The CLG Race Equality and Diversity Division REACH

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The CLG Race Equality and Diversity Division -
REACH
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Introduction

• The Race Equality and Diversity Division (REDD)
  is the cross-cutting CLG Division responsible for
  taking forward the programme of work outlined in
  David Williams presentation
• We are based in CLG but work across Whitehall to
  address issues of race equality.
• The presentation this morning provided an
  overview of our work, this session will focus on
  our major cross-cutting project to increase
  aspirations and attainment amongst young Black
  men and boys - REACH.
• The presentation will set out
• - the background to the project
• - the key recommendations of the project
• - the work we are undertaking in response to
  each of the recommendations.

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REACH - The Background

• REACH is one of a series of project groups set up
  as successors to the Stephen Lawrence Steering
  Group (LSG) and the Race Equality Advisory Panel
  (REAP).
• Set up in line with the move to a largely
  project-based approach, in which groups with
  relevant perspectives, community links and
  expertise are brought together for a limited
  period of time to offer advice on a particular
  issue, or set of issues.
• Involved experts, practitioners, business
  leaders, professionals, opinion formers including
  those with community links, some younger people
  and leading academics.
• Established in February 2006, has been chaired by
  Clive Lewis

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Purpose of REACH

• In many different aspects of life, it seemed we
  were failing black boys and young men
• Disproportionately poor outcomes in education
• Over-representation in the criminal justice
  system
• Anecdotal evidence - vulnerable to alternative
  lifestyles and behaviours and look up to role
  models whose influence can be negative
• There was a need to engage wide range of
  stakeholders working in this field to look at the
  issue and come up with practical evidence based
  recommendations which will make a real difference
  on the ground

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Terms of Reference

• Identify issues impacting on aspirations and
  achievement of black boys and young men and draw
  together existing research on these issues
• Identify examples of good practice and mechanisms
  for dissemination
• Consider the possibility of piloting different
  techniques
• Improve engagement with stakeholders, black boys
  and young men, to increase effectiveness of
  Government policy for this group, and
• Produce a final report with recommendations
  which will be used to influence policy-making
  across Whitehall and in the Regions
• Statement of purpose
• By March 2007, the group will have produced five
  evidence-based recommendations that we consider
  will effectively raise the attainment and
  aspirations of young Black boys and men, and the
  stakeholders involved in the process

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Successful Delivery

• Actively engaged with stakeholders across the
  country to bring together evidence of both the
  issues and the successes of projects tackling
  them.
• Able to commission and publish economic analysis
  into the benefits of tackling the
  underachievement of Black boys and young Black
  men providing a clear and compelling business
  case for change.
• Independent report, published and launched in
  August 2007
• Made five clear, focused and practical
  recommendations to Government and others on
  measures that could improve the attainment and
  aspirations of Black boys and young Black men.
• Impact of the report raised the profile of the
  issues across all communities.
• Ensured Government action against all of the 5
  recommendations.

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Five Recommendations

• 1.National Role Model Programme
• The Government should introduce a structured
  national role model programme for Black boys and
  young Black men.
• 2. VCS Black-led Consortia
• Voluntary and Community Sector organisations
  working to support Black boys and young Black men
  should form Black-led Consortia, supported by the
  Government.
• 3. Family-School Partnerships
• The Government should establish a national
  framework of family-school partnerships, ensuring
  that the specific needs of Black families are
  integral to the framework.
• 4. Strengthen delivery of race equality duties in
  schools
• Ofsted, DCSF and relevant field forces (such as
  School Improvement Partners) should take urgent
  steps to strengthen existing systems to ensure
  that
• (a) Ofsted effectively and consistently report on
  schools delivery of their race equality duties,
  and
• (b) Relevant field forces challenge and support
  school in their delivery of those duties.
• 5. Delivery Taskforce
• Communities and Local Government should appoint a
  taskforce (with a time-limited remit) that will
  drive forward the delivery of the REACH
  recommendations, within the wider achievement
  agenda for Black boys and young Black men,
  reporting to a Minister for Race.

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Governments Response

• The Government responded to the recommendations
  in December 2007
• Recommendation 1 Role Models
• The Government will
• 1. Launch a search for 20 national Black male
  role models, who will be inspirational and
  motivational. The Black community itself and
  Black boys and young Black men will have a strong
  voice in the selection process.
• 2. Establish a national role modelling hub to
  support local community groups, showcase these 20
  top Black role models and publicise good
  practice, case studies and toolkits. This will
  provide content to support the existing, local
  Black VCS organisations.
• 3. Work with established national role modelling
  and mentoring umbrella organisations such as the
  Mentoring and Befriending Foundation (MBF) so
  that their best practice mentoring case studies,
  guidance, toolkits, training and quality
  standards can be used to support small scale,
  local organisations.
• 4. Work with other organisations to create a
  resource for schools and VCS organisations to
  draw on.

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Governments Response

• Recommendation 2 VCS Consortia
• 1. Communities Secretary Hazel Blears will be
  writing to the leaders of each local authority in
  England to encourage them to support these local
  consortia.
• 2. In addition, we will invest in the long term
  sustainability of the third sector through
  support to community anchor organisations. Large
  neighbourhood based organisations, increasingly
  known as community anchors, play a vital role in
  supporting other community sector groups.

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Governments Response

• Recommendation 3 Family School Partnerships
• 1. We will be working to ensure arrangements to
  strengthen links between schools and families are
  widespread nationally, taking account of the
  needs of Black families.
• 2. Family-school partnerships will look
  different in each area, as they adapt to local
  needs. However, we would expect that many would
  include
• Workshops for schools and families on what they
  need to know and can do to raise achievement and
  aspirations.
• Systems for encouraging more Black parents to
  become school governors, teaching assistants and
  teachers.

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Governments Response

• Recommendation 4 Strengthening Delivery in
  Schools
• 1. Ofsted will
• Continue to develop its inspection methodology
  and will consult with EHRC and the REACH
  Taskforce.
• Keep the quality of its reporting under review
  through its quality assurance processes.
• Regularly sample reports to check on how well and
  consistently race equality issues are reported,
  and make improvements where needed.
• Ensure that there are formal mechanisms in place
  to measure and monitor progress against the
  specific actions in its Race Equality Action
  Plan.
• 2. We will also work closely with DCSF school
  improvement partners to focus on race equality in
  those schools where there is an issue. The
  roll-out of SIPs will be completed by April 2008.
• .

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Governments Response

• Recommendation 5 Leadership
• 1. A Ministerial board will be set up to drive
  forward the implementation of these
  recommendations, led by Hazel Blears, Cabinet
  Minister for race and faith issues.
• 2. This board will include Ministers from the
  relevant departments necessary to drive the
  response to the recommendations forward and will
  include representatives from
• The Department for Children, Schools and Families
  
• The Department for Innovation, Universities and
  Skills
• Cabinet Office/Office of the Third Sector
• Home Office.
• Reverend Joel Edwards from the Equalities and
  Human Rights Commission
• 3. We will establish a central taskforce to take
  this work forward, including members of the REACH
  group, officials from a variety of Government
  departments and external experts.

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Governance Structures

• Ministerial Board Chaired by Hazel Blears
• To drive forwards the REACH agenda, ensuring
  that the recommendations are implemented and that
  delivery stays on track. Ensuring that the
  implementation of the REACH project is a priority
  across Government, and the aspirations and
  attainment of Black boys and young Black men are
  raised.
• 2. Central Project Board jointly chaired by
  CLG/REACH
• Responsible for the delivery of the entire
  project,
• 3. Working Groups for each of the
  recommendations
• Responsible for the overall direction and
  management of the part of the project specific to
  their recommendation

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Measures of Success

• Outcomes by 2020
• Significant reduction in attainment gap at GCSE
  level for Black boys
• Significant reduction in differential exclusion
  rates for Black boys
• Significant improvements in achievements of Black
  boys and young Black men due to increased
  involvement from the 3rd sector in providing
  services
• Significant improvement in representation of
  Black men in positions of power eg Board members
  in FTSE 250, Cabinet members in Government
• Significant improvement in self-image,
  self-confidence and self-esteem of Black boys and
  young Black men
• Significant improvement in teachers and general
  publics perceptions of Black boys and young
  Black men, alongside higher aspirations for them
• Significant reduction in numbers of Black boys
  and young Black men entering the Criminal Justice
  System
• Positive impact in terms of economic benefit to
  economy and society (PwC work)

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Progress to date

• Role Models
• The search for the 20 national role models will
  be launched in early July 2008 the application
  pack/media campaign is currently being developed.
  
• VCS Consortia
• Currently scoping good practice case studies of
  small VCS organisations working together
  effectively to inform Hazel Blears letter to
  local authorities
• Family School Partnerships
• Held brainstorming session to identify key
  priority issues, linking in with DCSF on how to
  improve communication and interaction between
  Black parents and schools
• Ofsted
• REACH stakeholders are meeting Ofsted/DCSF
  officials to develop action plan
• Governance
• Ministerial Board and supporting working groups
  established to drive forward the project
• REACH members and young advisors (young Black
  men) participating in the main governing groups.