improving government service delivery to minority ethnic ... - NCCRI

D. Engagement
Facilitator: Patricia Clarke
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Firstly in terms of policy makers assuming that they actually know what the issues are and the needs of
ethnic minority ethnic groups; we agreed that these need to be properly articulated through a consultation
process. Sometimes it’s done with the best intentions but service providers don’t actually get it right. There
were various examples given this morning of this.
Secondly there is a need for greater flexibility in how services are delivered. In terms of regionalisation and
being able to adapt the delivery of the service at a local level to reflect the emphasis on individual needs,
the fact that one size/type does not fit all is clear.
And thirdly in terms of the funding which seems to come up at every conference; funding needs to be
identified and delivered for groups representing ethnic minorities which will lead to a better engagement.
The capacity of service providers actually needs to be improved as well to involve those groups within the
engagement process.
Facilitator: Joe Lenaghan
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In relation to how engagement can build capacity and how capacity building supports further engagement;
obviously that’s dependant on resources and in terms of public bodies, they have a responsibility to minority
ethnic organisations to facilitate their engagement in policy development which will deliver the services
which will meet their needs. So capacity building and resources are key in the engagement process.
Good models of engagement that were identified include the Ballymena Interethnic Forum where the
employment of a coordinator from a minority ethnic community facilitated the development of a minority
ethnic forum to engage with a forum of service providers. In relation to Travellers there is a need to develop
capacity of Travellers to engage on a regional basis with the housing executive on accommodation issues
within their own communities and within their own local area.
Some sectors can learn from other sectors. For example in health where there is a model of employing
bilingual staff who act as in an engagement process in terms of the delivery of the service and also
providing feedback to the service provider at a policy level about the difficulties and barriers faced by those
communities in accessing the services; which is a good model of employing members of minority ethnic
communities in the delivery of the service and the development of the policy. But that can be replicated
across other public sector organisations for example policing and education.
Summary of key points from Conference
Philip Watt, Director NCCRI
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The demographics of this island, indeed the demographics of Scotland as well are rapidly changing. We’re
seeing new communities springing up all over the place in Ireland, but also there’s a challenge to ensure
that the existing communities here, whether it’s the Traveller community, whether it’s the long established
Asian and African communities that already existed in Ireland and Scotland are included in the challenge to
public services to be as inclusive as possible.
The political context has been highlighted as being absolutely crucial and we’ve talked a lot about joined
up government. But I think the point was made over and over again by a number of people on the panel this
afternoon was the consistency of policy; it’s no good just developing policies to tackle discrimination or to
promote interculturalism if you don’t ensure that there’s consistency across the board whether it’s in relation
to immigration, whether it’s in relation to asylum and refugee policy or whether it’s in relation to Traveller
policy. And unless those policies are consistent, then the policy will not follow through adequately.