GCVS Seminar: Public Sector Equality Duty July 2013

 Economic environment and long term public spending pressures  Welfare reform  Demographic profile and increasing demand on public services  Despite considerable progress, continuing inequality With implications…

 Public service reform  Focus on prevention  Legislative change on equality - PSED  Constitutional change

 ‘A nation that is fair and just, a nation that is fertile for ambition and talent. Where the deepest challenges are first acknowledged and then tackled head on’.: First Minister 2011  ‘Equal opportunity, solidarity and respect for human rights – these are essential to unlocking the full productive potential of nations and peoples’: General Ban Ki-moon 2011

And third sector has keyrole to play in its advance  To people  To communities  To third sector  To public sector  To Government

Third Sector Equality  Part of economic strategy  Integral to public service reform  Measures to strengthen and support sector  Investment in enterprise and opening markets  Infrastructure and funding  Integral to priorities and NPF  Legislation and policy  Funding and support  Capacity and infrastructure  Mainstreaming – policy and budget  PSED

 What is it?  Where did it come from?  Why do we have it?  How is it being approached in Scotland?

 Contracts  Service provision for communities  Opportunity to influence  Raises issues of how well organisations are reflecting the diversity of their communities or those they serve and how embedded are equality considerations

 How is equality embedded and considered in organisations?  How well established are the connections between equality organisations and more generic third sector bodies including TSIs and other infrastructure bodies?  How are third sector organisations engaged with the CPPs and public authorities on equality - is there confidence and capacity to engage?  Is there a sharing of information and understanding?  Have some of the issues of mainstream and specialist provision been understood?

 GCVS and its equality resources  Third Sector Forum  Equality organisations  Just Enterprise  ACOSVO – equality and third sector links  CRER public sector equality duty portal  Equality Evidence Finder  CPP Guidance, EHRC guidance  Equality, third sector and human rights in Scottish Government

 It is about taking the opportunity to connect  Seizing the opportunity to make a difference