Improving Opportunities for South Tyneside’s BME communities

The Council’s commitment - “A better future for all of South Tyneside’s people” Where no one is disadvantaged because of where they live or their personal circumstances, where people are able to be the best that they can be. Local Area Agreement,

Is that commitment being delivered on?

Do we understand the issues properly? How can we deliver support services that will engage & be of most benefit to all groups in South Tyneside?

Do we know the size of borough’s BME population? 2001 Census - South Tyneside’s BME population around 4,150 – almost 3% More recent evidence (APS Sept 2007) suggests BME may have more than doubled to around 7% - over 10,500

BME groups concentrated in specific areas of the borough Over 10% of populations of Beacon & Bents, Rekendyke and Laygate BME residents more likely to work in the Borough 69% work in South Tyneside, compared to 59% of White British residents.

Do we understand how the BME community is made up?

Different groups – different issues Fewer older people, more younger people Larger % of working age (64% vs 59%) Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities highest levels of worklessness 51% women in BME communities are in work – versus 70% in population as a whole Bangladeshi and Pakistani women more likely to be without work than other groups

Different issues – different solutions? Asian population is largest grouping overall – Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshi and Other Asian. Fewer old people, lots of young people and a high proportion of first generation immigrants. Bangladeshis - low employment rate and tend to be young Other Asians - low employment rate but are not as young – though high proportion was born outside the UK. Black Caribbean community low employment rate but more evenly spread across age groups, smaller numbers & smaller proportion born outside UK. Other Blacks also have a low employment rate, the majority are aged years and two-thirds of this group were born outside the UK.

Employment Status

Impacts are different for different groups

Despite significant fluctuations in last 20yrs & slow but steady reduction…. Nationally employment gap between BME & overall population = 14 percentage points National Audit Office estimates cost of this gap around £8.6 billion p.a. Benefit payments and lost tax revenue = £1.3 billion Lost output = £7.3 billion Wider social costs = not estimated

Government policy to tackle unemployment Mid 2006 emphasis shifted From groups with needs & barriers To benefits claimants Policy & action aimed at raising the Employment Rate

National Employment Panel Report raised serious concerns about the change of emphasis Decisions about targeting should be approached with care – they can unintentionally undermine social inclusion & community cohesion Fair Cities: Employer-led efforts that produce results for ethnic minorities (2004)

Also expressed concerned about timeframe – engaging with BME communities & employers long-term & painstaking Good work of the past, if left unsupported, cannot be replicated or reactivated easily

When it is there, how effective is mainstream Employment Support? National Audit Office’s report Increasing Employment Rates for Ethnic Minorities (Feb 2008)

More personalised help Lack of time with advisers - particularly important for Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women Insufficient help with CVs & interview skills. Not aware of full range of JCP programmes Report dissatisfaction with New Deal training Gaps in provision for English for Speakers of Other Languages Lack of awareness of the complaints system & anti- discrimination procedures. Corroborated by JCP personal advisers Many report they do not receive adequate time or training to meet needs of BME clients & do not cover the diverse cultures of their clients effectively.

WHERE ARE WE NOW? Local BME population is growing, they don’t always claim benefits, so current programme priorities tend to marginalise them & mainstream provision is not considered adequate by clients or advisors.

Local support Because of national funding priorities Supporting You into Work adopted same strategy – raise Employment Rate by focusing on benefit claimants Mainly Incapacity Benefits, JSA & Lone Parents Established EMPLOYMENT PRIORITY AREAS (EPAs) six parts of borough where concentrations are greatest

Local Employment Support – EPAs don’t always capture concentrations of BME problems BME communities don’t routinely claim benefits – so they remain ‘hidden’, Sometimes under-employed rather than unemployed TEN reported fall in BME clients from 24% to 8% since as a result of change in focus

And when it does reach – does it work? % SYiW White British clients moved into work Only just over 8% of BME clients Strong link between support activities & getting a job 8% White British no recorded Activities 16% BME clients no recorded Activities Large Indian group registered with SYiW had lowest levels of support & activities

What about self-employment?  Most striking difference (in terms of economic activity) between borough’s White British & BME communities is proportions of employed and self- employed –  23% of BME are self-employed, versus 7% or less White British  Self employment is almost four times as great in BME communities)  Potential for enterprise & employment opportunities.

Local Enterprise Support 31st October 2008 Champions had 123 Active Clients & engaged with 3,299 people in South Tyneside. 30th Sept 2008 (end of last reporting quarter) Champions’ work led to 62 business start-ups, further 12 start-ups in pipeline by 31st Dec 2008 Recorded Ethnic Minority clients – 3 Not excluded but they aren’t using the service What about BME businesses?

So how do we get support to BME businesses in the borough? How do we get information and support about services into BME communities? How do we help BME population, particularly women & young people, to become more enterprising? To get jobs?

Promising developments…. Efforts to promote joint working of Employment & Enterprise Groups of STEP STMB/TEDCO Enterprise Champions working with ACCBA, Feb 2009 Headway – replacing SYiW