discrimination and inequality • Engender within the BAME community a sense of self-worth and empowerment • Forge links with relevant voluntary/ community organisations in Tendring and Colchester to identify specific areas of deprivation • Ensure the objectives of the BAME Partnership become embedded within all services

Context

Colchester is situated in northeast Essex near the Suffolk boundary with a population of around 160,000 (see figure 1 for key population statistics). It is close to Stansted Airport and London and is the oldest recorded Roman town. Tendring, also in the northeast of Essex, extends from the River Stour in the north to the River Colne in the south, with the coast to the east and the town of Colchester to the west. The largest town in the Tendring district is Clacton-on-Sea, with a population of 53,000 (see figure 2 for key population statistics).

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2. Project activities

There were three full-time and four part-time staff at TaCMEP: A Case Worker, two Community Development Workers, one Community Project Worker, one Senior Support Project Worker and two Administrative staff, as well as many volunteers.

Needs Analysis

In 2005 TaCMEP carried out a needs analysis to push the organisation forward. The following BAME community groups were involved and consulted:

• Albanian/ Kosovan refugees • Black African • Black Caribbean • Bangladeshi • Chinese • Iraqi asylum seekers and refugees • Turkish refugees • Indian • The Islamic Society (University of Essex)

Findings:

• About 80% of the respondents did not know how to make complaints about healthcare services, even though nearly half of the participants had cause to complain. Only those who spoke English had made complaints and they reported that they had been dissatisfied with the outcome of these complaints; • Healthcare professionals, housing staff and support/administrative staff lacked awareness of the cultures and religions of the service users. This was a barrier to accessing services; • The majority of respondents felt that the Primary Care Trusts’s generic services were not appropriate for their health needs; • Some health, social care and housing staff were reported to be unsympathetic to refugees /asylum-seeking service users.

The projects

Following on from the needs assessment, in 2007 TaCMEP established specific projects to ensure they were focusing on meeting the needs identified. The projects were:

• Health

BAME access to health services was improved by reviewing the availability and use of advocacy and interpretation and the provision of information. BAME Health Champions were recruited and trained to deliver health awareness information to their communities. They also sought to promote healthy living through sport and exercise class provision.

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• Mental health

A Community Development Worker was appointed in 2007 to implement the Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health national guidelines to address BAME mental health needs.

• Older people

BAME Senior Support worked with BAME people aged 55 and over to help improve their quality of life. The BAME people become involved in decision making and gained greater control over their daily life, by leading and participating in local activities.

• Information, training and guidance

An important aspect of training and guidance is providing information in various forms. TaCMEP provided English language learning opportunities through informal classes and conversation practice, as well as through direct assistance with filling in forms and access to interpreters. TaCMEP also ran open forums in Colchester and Clacton to ensure members of the BAME community could share ideas, meet new people and raise issues.

• Casework

Caseworkers supported residents with issues such as housing, welfare benefits, health care, residency and cases of discrimination. They have achieved successful outcomes, one example being an African lady who was experiencing racial discrimination and harassment at work. TaCMEP resolved the issue via a tribunal, which resulted in compensation for the lady whilst her employers were duly penalised.

3. Project outcomes

For individuals

Individuals who have benefited from TaCMEP’s services have reported a range of impacts:

• Confidence • Visibility and recognition • Skills and knowledge • Independence • A sense of belonging • Problem solving (through case work) • Access to benefits, services and housing • Better health and mental well-being

English lessons have helped individuals in the BAME community complete forms, access jobs, improve their CVs and talk to people outside their social circle, all of which has improved their quality of life. Staff at TaCMEP have also benefited through personal skills development and an increase in confidence.

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For communities

Diverse communities within the BAME population have been brought together and interaction between the BAME and White British population has increased as a result of the project.

TaCMEP has helped new communities settle into the area through co-operative working with external partners, such as the council’s Iraqi Community Re-settlement Programme. They have also worked to ensure the impact on these communities is sustained long term, for example through the creation of community groups. Currently they are helping the Iraqi group develop and constitute their own organisation.

TaCMEP organised a food hygiene course as part of the health project. Participants used their training to set up stalls during a summer event. As well as generating income, it created meaningful interaction between individuals in different communities as they talked about and shared food.

In one case, a Middle Eastern family was facing severe financial difficulties. TaCMEP discovered that they were not aware of all the financial support that was available to them. The Caseworker helped them identify and access these funds.

Events

Events have played a key role in helping TaCMEP meet its objectives. In 2008, the partnership held an event in a local park to bring different communities together to share and celebrate the cultures of Tendring and Colchester. They established a Family Fun Day where other voluntary and community organisations could promote their work. There was also a stage where the BAME communities could perform music and dance.

4. Lessons learnt

• Displaying evidence of the needs you are addressing is crucial. Even if you know or suspect they exist, it is crucial to demonstrate this • Be aware of conflicts or issues between different BAME communities, seek to share power in equitable ways and focus on collective achievements • Knowledge, profile and foundations in an area hold the key to successful events • When funding is tight prioritise and signpost clients to other organisations and use volunteers to meet need and demand. Some clients approached TaCMEP after having gone to other organisations where they did not receive appropriate support. Many were extremely distressed or traumatised by what they were going through, so it is vital to be sensitive and reassuring • Profile and visibility of your organisation is crucial in order to build trust with communities. Open days, events and piggybacking on other organisations work are all effective ways of reaching out • Ultimately TaCMEP worked to create a desirable community to live in where everyone is equal, happy and secure. A place where white and black, Asian or African, women and men, atheist and Hindu, Iraqi and Pole, recent immigrant and indigenous populations feel at home and feel part of a welcoming community

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5. When project funding finishes...

Lasting impacts

• Improved cohesion between different communities • Improved skills and confidence of those involved in the project, e.g. knowing where to go when faced with a particular problem

6. Quotes

“When I need help filling in applications I come to TaCMEP and for help and advice with bills.”

Beneficiary

“I enjoy working with people and families who need help with all sorts of things, like applying for welfare benefits, housing problems, getting health care and education. I cannot solve every problem but I will always try my best.”

TaCMEP Caseworker

“TaCMEP helped me with advice about how to pay my car tax, and what to do when I had an accident.”

Beneficiary

Contact details

Organisation : TaCMAP Telephone : 01206 769789

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Appendix

Figure 1. Population statistics of Tendring (Office of National Statistics)

Group

Total population 146,200

White 94.8%

Asian or Asian British 1.7%

Black or Black British 1.9%

Chinese or other Ethnic Group 1.3%

Mixed 1.5%

Figure 2. Population statistics of Colchester (Office of National Statistics)

Group

Total Population 181,000

White 92.1%

Asian or Asian British 2.5%

Black or Black British 1.5%

Chinese or other Ethnic Group 2.2%

Mixed 1.7%

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