Denham announces
successful projects to support communities in promoting race equality
A £9million
Tackling Race Inequality Fund (TRIF) to address discrimination and
underachievement has been announced by Communities Secretary John
Denham today.
After a wide-ranging consultation on improving opportunities for
minority ethnic people the Government is announcing a new
commitment to funding projects that will drive forward efforts to
promote race equality.
TRIF projects will give targeted help to disadvantaged groups and
all reflect a sense of shared values and fairness. The projects
are split between 21 national and six regional organisations and
include organisations such as the Stephen Lawrence Trust, Age
Concern, the Race Equality Foundation and Mind.
Speaking at the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, London, John
Denham said:
“This Government is committed to tackling disadvantage and
inequality in every part of our community. We recognise it is
still the case that many black and minority ethnic people face
particular challenges from discrimination and prejudice.
“These grants will help ensure that people get a fair deal – no
more, no less – whichever community they come from.”
Funding will be used to address:
Equal opportunities for people from BME communities
Projects like PATH Yorkshire who are “Building Britain’s Future”
by offering training for young people before they start an
apprenticeship. Overall, projects that have demonstrated they will
help develop a fairer society by tackling barriers to
participation based on race, colour or ethnicity have been
successful in obtaining funding.
Inequalities of access to services
TRIF grants are being given to projects aiming to reduce gaps
in outcomes for people from BAME groups in a range of public
services and in employment. Particular groups still face specific
challenges which prevent them realising their potential at school,
at work or in society – for example
• Pakistani and Bangladeshi women’s employment rates are 27% and
28% respectively;
• In 2004, Black Caribbean pupils were three
times as likely to be excluded from school than White pupils;
and
• Black African, Black Caribbean, Pakistani and
Bangladeshi men experience penalties in employment which cannot be
explained solely by educational achievement or other
socio-economic factors.
Increasing civic participation
Research has shown the most effective changes in communities
are instigated and led by those people who live there. Many people
from minority ethnic groups volunteer and are active in their
communities, but they are under-represented in public roles. Some
of the projects we are funding are seeking to support more
minority ethnic people to move into these roles.
Tackling racially motivated crime
Funding has been allocated to projects which work with local
bodies promoting race equality, including supporting the victims
of racially motivated crime.
Helping disadvantaged groups
Projects that focus on overcoming disadvantages and barriers
which hold people back, whether through social exclusion,
educational underachievement or poor housing have received
funding.
Research into race equality
Funding is being targeted
towards projects which will help increase the evidence base about
the challenges facing minority ethnic communities and ways to
tackle them. The Government’s recent REACH strategy identified
factors which led to young black men having fewer opportunities
available to them.
Notes to Editors
1. The Tackling Race Inequalities Fund (TRIF) was announced on 24
February, in parallel with the publication of a tackling race
inequalities discussion document, an update report on the
Government’s previous race strategy and a series of regional
listening events. Visit http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/racecohesionfaith/raceandethnicity/
for more information.
2. Applications were invited for two-year strategic TRIF funding
between £200,000 and £450,000 for national and regional
organisations best placed to support the Government’s work to
tackle race inequalities. Applications were received from 127
organisations from a broad spectrum, including national
organisations who want to expand their work with BME communities
such as MIND, the mental health charity or Age UK (consortium of
Help the Aged and Age Concern). For a list of successful TRIF
project applications visit http://www.communities.gov.uk/statements/corporate/trifstatement.
For further details please contact the Press Office.
3. Building Britain’s Future can be found at www.hmg.gov.uk/buildingbritainsfuture.aspx
Contacts:
Communities Local Government
NDS.CLG@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Erica McAlpine
Phone: 020 7944 3288 Out of hours: 020 7944 5945
press.office@communities.gsi.gov.uk