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Most of the points in this part apply to any minority group, whether it's disabled people or single parents. Good planning and good listening always matter. But work with minority ethnic groups can pose its own challenges and does need careful planning. Environmental groups have been seeking to develop this work for many years and there have been some major failures alongside the success stories. The size and composition of minority ethnic communities in any area varies enormously. In some rural areas minority ethnic groups may represent only one or two per cent of the population; in other, more urban areas, so called 'ethnic minorities' may well be majorities. Where there is a substantial population, then planning carefully to involve these communities should be a priority. There is some history to deal with: some groups have in the past directly accused environmental groups of being for 'whites only': this kind of myth and attitude needs to be tackled by showing that it simply isn't true. This is ever more important as diversity in the UK continues to increase. London is now believed to be the most diverse city in the world, with more languages spoken there than anywhere else. Many UK cities and urban areas include large well-established minority ethnic groups, and there are new smaller communities who may be less organised and have less understanding of local issues. Success starts with good planning. Find out exactly which ethnic minorities are living in the area and if any organisations represent their interests. Many are well-organised with strong community networks. Faiths play a strong part in the lives of many ethnic minorities (but by no means all) and the local mosque, church or synagogue may have useful ideas and information. If you are at all unsure who to contact first then start by asking other voluntary networks, the Council, or your local Race Equality Council or Partnership for advice. When you're doing local survey work, remember that it's not just about skin colour: many minority ethnic groups, such as Bosnians, Armenians, Travellers and others are white. Identify the communities and seek first to understand their priorities. They may be newly arrived refugees from war zones or they may be part of a community that has been here for hundreds of years. Try and find a few individuals who will spend time with you explaining these matters. Learn about and understand key cultural issues. These may well affect the ways you work (Orthodox Jews, for example, may not want to support project work on the Sabbath (Saturday), and you may need to provide prayer rooms for Muslims). This is where hands-on local project work can be important and useful. It's easy to understand and, if you plan it well, easy to do and get involved in. Setting up a small local project can be a valuable way to build a better understanding and to begin moving towards greater long-term involvement. An initial discussion with interested people may be based partly on your ideas but should also be open to their ideas and proposals. Food growing has been a common way to start joint working. Many communities want the fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits that may not be easily available in local shops, and people may also have skills in gardening and farming. There are many successful projects working with ethnic minorities on these issues. Your local Food Links project (www.localfoodworks.org) or City Farm (www.farmgarden.org.uk) may be able to point in the direction of existing projects that might inspire people. But don't assume that everyone will be interested. They may be more concerned about unsafe open spaces in the area or lack of activities for young people. Language is often an issue. This is more important in some cultures than others, and is often a major factor if you are hoping to work with older people or women. The best way forward is to get a few people from the particular ethnic community involved as early as possible and get them to help with day-to-day interpretation. Many groups have started by translating information and leaflets. Your local Council or Race Equality Council (REC) can probably assist with this; be sure to build in the time and money for this to happen in your project. This may well raise interest, but be aware that people may then turn up for project work expecting someone to be there who can speak the language. This has caused major problems on a few occasions! Working with travellers Refugees and asylum seekers are often special cases: they may be the most deprived people in any community. They are likely to have been forced to leave their homes and have little say in the community they have arrived in, often being housed in the neighbourhoods that are least popular with local people. In this situation it is no surprise to discover that they may not be clear on what they can do locally, but that does not mean that they don't have the skills and resourcefulness to improve their lives. If you are working in an area with a sizeable refugee population then a project with them may produce some very positive results. It is important to work through existing support agencies to see what kind of projects may meet their needs. Don't ever treat minority ethnic groups as just that. Any group of people will have concerns, and theirs may not relate to their ethnicity. Their concerns may be partly about that, but could also relate to the fact that they are women or older people or are dog-walkers (or all of these things!). It's also important to be aware that minority ethnic communities are as different from one another as any other community group is to its neighbours. Just because something works well with one group we shouldn't assume it can be easily replicated elsewhere. All content copyright © 1986-2009 BTCV Ltd. Registered charity No. 261009 |
