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BEN EQUAL (EMPOWER) Project in Scotland
Shaheen Safdar, BEN Equal Positive Action Worker for Scotland

Many reports by the Commission for Racial Equality identify that minority ethnic communities face disproportionate levels of unemployment across the U.K.

BENs’ own work in Scotland shows that, although there are huge employment opportunities within the environment and heritage organisations, this is one sector least likely to find individuals from ethnic communities employed or seeking employment.

BENs’ proposal under the umbrella of EmpowerScotland Ltd is to raise and increase awareness of the employment opportunities available within the heritage and environment sector to Black and Minority Ethnic communities in Scotland. This was an area that had never been addressed before by any organisation in the UK.

BEN EQUAL is presently working with major heritage and environment organisations in order to promote inclusiveness, equality and diversity within the workforce in Scotland. Amongst these are the Community Recycling Network in Scotland, Scottish Museums Council, National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland, RSPB, BTCV Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Forestry Commission Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). BEN’s partnership work in Scotland is to promote the inclusion of ethnic communities in the heritage and environment sector. BEN is supporting mainstream organisations to be pro-active in reaching Black and minority ethnic communities.

Skills Development through Experiential Learning (SDEL) within the environment sector in Scotland.

The BEN EQUAL Project aims to
1. To enhance the skills of ethnic minorities to independently access the social and economic opportunities in the environment.
2. To strategically address under-representation of ethnic minorities in the environment.

Additional pages have been designed for mainstream heritage and environment organisations in Scotland to promote and advertise employment, volunteering and training opportunities for ethnic minority people. It is also a space to advertise events and courses and sources of fundingavailable to ethnic communities in Scotland.

To advertise on these pages, please contact Elspeth Thorburn, Administrator on 0141 221 6900.

These pages are being part funded by the ESF Community Initiative until June 2007.