Cross Strand Information

Moving Towards the Equality Bill

If you would like to learn more about how progress is being made with moving towards the Equality Bill, please read the documents below:

Government Response to the Consultation 

The Equality Bill - Briefing for ESW Board 

SW Regional Report on Responses to Discrimination Law Review

Single Equalities Act - Comments from ESW's REN's

Here is a list of priorities from ESW's Regional Equality Networks which supplements comments we have already made on the Green Paper.  To view please see: Single Equalities Act

Somerset Community Cohesion Strategy 2004 - 2014

This is a document outlining plans and strategy for community cohesion in Somerset.  To read further please see the link: Somerset Community Cohesion Strategy 2004-2014

ACAS

Acas aims to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations, including issues such as tackling bullying.  To read further about this organisation please visit: www.acas.org.uk

• ACAS have produced a booklet entitled 'Delivering Equality and Diversity' to read the booklet please see: ACAS Booklet

Alliance Against Pregnancy Discrimination

Alliance Against Pregnancy Discrimination in the workplace have issued a publication entitled ‘Pregnant women and new mums at risk of redundancy’ to read the publication please see: Pregnancy Discrimination

Alliance for Sector Skills Council

This website has been produced to help employers and Sector Skills Councils address the practical issues in implementing good equality and diversity practice in the workplace.  It contains useful information on basic facts, good practice, various other resources.  To read further please see  http://www.sfbn-equality-diversity.org.uk/

Avon and Bristol Advice Line

The Avon and Bristol Law Centre is starting a discrimination advice line for people who want advice about problems of discrimination in accessing goods, services, facilities and housing. Advice can be given on discrimination problems relating to disability, gender, sexual orientation, faith/belief and race. This line will be open between 10.00 and 12.00 every Tuesday, starting on 22nd July. The number for this discrimination advice line is 0117 9167704.  To find out more please see: Avon and Bristol Advice Line

The Edge Hill University are able to offer consultancy services on Equality and Diversity.  Established in 1993 the professional team with a strong track record of providing support and innovative solutions for the public and voluntary sectors in areas of management, strategy and policy development, community engagement, regeneration and equality. 

For more information contact The Centre for Local Policy Studies, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QP or 01695 584765 or email brockenc@edgehill.ac.uk.

Equal Works

Equal Works function over 8 themes which are Facilitating Access, Ethnic Minorities, Business Creation, Social Economy, Lifelong learning and inclusive working practices, Adaptibility to work, Gender Equality, Asylum Seekers.  To read further about the varied work they do please see: http://www.equal-works.com/

EU Proposal for a Council Directive

This is a proposal for a Council Directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.  To read please see: Council Directive 

Gloucestershire Infrastructure Group (GIG)

The Gloucestershire Infrastructure Group (GIG), is a partnership of 11 key development agencies which support more than 1,500 voluntary and community groups in the county.  They have the shared aim of ensuring that all VCOs across the county have equality of access to effective infrastructure support.  To find out more please follow the link: http://www.gloshub.org.uk/gig.html

Gloucestershire Self-Harm Helpline Service

Rethink, the leading national mental health membership charity, works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life. In Gloucestershire they are about to launch a new telephone helpline service for people who self-harm, their friends, families and carers. More information is available here: Rethink

Government Office for the South West

Government Office for the South West (GOSW) have released their latest newsletter - to read the newsletter please see: GOSW Newsletter

Identifying Discrimination Cases in Employment

The Central London Law Centre have published the above diagnostic and referral guide which is aimed at front line advisors.  To read please see: Identfying Discrimination in Employment

Jobcentre Plus 

Jobcentre Plus have released their latest Key Facts Sheet. For further details please see: June Factsheet

Microsoft Grant Funding for Organisations helping people get back into Employment

Microsoft have just announced an employability initiative.  As part of the programme they are looking to work with organisations who help people get back into employment and work with socially excluded people and communities.  To find out more please see their covering letter, which is here: Microsoft Grants Letter and the application form which can be found here: Microsoft Application Form  

NHS

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, in partnership with Outlook South West, has developed a service to support people who have been bereaved by suicide.  Further details can be found here: NHS Suicide Leaflet

Public sector equality duties - UNISON guidance - 2008

To read this document please see: Public Sector Equality Duties - UNISON - 2008

RISE

RISE is working in partnership with Co-active and Business Link to provide help for those with an enterprising idea to benefit their community or the environment, and anyone want helping in social enterprise. At present the service is available in Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and Bristol; for other areas, please see: Service_Areas. Any individuals, projects, or organisations wanting to know about starting a social enterprise, moving away from grants, finding a legal structure or other queries, should visit www.rise-sw.co.uk/events

Safer and Stronger Communities Directorate (SSCD) Newsletter

This e-bulletin is issued by the Government Office for the South West (GOSW) Safer and Stronger Communities Directorate (SSCD). It aims to keep you up to date with the latest national and regional developments in the Safer and Stronger agendas. To view the newsletter please see: SSCD March

SLIM – Comments

New Careers Education Strategy: This SLIM-Comment looks at this strategy, provides a timetable and includes a number of links to useful articles and information for those wishing to explore the issues further - click link to read further: New Careers Education Strategy

Higher Ambitions: The future of universities in a knowledge economy - this SLIM-Comment addresses the new framework for the future success of higher education which sets out the important role universities and further education providers of HE will play in securing the country’s economic recovery and long-term prosperity - click link to read further: New Framework for future Success of Higher Education   

South Western Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST)

The South Western Ambulance Service Trust have provided information on the service and are inviting people to show an expression of interest in membership and receiving information – for more details please see: SWAST

South West Planning Aid Newsletter

The South West Planning Aid have released their latest newsletter - for the latest news please see: South West Planning Aid

Sport England South West

Sport England South West aim to provide for all members of the local community to access high quality volunteering opportunities no matter where they live or their personal circumstances and in so doing contribute to sustaining participation in sport.  To read further please visit www.sportengland.org/southwest

Supporting Equality Groups

The National Equality Partnership have published an overview of support to the diverse third sector in England.  To read: Supporting Equality Groups

The Poverty Site

This site contains useful information on various strands of equality including the gender pay gap and poverty, disability and ethnicity and has some analysis of patterns in rural areas. To read further please see: http://www.poverty.org.uk/

The Prevent Strategy: A Guide for Local Partners in England

This guide - "Stopping people becoming or supporting terrorists and violent extremists" can be read here: Stopping people becoming or supporting violent extremists  

Voluntary Youth Organisations Network Newsletter

The latest newsletter from the Voluntary Youth Organisations Network is available here: VYON Newsletter

West Dorset Mobile Skate Park

The mobile skate park package consists of a trailer containing ramps, skateboards, helmets of various sizes, elbow, wrist and knee pads. All free to hire. The mobile skate park is run by West Dorset District Council's Sports Development Unit, which also manages the Action Van. The Action Van has been providing sports coaching, activity sessions and sports equipment hire to organisations throughout West Dorset for over 20 years. For more information on the Mobile Skate Park please see: Mobile Skate Park     

LINKS TO FOLLOW FROM OUR WEEKLY E-BULLETIN

South West Regional funding news - the latest information is available here: SW Funding

To sign up for our weekly e-bulletin please contact moira.anderson@equalitysouthwest.org.uk for a contact form or download it here: Contact Form

ESW Press Release

There are twice as many asylum seekers in Westminster as there are in the entire South West, according to new Home Office figures – for the full Equality South West press release please see: ESW Press Release - June 2010

Citizen Advice Statistics for first quarter 2010

The statistics report is available at Report and Statistics Charts.

Exeter University Mentoring

Exeter University are looking for successful professionals to act as Mentors for students across all subjects.  Full details of the Mentoring programme can be viewed at Mentoring