Greater Manchester BME Network 17 February 2011

1. A national overview of the Compact in relation to the BME VCSRavi ChauhanBME Compact Officer Voice4Change England Greater Manchester BME Network 17 February 2011

2. It has long campaigned to tackle racism, inequality and exclusion but these problems still persist. Mainstreaming of equalities sees the de-politicising of race. It is undervalued, misunderstood and often detached at Government and mainstream level. It is excluded from effective engagement due to limited capacity and exclusion from VCS structures. It has been historically underfunded and excluded from commissioning processes. Less grants, more contracts for public service delivery. Emergence of micro-communities. State of the BME VCS Recession Public Spending Cuts

3. Big Society: £470m to VCOs for capacity building National Citizen Service £100m Transition Fund – short term support Big Society Bank Government strategy for the VCS: Promoting social action Empowering local communities Opening up public services Localism: Community budgets Community organisers LEPs and LSPs Participatory budgeting Regional Growth Fund But there are emerging opportunities… Compact can help facilitate BME VCS influence in these agendas

4. V4CE’s Compact Journey • 1998 – Launched • 2001 – BME code published – V4CE forged from BME sub-group on the Compact • 2007 - Commission for the Compact established • 2007 -V4CE’s First Policy Response on the Compact Business Plan • 2008 –Response to the Compact Debate • Feb 2009 – Response to the BME Compact Code and the future of the Compact • Oct 2009 –Response to Compact Refresh • Dec 2009 - Refreshed national Compact is published • Apr 2010 – BME Implementation Guide • Oct 2010 – Renewed Compact

5. V4CE’s key policy lines on the national Compact • Ensuring the retention of a distinct equalities section in place of a BME Code • Ensuring six key commitments from the BME Code were transferred to the refreshed Compact • Ensure the alignment of the Compact with existing equalities legislation • Ensuring the drafting of a distinct BME implementation guide • Arguing for a national and local Ombudsman to account for Compact non-compliance

6. The Compact and Equalities • ‘An Equal and Fair Society’ • Requirement to understand specific needs • Requirement to carry out impact assessments • Recognition that single group funding can promote cohesion • Alignment with Equality Act 2010 • Requirement to ensure social, environmental and economic value for part of the design and delivery of policies, programmes and services

7. Using the Compact to strengthen the BME VCS (1)

8. Using the Compact to strengthen the BME VCS (2) How to use it: • Take it to meetings with statutory partners to use as a tool for partnership working. • Use it as a guide to develop good relationships with funding bodies. • Use it to challenge bad practice by a statutory partner or another voluntary and community organisation. • Use it to resolve disputes with funders and policy makers. • Use it to develop good practice within your organisation by implementing the VCS undertakings.

9. Making a Challenge:Compact non-Compliance • Failure to comply with Compact commitments • Most common seem to be lack of consultation and funding withdrawals • Breach of Compact may be breach of Public Law e.g. Southall Black Sisters, failure to carry out EqIA etc

10. Making a Challenge:Steps to take • Act quickly – unfair treatment? • Problem Analysis: • What went wrong – chronology of key facts • Organisation impact assessment • Compact non-compliance? Which commitments? • Decide on your objectives: • What remedy are you seeking? Public Law? Non-adversarial? • Evidence gathering: • All documents relating to the dispute • Ask public body for their internal documents including minutes and relevant guidance • Follow up discussions on crucial issues and ask difficult questions • Get support: • Contact V4CE/ CAP/ PLP

11. How can V4CE help me? • Events Invite us to come and speak at your events. • Training workshops V4CE will host a number of Compact and Public Law training workshops. • Advice V4CE will work with Compact Voice and CAP to identify where the Compact is failing in local areas and to initiate negotiations to make improvements and to challenge Compact breaches. • Policy voice V4CE will ensure that BME VCS issues and needs are heard and met by key stakeholders to shape policy decisions concerning the Compact. • Good practice V4CEwill promote good practice and provide examples of good practice of Compact ways of working. • Regular updates on Compact news V4CE will keep you updated on national, regional and local Compact news. • Links to resources V4CE will produce and provide link to Compact resources

12. Strengthening the Voice of the BME VCS Project • Funded by BLF and Commission for the Compact • Aims to develop, strengthen and integrate the Black and Minority Ethnic VCS across England • Four key outputs: • Improve collaboration, communication and peer support • Increase access to, and effectiveness in, policy making processes • Improve the understanding, awareness and use of the Compact • Strengthen relations between BME infrastructure and mainstream infrastructure

13. Support V4CE • Visit our website: www.voice4change-england.co.uk • Let us know how we can help! • Contact: Ravi Chauhan, BME Compact Officer, V4CE Email: ravi@voice4change-england.co.uk Direct line: 020 7843 6124 Arjumand Kazmi, Head of Policy, V4CE Email: arjumand@voice4change-england.co.uk