Get involved with tackling racial equality in London

We want to ensure our work is grounded and relevant so we can push this work forwards in the right direction at pace and we want to ensure we achieve sustainable change. We’re looking to create officer ‘doing groups’, by establishing several sub-groups to support the Tackling Racial Inequality Working Group.

So ‘now is not the time to be silent’ – why not get involved and join a sub-group on behalf of your council? Contact nancy.hunt@londoncouncils.gov.uk to find out more (colleagues at all levels are welcome).

 

Sub-Group 1: Demonstrating Leadership

Ensuring our boroughs demonstrate visible leadership on this agenda, both within authorities, but also across partnerships. Here, we can be pivotal in driving real change and leading by example for our communities and across the public sector.

What this might involve

  • Developing organisational commitment statements
  • Developing a Chief Executive’s London Committee statement
  • Developing an approach to assurance and accountability
  • Delivering the Tackling Racial Inequality Standard

This sub-group’s activity may appeal to those who can offer a strategic mindset or perspective around transforming the way local government operates.

Key activity so far

  • Working with London Councils to align our managerial leadership with the political leadership of the Leaders’ Committee.
  • Developing tools and guidance to support borough activity and develop solutions to significant challenges:
  • Developed a Racial Equality Standard prototype, which will help councils benchmark activities and establish an understanding of what ‘good’ looks like.
  • Developed guidance around the categorisation of Black, Asian and Minority -Ethnic communities and the use of the term ‘BAME’, to help authorities navigate pitfalls and contentious areas, such as the homogenisation of ethnic groups.
  • Continuing to work with the London Recovery Programme to use local government’s influence to put tackling racial inequality at the heart of activity.

 

Sub-Group 2: Our Role as Large Employers

Accelerating action to ensure and support boroughs in developing inclusive workforces – promoting diversity, becoming more culturally aware and supporting staff development. Building on initiatives developed by boroughs, helping to unblock barriers and share good practice.

What this might involve

  • Pan-London work to better understand staff representation
  • Reviewing recruitment practices and training offers

This sub-group might appeal to those who can hold focus groups, canvas views as well as those with human resources or Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion expertise. It may also be interesting to those with transformation roles or in a position where you can resource or pilot practice and new ideas in your borough.

Key activity so far

  • Worked with Heads of HR group to bring together a ground-breaking suite of pan-London data on ethnicity and pay.
  • Surveying and collecting examples of existing good practice.

 

Sub-Group 3: Challenging and Improving Practice

Sharing and building upon good practice at borough, sub-regional and regional levels to actively tackle racial inequality. There are many positive examples of how boroughs are talking racial inequality, however, local government can do more to share these to develop learning and understand what could be replicated elsewhere or at different levels.

What this might involve

  • Creating a central resource pool
  • Reviewing service areas to understand existing practices, disproportionate impact and drive activities
  • Working with the London Recovery Programme to use local government’s influence to put tackling racial inequality at the heart of activity.

This sub-group’s activity might appeal to those who are able to facilitate the sharing of practice to improve local government activity.

Key activity so far

  • Continuing to collect and share emerging best practice and will be developing a Learning Lab for boroughs.
  • Surveyed service area leads to understand the current state of play across services relating to activity, barriers, opportunities and possible next steps. We are now considering how to use findings to review thematic activity.

 

Sub-Group 4: Communication and Engagement

This sub-groups activity may appeal to those who can offer communications expertise, including the organisations of events or other engagement. What this might involve:

  • Delivery of a pan-London communications plan
  • Production of Race Matters, bi-monthly newsletter to borough staff

 

Sub-Group 5: Data Task-and-Finish

This task and finish group may appeal to people with expertise in using and improving the way we collect data.