In 2009, the Equality and Human Rights Commission launched a three year Strategic Funding programme. The programme provided project based funding for up to three years for community and voluntary organisations.
We were seeking to fund projects that would make a lasting impact in Scotland’s communities in two key areas. Firstly, in the provision of guidance, advice and advocacy services that would help support people who had difficulty obtaining vital services. Secondly, in the field of Good Relations; reducing people’s experience of prejudice and segregation,and establishing opportunities for positive engagement that would increase understanding between groups and communities.
In 2010/11, seven awards were made in Scotland to projects working across a range of key equality and human rights areas. These included: nurturing the next generation of disabled leaders; promoting the equality of Minority Ethnic/LGBT
people; empowering citizens to influence public sector policy making; supporting transgender people’s access to key services; bringing together refugees and asylum seekers with residents in their community; promoting the inclusion of
fathers; and working with young people to combat racism.
The funded projects have endeavoured to make a real difference, not only to the individuals, communities and organisations directly involved in their work, but also to Scotland as a whole by demonstrating new approaches, influencing policy making and working with wider communities.
The EHRC in Scotland recently held an event to examine and discuss the equality lessons that can be extrapolated from the processes, functions and outcomes of the projects that the Commission has funded this year. Delegates from across the public, funding and voluntary sector attended the event, which featured the screening of a short film which captured the stories of impact of the projects, and the launch of a publication, which examined the headline learning points from each organisation.
The film is available to view below, and the publication is available to view here.
What the funded projects featured in this publication have in common is the expertise, vision and drive to break down discrimination and deliver real outcomes for individuals and communities based on the foundation of equality.
The impact of their delivery has often been beyond the project’s initial remit and the cascade effect has resulted in their work reaching a wide breadth of individuals, public bodies and stakeholders. They have succeeded in raising the visibility of equalities issues, and building confidence in equalities work.
The impact of their work offers up lesson after lesson on why investing in equality matters.