Race Equality Foundation - Improving housing services for black and minority ethnic communities

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Background

Our recent research on black and minority ethnic disabled and D/deaf people shows how health, housing and social care needs interact, with any attempt to improve access to one service (such as housing) being undermined if access to other services (such as community health service) is not improved.

Further, a review of post-1997 initiatives shows that 'ethnic minorities' have not benefited from the drive to end social exclusion. Finally, a review of how to progress race equality suggests that the evidence needs to be developed further but also how we use it to bring about change. Therefore a knowledge-based approach is needed to end inequality.

Aim

The overall aim of this work is to further the development of Race Equality Foundation's national resources which collects, collates and makes available the knowledge of how to improve the quality of health and housing provision to black and minority ethnic communities. This will include:

• Producing and distributing five briefing papers per year on effective methods on improving the quality of health provision
• Organising two regional conferences per year on using knowledge of effective methods to bring about change in the provision of health services
• Producing and distributing five briefing papers per year on effective methods improving the quality of housing provision
• Organising two regional conferences per year on using knowledge of effective methods to bring about change in the provision of housing services

How are we doing this work?

This work started in April 2006 and will conclude by March 2009.

We will work collaboratively with a number of organisations to achieve our aims. We will work with six national agencies and 10 primary care trusts with the central aim of improving the engagement with black and minority ethnic service users and develop better quality health and housing services for these communities. Also, establish direct links with six black and minority ethnic media outlets to provide information on health and housing related services.

We will establish priorities of this work programme annually, ensuring that we focus on specific communities (such as the Chinese) or specific challenges (such as effective engagement).

Outcomes

• Briefing papers on effective methods to improve the quality of health and housing provision
• Two regional seminars
• Statutory agencies, the voluntary sector and specifically those working in the black and minority ethnic voluntary sector will be better informed on ways of improving health and housing for Asian, African and Caribbean communities
• The development and distribution of examples of good practice in the provision of health and housing service to black and minority ethnic communities.

For further information on this project, Email Tracey Bignall - tel: 020 7619 6225 .

Useful links

• Housing Diversity Network
• Housing, Care and Support journal

References

1. Butt, J and S Dhaliwall (2005) Different Paths: Challenging Services - A study of the housing experiences of black and minority ethnic disabled and D/deaf people, Habinteg Housing Association
2. Social Exclusion Unit (2004) Breaking the Cycle, Social Exclusion Unit
3. Audit Commission (2004) Journey to Race Equality, Audit Commission