Equalities Projects
Here you will find a small sample of our equalities projects.
The projects on this page are:
Positive Action for Training in Housing (PATH) Scotland – Service Level Agreement
Linknet Mentoring – Job Ready Project
Project details
Following on from corporate sponsorship of a programme of training for RSLs and local authorities around the new LGBT Housing Standards, Regulation and Inspection (R&I) commissioned written guidance for the sector. This was in answer to specific concerns about lack of awareness in the sector over housing issues for LGBT people. The guidance should be ready for publication by early summer 2008.
Positive Action In Housing has been commissioned to set up a pilot for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) following a recommendation that there is a need for greater equalities guidance for the sector. The six month pilot is due to finish by end May 2008. The pilot has a focus on guidance on race and religion. Any extension to the lifespan of the club would need to see the gradual expansion of the remit to cover other equalities areas.
Positive Action for Training in Housing (PATH) Scotland
Communities Scotland has a three year service level agreement due for revision April 2009. PATH provides tailored support to students undertaking housing qualifications and arranges placements with sponsoring organisations. This is a positive action initiative seeking to increasing BME representation in the housing sector.
Communities Scotland participates in PATH’s trainee scheme. This involves a three year placement for an assigned trainee divided into three 6 month projects with different teams. Our current trainee has 18 months to run on his placement.
Linknet Mentoring – Job Ready Project
The project aims to recruit black minority ethnic (BME) school leavers and college/university graduates and prepare them for further education or employment in order to address the prevailing inequality in education and employment for black minority communities. LINKnet acts as mediator for the “16-24 Job Ready Project”. It recruits BME school leavers and graduates to its mentoring programme. Where possible and appropriate the partner employers carry out induction presentation of their agencies to recruited mentees. Mentee are then requested to identify one or two potential employers. The mentees are then allocated to a mentor from the employer of their choice. For the 60 young people recruited each year the project aims to find employment or further education opportunities for all of them.
Lintel Trust’s broad aim is to encourage and enable individuals to live as independent a life as possible in their homes and to play an active part in their communities.
Two grants programmes offered by the Trust specifically address equalities issues. These are:
Mainstreaming Equalities Programme
Mainstreaming Equalities Programme
The aim of the ‘Mainstreaming Equalities Programme’ is to
• Provide imaginative and replicable models of practice
• To show how community/voluntary agencies can address inequalities in a practical way To enhance the participation of disabled people and people from minority ethnic communities in social housing
• To enhance their access to social housing and related service providers/provision.
Projects funded by the programme will:
• Involve users and carers in developing the project/service.
• Demonstrate collaborative working
• Promote Equal Opportunities
• Demonstrate value for money
• Develop and disseminate good practice.
Three themes will inform the mainstreaming equalities grants that the Lintel Trust allocates grants to community-based groups
Theme 1 is about involving capacity building for individuals, community groups and housing providers to respond appropriately and practically to the specific needs of these groups
Theme 2 is about making information provision accessible and promoting informed choices
Theme 3 is about reducing attitudinal barriers by building bridges between communities, providing peer support and sharing skills.
Projects supported by this Programme have a direct bearing on improving the lives of older people. They promote innovative ways of helping older people to remain in their own homes for longer, should they desire to do so. Projects need to be replicable and demonstrate real benefit to older people.
