How the BME community get involved in Council Election 2017 Mizan - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

How the BME community get involved in Council Election 2017 Mizan Rahman, ELREC ‐ Diversity in Public Life Festive Gathering Event West Lothian Community Race Forum 12 December 2016 Civic Centre, Livingston

Diversity in Public Life • Launched in June 2015 • Scottish Government Equality Fund • Increase representation of BME community in public life, Edinburgh & Lothians • Public life = Community Councillors, Councillors, MSP, MP & public body board members

Diversity profile of West Lothian • 2 % Non white • 5.4% born EU/Non EU (out with UK, IRA) • 3.5% use different language at home • In West Lothian 10% of HHs where not all persons are in same ethnic group category

Current Diversity in public life • 17 BME Councillors (1.4%) in Scotland out of 1223 • 4 women councillors • 1 Councillor in Lothians (East Lothian) • 2 Candidates in 2012 election

Current Diversity in public life Council Election 2012: Candidates vs party In May 2016 total 6 BME 2 x Labour 1 x SNP 1 x L ib Dem 2 x RISE. TWO MSPs and ONE MP in Scotland.

Survey: Diversity in public life • July – Sept 2015, Edinburgh & Lothians, BME • Total survey respondents 195 • 71 % (MSP), 67% (councillors) never met • 60 % don't know who is their councillor

Survey: Diversity in Public Life • BME people are more interested in politics in general but less involved with the Scottish Political process

Major barriers: Diversity in Public Life

Major barriers: Diversity in Public Life Un-welcoming atmosphere Don't have time, busy with work don't know how to get involved / Never been asked or see the don’t know much of these opportunity to do so Do not know about public Never encouraged or get support appointments Didn’t know how to become Never had the opportunity to do so involved with community councils Never got an invitation for Not interested interview of public appointment

Progress: Community Council • Support on nomination process • Create public life portfolio • Networking and awareness raising • Joint work with Community Councils • 9 Community Councillors in Edinburgh • One in East Lothian

Newly Elected Community Councillors Neena Awarwal Fahmida Sultana Johura Khatun Khayrun Shah Broomhouse CC Craiglockhart CC West Pilton CC Gilmerton CC Abu Meron Darius Garab Bashir Malik Kashif Ather Granton CC Leith Links CC Leith Central CC Currie CC

Opportunities in West Lothian • 41 Community Councils in WL, active 34, next election Sept – Oct 2017 • Contact: Lorraine McGrorty, Community Council Liaison Officer. Tel. 01506 281609 or e ‐ mail lorraine.mcgrorty@westlothian.gov.uk www.westlothian.gov.uk/communitycouncils

Local authority election 2017 • Election will be on 04 May 2017 • Vote registration: www.gov.uk/register ‐ to ‐ vote • Campaign and hustling • Local branch of the political parties • Polling assistant & Counting agents • Polling agent

Local Authority Election 2017 • The average councillor spend council business is 36hr/pw • 40% of councillors have some form of additional employment outside of their councillor duties. • The basic remuneration £16,893 per annum • What do councillor do? http://localcouncillor.businesscatalyst.com/videos/what_do_councillors_do.mp4

www.localcouncillor.scot

Public Life Champion (PLC) Scheme Main characteristics of the scheme � Formal mentoring via expert mentors � To initiate alternative to the formal mentoring such as; networking, signposting, coaching and shadowing program etc � Flexible and suitable to individual needs and based on individual aspiration � Participants will also get benefit from peer support � Childcare support available for Women Eligibility � Member men/women of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) live/work in Edinburgh and the Lothians � Have a strong personal interest and focussed on certain level within Public Life

What we may offer • Shadowing with a MSP / MP • Trainings: Confidence building, Public speaking, Communication in Public & Equality • Childcare support • Attending to the parliamentary committees • Sign up to PLC scheme (deadline Jan 2017)

More information • www.diversityinpubliclife.wordpress.com • Facebook.com/diveristyinpubliclife

Mizan Rahman, Equality Engagement Officer E ‐ Mail: mrahman@elrec.org.uk Tel: 0131 556 0441