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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,
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 - - 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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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Survey: Diversity in Public Life
- BME people are more interested in politics in general
but less involved with the Scottish Political process
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Major barriers: Diversity in Public Life
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Major barriers: Diversity in Public Life
Un-welcoming atmosphere Don't have time, busy with work don't know how to get involved don’t know much of these / Never been asked or see the
- pportunity to do so
Never encouraged or get support Do not know about public appointments Never had the opportunity to do so Didn’t know how to become involved with community councils Never got an invitation for interview of public appointment Not interested
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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
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Fahmida Sultana Broomhouse CC Neena Awarwal Craiglockhart CC Johura Khatun West Pilton CC Khayrun Shah Gilmerton CC Abu Meron Leith Links CC Darius Garab Leith Central CC Bashir Malik Currie CC Kashif Ather Granton CC
Newly Elected Community Councillors
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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
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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
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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
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www.localcouncillor.scot
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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
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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)
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More information
- www.diversityinpubliclife.wordpress.com
- Facebook.com/diveristyinpubliclife
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