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Introduction
How prevalent is racism in the UK today? Some people reading about racially motivated attacks say ‘it’s not like that round here.’ Sadly there is evidence of racism in virtually every community. Ask about the experiences of a black family on holiday in an idyllic but mono-cultural part of rural England or Wales. Ask the asylum seeker fleeing from persecution who is prevented from living among other people from his own nationality and instead is sent to a dispersal camp located in a hostile host community. Ask the Asian secretary who works with many Asians and black people at her workplace but sees none of them being promoted to higher levels in the organisation. Ask any of these people how confident they are that racism in Britain is anything other than widespread and deeply embedded.
Citizens Advice Bureaux have a proud tradition of delivering advice and, through social policy influence, have been a force for change and improvement for more than 60 years. This has included pioneering work on race equality. Much more needs to be done. Recent MORI research for the Cabinet Office found that 61 per cent of people from ethnic minorities thought bureaux were good at responding to their needs and only 5 per cent thought them poor. But, of 18 public bodies identified in the survey, half were perceived to be more responsive than Citizens Advice Bureaux.
This shows that we must be more visible in vigorously promoting race equality and build an enduring level of trust with individuals and communities whose lives are blighted by the effects of racism. Key to all our futures looks at some of the many initiatives underway within Citizens Advice Bureaux as well as examining some of the challenges and issues that these present.
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1.4mb) - race equality and the Citizens Advice service.