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Dundee Community Planning Partnership. Winning Hearts and Minds - Equality, Diversity and Social Justice. Aims The session is designed to refresh, refocus and re-energise participants understanding of and commitment to leading on equality, diversity and social justice in Dundee
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Dundee Community Planning Partnership Winning Hearts and Minds - Equality, Diversity and Social Justice
Aims The session is designed to refresh, refocus and re-energiseparticipants understanding of and commitment to leading on equality, diversity and social justicein Dundee Learning outcomes Participants will Understand the legal and policy context including recent developments such as the Equality Bill, and other key drivers, levers and motivators for equality Identify and clarify language and terms associated with equality, diversity and social justice Understand the nature and impact of inequality and exclusion Be able to identify the barriers to equality, diversity and social justice Recognise the critical role of leaders in promoting equality, diversity and social justice Gain a greater sense of personal commitment to shifts in their own practice, and in promoting good practice in the workplace
6 equality strands Equality Diversity Rights-based principles 1.Language and terms; definitions, meaning, context Life circumstances Multiple, complex needs
Equality is about a fairer society where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential
An equal society… …protects and promotes equal, real freedomand substantive opportunity to live in the ways people value and would choose, so that everyone can flourish. …recognises people’s different needs, situations and goalsand removes the barriers that limit what people can do and can be.”
Equality in context Think Real and Perceived Equality
Diversity is… the recognition and valuing of difference in its broadest sense. It is about creating a culture and practices that recognise, respect, value and harness difference for the benefit of… NB the Equality Act (2006) describes diversity as quite simply being ‘the fact that individuals are different’
Disability Gender Age The 6 equality strands are… Race & ethnicity Sexual orientation Religion & belief
Lack of skills / qualifications Unemployment / worklessness Poor literacy / numeracy Disability Gender Life circumstances can include… Age Crime violence abuse Poverty Deprivation Peripheral rural remote Sexual orientation Race & ethnicity Religion & belief Drugs and / or alcohol Caring responsibilities Poor housing and homelessness
Multiple and complex needs “Complex needs is a framework for understanding multiple interlocking needs that span health and social issues. People with complex needs may have to negotiate a number of different issues in their life, for example, learning disability, mental health problems, substance abuse. They may also be living in deprived circumstances and lack access to stable housing or meaningful daily activity… Each individual with complex needs has a unique interaction between their health and social care needs and requires a personalised response from services.”
Complex realities illustrated… Jane is a 64 year old woman Lives alone on the 5th floor of a block of council flats on the edge of Dundee Income is from state pension and credits Has reduced mobility due to arthritis Father came to Britain from Jamaica in 1948. Mother followed 4 years later with children. Both parents are dead, Jane’s older brother died last year (in Cardiff). No other family connections locally Identifies as a gay woman (although no partner, or contact with LGBT orgs or groups) Describes herself as a Christian although she ‘never goes to church’ Social contact is mostly limited to a couple of concerned neighbours (who do a ‘wee bit’ of shopping for Jane) Jane feels socially and emotionally isolated… In what ways is Jane disadvantaged / at risk of disadvantage or discrimination?
2. Drivers, levers and motivators for Equality “Tackling health inequalities is a matter of social justice. It’s unacceptable in 21st century Scotland that some people can expect to die earlier than others, simply due to an accident of birth or circumstances”
Scottish Government strategic aims The Law Equality and Human Rights Commission The Business case Public duties Dundee Single Outcome Agreement 2008-11 Changing Demographics Drivers for equality Include... Social cohesion Professional codes & Competency frameworks The moral case The evidence base Social justice
The MacPherson Report, 1999 Describes institutionalised racism as… “The collectivefailureof an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to peoplebecause oftheircolour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes, and behaviourwhichamount to discriminationthroughunwitting prejudice, ignoranceandthoughtlessnessand raciststereotypingwhichdisadvantageminority ethnic people.”
The Law illustrated… The Scotland Act (1998) describes equal opportunities as…
Scottish Government Strategic Aims 1 Wealthier and Fairer 2 Healthier 3 Safe and Stronger 4 Smarter 5 Greener
Dundee Single Outcome Agreement 2008-11 “The Dundee Partnership has evidenced its commitment to equalities in relevant annual reports and external audits. This will remain a priority for continuous improvement over the next three years and beyond, as we continue to broaden and deepen the Dundee Partnership's agenda and representation to reflect all communities of interest and identity in the city…”
3.Attitudes, Inequality and Access... “If it is only bad people who are prejudiced, that would not have such a strong effect. Most people would not wish to imitate them… except in exceptional times… It is the prejudices of good people that are so dangerous.”
Poverty and prospects “Children born to parents in the lowest quintile (fifth) of Scotland’s population are “much more likely” to: have a single, teenage mother have been affected by maternal smoking, drinking or drug use during pregnancy not have been breastfed be weaned onto an unhealthy diet have poor dental health, and Receive relatively little stimulation.”
Stigmacould describe any process… ‘…whereby certain individuals and groups are unjustly rendered shameful, excluded and discriminated against’ World Health Organisation (2002)
Social Researchers conclude that… • We are more likely to express discriminatory attitudes where we lack personal experience • We are less likely to express discriminatory attitudes if we know someone who ‘belongs’ to a particular group • We are more comfortable with people who are more like us • Fears and concerns about the extent of ‘threat’ to our values, beliefs, culture are key reasons why we hold discriminatory attitudes
Ideologies of ‘Superiority’ Historically, discrimination and inequality have been founded on and justified by ideologies of ‘natural superiority’, sustained by institutions and structures and reflected in prevailing social and cultural ‘norms’ What attitudes, assumptions and beliefs have been / are still used to justify… Sexism? Racism? Ageism? Disablism? Heterosexism? Povertyism?
Institutional / Structural Society’s social, political, cultural and economic structures determine who has power and influence PCS model of Discrimination Cultural Societal and cultural ‘norms’ determine which groups are included and which are excluded Personal Individual’s thoughts, feelings and actions
Institutional / Structural Society’s social, political, cultural and economic structures determine who has power and influence PCS model of Discrimination Cultural Societal ‘norms’ determine which ‘groups’ are included and which are excluded Personal Individual thoughts, feelings … and actions
4. Leading from the front “If Rosa Parks had not refused to move to the back of the bus, you and I might never have heard of Dr. Martin Luther King…”
Dundee Community Planning Partnership Vision andPrinciples
Dundee Community Planning Partnership Community planning commitments
Dundee Partnership Strategic Outcomes 1 Dundee will be a regional centre with better job opportunities and increased employability for our people 2 Our people will be better educated and skilled within a knowledge economy renowned for research, innovation and culture 3 Our children will be safe, nurtured, healthy, achieving, active, respected, responsible and included 4 Our people will experience fewer health inequalities 5 Our people will have improved physical and mental well being 6 Our people will receive effective care when they need it 7 Our communities will be safe and feel safe 8 Our people will experience fewer social inequalities 9 Our people will live in stable, attractive and popular neighbourhoods 10 Our people will have high quality and accessible local services and facilities 11 Dundee will have a sustainable environment
How do I / we feel and think about… ...difference and diversity?
Hidden Bias Personal bias’ Managing personal bias’ 1. Recognise and acknowledge we all have biases 2. Understand the biases we personally hold 3. Discuss these with one another,challenge each other and remain vigilant, not only to our biases, but to those of others around us. 1. We tend to relate more comfortably to people who have the same / similar social identity and background to us 2. We tend towards a related and opposing bias against people we see as / believe to be different. 3. How do we identify people as being like us? Not surprisingly, factors such as sex, ethnicity and class are common…
Knowing your own Bias’ Psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington created Project Implicit as a means of examining personal bias through… Implicit Association Tests The tests claim to provide a measurement of unconscious bias, and while American. They can be accessed online at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit
Evaluation What was most helpful? What was least helpful? What have you learned? Will you think or do anything differently? If 1 represents really poor and 9 really excellent, how would you rate the session overall?
Winning Hearts and Minds Equality, Diversity and Social Justice Developed by for the Dundee Community Planning Partnership June 2009
