The Challenge

 

We have set ourselves a challenging set of objectives and outcomes but on our own we are limited in what we can achieve.

 In order to strike the best balance between the breadth of our engagement and the depth of our impact we are committed to working in partnership with you all.

 

We are very excited about the work we have outlined in our work plan which we will be sharing with you.

 

The board aims to add value, through strategic alliances and mainstreaming this, begins with aligning our objectives with existing strategic frameworks across the region.

 

Hence we would like to end by extending an invitation to all regional agencies and BME third sector  to work with us on key race equality challenges to consider the added value to your organisations and establish a good working relationship by board members deputising on key regional strategic partnerships (for example, the equality and diversity partnership).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
You are here: About Us | Working With Us

The Lanscape

 

The BME communities and BME third sector continues to grow and provide a huge and diverse range of services to our communities across the region. It is essential therefore that the board is able to harness its capacity, skills and expertise by providing and sign posting the appropriate infrastructure needed to deliver excellence and following on from the success of the Yorkshire and Humber model has meant that rather than try to respond to the full range and breadth of priorities, the board will work to a very clear strategic remit to influence regional policy and to improve BME third sector and communities accessibility to high quality infrastructure support.

 

The West Midlands is the second most culturally diverse region in the U.K and diversity represents both an opportunity and a challenge to the region.

 

The diversity and size of BME communities is increasing. It is appropriate then that all organisations in the region need to improve their planning, monitoring and delivery if they are to engage and support increasingly diverse communities.

 

One of the main reasons for establishing this board was to fill a major gap in the West Midlands which allows regional agencies to ascertain expert views on race equality issues and also for the board to provide a coordinated response on regional policies affecting the BME third sector and communities by raising OUR VOICE at the regional level and develop effective linkages.

 

It is clear that with the national and regional changes in equality and diversity there is a distinct need for regional agencies to engage with a wide body of views given the importance placed on achieving their ambitions.

Purpose Of The Board

Our purpose and agreed terms of reference were agreed by the stakeholders to provide:-

 

A Scrutiny Role

The board will review and have oversight on policy and practise issues that substantially impact on BME communities and the wider BME  third sector .

The regional policy framework is a complex one and as a board we want to navigate this landscape by working with key regional agencies.

 

Our aim is to ensure that the tremendous breadth of exciting and emerging policies within the region such as the region economic strategy, local government white paper, sub national review recognise their responsibilities for promoting race equality and take on board a BME third sector perspective, thereby contributing to alleviating the social and economic exclusion for BME communities in the region and improving their quality of life.

 

Campaigning and Influencing 

 We want to actively campaign for influence on behalf of the BME and under third sector, (for example, the board will work with 3 regional agencies to identify opportunities for influence).

 

To be a Critical Friend

The board will challenge and support regional partners to come up with solutions to address areas of Inequality.

 

Consultation

The board will inform the wider BME communities and BME third sector of an awareness of regional policies and practice.

 

The board will also consult between the BME  third sector  as agents that support the communities that policies and intervention are intended to impact on.

 

Support 

 So that we can help build a well informed BME third sector that are aware of and can influence regional policies that affect them.