Jane McLuckieTownsend

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Jane McLuckie-Townsend Ethnic Minority
Employment Unit
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Our Objective

• Our objective is to ensure that no-one should be
  disadvantaged in their employment prospects
  because of their ethnicity

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The Employment Gap
Figure 4 Employment rate of the working age
ethnic minority population and the gap relative
to the whole population, Great Britain,
1984-2002.
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Employment rates vary considerably between
different ethnic groups
Table (2) Probability of non-employment by
various characteristics.   Source Berthoud
2002  
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Factors in the Employment Disadvantage Human
Capital

• Lower levels of basic skills
• ESOL provision and lack of fluency in English
• Lower levels of attainment at GCSE

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Proportion of pupils receiving 5 or more A-C
grade GCSEs, by ethnic group
Source strategy unit report 2003
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Factors in the Employment Disadvantage
Discrimination

• Employment gap persists for graduates
• Employer discrimination a factor in the ethnic
  penalty
• Indirect discrimination also a factor

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Factors in the Employment Disadvantage Geography
Poverty

• Ethnic minorities tend to live in deprived areas
• Narrow job opportunities
• Restricted access to services

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Current Provision

• Jobcentre Plus
• New Deal programmes
• Action Teams, Employment Zones, Minority Ethnic
  Outreach

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Are We On Track?
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DWP Policy Levers Human Capital

• Basic Skills Educational Attainment
• Work with DfES and LSCs
• English as a second language
• ESOL provision
• Employment strategy for refugees

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DWP Policy Levers Discrimination

• Employer Discrimination
• Specialist Account Managers
• NEP Fair Cities project

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DWP Policy Levers Geography Poverty

• JCP target structure
• 258 wards selected with both high levels of
  disadvantage and high ethnic minority populations
• Mainstreaming lessons learnt from area-based
  initiatives
• 8m available from 2004 for flexible pot
• Intensive regime

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Task Force

• Cross Governmental agenda - working with other
  Departments in more co-ordinated ways
•  SU made 28 recommendations across government
  departments
• Task Force, supported by secretariat within DWP
  and led by Des Browne, Champion Minister,
  established to ensure recommendations are taken
  forward
• First full meeting took place yesterday

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Task Force Policy Levers Human Capital

• DfES to work further on issues including
• Education floor targets
• Role of Oftsed
• EMAG funding
• Additional research on key issues

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Task Force Policy LeversDiscrimination

• Expansion of RREAS
• CRE to examine
• Options for awards and recognition
• Ways to extend general enquiry powers
• DTI to examine patterns and trends in Employment
  Tribunals
• Public procurement

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Task Force Policy Levers Geography Poverty

• Housing Employment Mobility Service
• New Deal Tailored Pathway pilots extension of
  Employment Zones
• DTI NRU to report on how funds benefit ethnic
  minority communities

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Task Force Progress

• First full meeting took place yesterday
• Lead departments have drawn up delivery plans for
  achievement of recommendations
• Ethnic Minority Employment Unit established