The CHE’s long term work with Black and Minority Ethnic groups in Edinburgh North and Leith takes an important step forward on the morning of Wednesday 13th December with a seminar on the project in Edinburgh City Chambers.

The ‘Get your voice heard!’ project, a partnership between CHE and the Edinburgh City Council, is nearing completion and the seminar will offer those involved a last chance to have their say before the final report comes out early next year.

The aim of the project has been to explore how BME communities can most effectively engage with the new Community Planning process. Folk from various black and minority ethnic communities in the North Edinburgh and Leith area took part in the project along with officers from the City of Edinburgh Council, the police and the NHS.

The project has been administered by Gina Headden and led by CHE fellows Vérčne Nicolas and Nick Wilding. Both Vérčne and Nick have considerable experience in the social justice field and employed Participatory Action Research tools to their work in Edinburgh North and Leith.

Quotes from those taking part suggest that ‘Get your voice heard!’ has been a success:

“I was initially concerned regarding the remit regarding attempting to influence policy and strategy of the Scottish Executive and City of Edinburgh Council. I thereafter got the impression that we set our sights slightly lower and talked about influencing at a local level and working our way up. I felt that this was wholly appropriate and a more manageable and sustainable forum.”

“I have thought about why participating in this program was so enjoyable to me. And I think it was about having the platform to express my opinions and understandings about issues and to have people listen without judgment. This is something that has never happened before during my stay in Scotland.”

“I learned that despite regarding myself as a staunch anti-racist and humanist, I still hold some residual internalised stereotyping of people. I hadn’t realised just how few BME people I actually know. I have gained some great contacts, and perhaps even friends.”

“I have learned much more deeply how it feels to be a resident in North Edinburgh, and the particular challenge that racism continues to exert for mental health and community well-being.”

“I also learned to love the stories some of the older members of the group shared; stories about far-off times and places that, however, bring richness and life to my sense of the bubbling community that North Edinburgh already is, and what incredible potential there remains to un-leash.”

“Resources need to be found to ensure that the BME participants can be supported to become advocates for change and engage within their own communities. In particular, it’s vital to find ways by which emergent BME leaders can be supported if they decide to get involved in their Community Council and other local decision making bodies.”