East Sussex County Council launched the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Outreach and Engagement Project, which will vastly improve access to information, advice and services, after securing nearly £340,000 from Central Government to run the initiative.
Historically, BME, Gypsy and Traveller groups have consistently been less likely to seek the services they need than the majority white population.
Now a project co-ordinator will be employed to work with these communities to promote uptake and to investigate alternative ways of providing services.
Councillor Bill Bentley, lead cabinet member for Adult Social Care, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for us to step outside the box and consider how we can do more for BME, Gypsy and Traveller communities throughout East Sussex. We know from our research that many people from these groups have little idea of how we can help them. They are under-represented as users and that makes them vulnerable.
"So we will be improving the ways in which we can promote the many services available to help them live fulfilling lives. But, more importantly, this well-funded project will now allow us to practice better the simple art of listening – listening to people who in the past may not have had their voices heard."
Jake Bowers, a Romani journalist from Hastings, who runs the Gypsy Media Company, said: "I am delighted that the county council is making an effort to reach out to minority groups, especially Gypsies and Travellers, who are among the most in need of services.
"Because of centuries of racism and poor treatment, many in my community have a deep suspicion of social services – but I hope this initiative can do something to break down those barriers in East Sussex."
The project is being run in partnership with Sompriti, an organisation which works on behalf of BME communities, and Friends, Families and Travellers, which is based in Brighton.
Sompriti will provide bi-lingual community workers, and a health and welfare advisor will work through Friends, Families and Travellers to provide information about health and social services.
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Notes to editors
The funding for this project - £337,500 – comes from the Invest to Save Budget (ISB), a Government initiative which aims to create sustainable improvements in the capacity to deliver public services.
In East Sussex, the number of local residents that regard themselves as belonging to a BME community has almost doubled between 1991 and 2001 to 11,500, or 2.3% of the population.
This is less than half the regional average of nearly 5% and substantially lower than the national figure of over 9%. The proportion of BME residents is higher in the urban boroughs of Eastbourne and Hastings than in the county’s more rural districts.
To inteview Cllr Bentley or Jake Bowers, please call Mike Taggart in the press office on 01273 481435 or 07765 898384.
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