Case study Organisation: West Thames College Type of FE provider: College Focus on: Equality and Diversity (Race)
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Working with the Community Advisory Group Summary of activity The involvement of members of the local community helps to inform the college’s approach to race equality and faith issues.
Background and strategic drive for activity West Thames College is a medium-sized further education college situated in the London Borough of Hounslow. The college’s 6,000-strong student population is drawn from a long-established multicultural community, with around 60 per cent belonging to a black or minority ethnic group. English is a second language to more than half of its students. The college has sites across the area, including its main campus in Isleworth and its Skills Centre based in Feltham.
The college is fully committed to promoting and implementing race equality practices for staff and its Community Advisory Group is an excellent example of this. The group evolved from the college’s desire to develop good links within the community and to ensure that its decisions on key cultural issues were well-informed. Whilst the group was set up before the implementation of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, this legislation has helped set the tone and reinforce the work of the group.
Set-up and implementation Group members include the Director of Hounslow Race Equality Council, senior advisers from the local authority, representatives from local communities, governors, the Principal and Vice Principal. To begin with, the Community Advisory Group focused on operational issues at the college, such as queries concerning race, religion and belief. Over time, however, the group has developed more of a strategic role within the college. For example, it has advised the college on employment strategies and contributed to constructive discussions about how to collect and analyse staff monitoring data. The group is now a sub committee of the college Corporation and attends all relevant college management meetings. The central role played by the group in college discussions and subsequent action illustrates the mutual trust that has developed between the group and the college.
Obstacles faced Although the college is fortunate in having a wholesale commitment and solutions-focused approach to race equality issues, there can be disagreements on the types of solutions that should be adopted. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as the robust discussions that take place between the college management and the Community Advisory Group helps the college ensure it considers all the available options.
It has also helped contribute to the Association of Colleges’ Beacon Award for race equality, which the college was awarded in 2008. This has raised the profile of the college both locally and nationally and further encouraged the college in its efforts to promote and implement race equality practices.
Links to legal requirements and other equality areas The group has a strong commitment to race equality and the governing body is aware of its legal responsibilities in this area. It is also able to consider and assist the college on relevant faith issues, which helps to ensure that the college can meet the requirements of legislation under the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.
Next steps The college has recently agreed to extend the remit of the Community Advisory Group to embrace all strands of equality and diversity.
“This example shows how the college’s involvement through the group has led to community leaders being moved to apply for governor posts, thereby increasing the diversity of the corporation.” The Workforce Race Advisory Group
Impact and achievements There are very good links between the group and senior management of the college, which is partly down to the presence of the group at events such as college management meetings. Group members also play various important roles in college activities outside the group – for example, some are now also governors. The group has a good collective knowledge and experience base and is well placed to be able to challenge the college’s management team on important workforce issues such as recruitment, selection and progression.
Provider contact Billy Elliott Vice Principal – Student and Services West Thames College London Road Isleworth Middlesex TW7 4HS billy.elliott@west-thames.ac.uk Find out more about the work of The Workforce Race Advisory Group: www.lluk.org/3151.htm. RW09/09/200910.033
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Ref: E&D/FE/07 2009/13
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