The joint equal opportunities programme
Trust Housing Association is part of an award-winning partnership focusing equality initiatives with two other Scottish national housing associations, Hanover (Scotland) and Bield.
In 1999, the three Associations commissioned research to examine the very low take up of housing, care and support services in Scotland by older people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities. The research confirmed that, while a demand for these services exists, a multitude of barriers has resulted in a dramatically less take up of these services, or indeed information about them. Such barriers include difficulties with language, literacy, culture, age, isolation, health and frailty. As a result, the Equal Opportunities Programme was created.
The remit of the programme is to promote fairness, equality and social inclusion for Scotland’s Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, particularly “hard to reach” groups such as older people. Its founding objectives are to:
- Encourage take up of services by BME older people
- Develop policy and procedures which promote positive action and which reflect current legislation
- Develop initiatives and promotional and marketing campaigns to raise awareness about the needs of BME older people and communities
- Encourage BME communities to seek Employment with the Associations, and to work in partnership with other agencies to develop equal opportunity practices in employment.
- Train staff on equality issues
Trust, Hanover (Scotland) and Bield have been recognised for the work of their Equal Opportunities Programme, including the ‘Diversity in Public Service Champion Award’ at the 2005 British Diversity Awards, and a finalist in the ‘Outstanding Achievement in Social Housing in Scotland’ category at the 2005 UK Housing Awards, amongst others.