FRAE Fife emphasised inclusiveness as a critical element of community engagement. The SIP aimed:

The Fairness, Race, Awareness and Equality (FRAE) Fife SIP was a thematic SIP which aimed to tackle social exclusion issues for isolated and marginalised black and minority ethnic communities in Fife.

The FRAE Fife staff team were successful in building up a good working relationship with representatives from the black and minority ethnic (BME) community, and encouraging them to participate in SIP Partnership Board meetings.

Community representation on the SIP Board rose from just three groups in 1999 to 16 in 2004 – over 50 per cent of the board. Community development activity, including training and small grants, assisted in increasing the number and capacity of the BME groups in Fife. Overall, the number of BME groups has risen from about ten to more than 30.

FRAE Fife assisted service providers to consult with BME communities through training, attendance at the SIP board, assisting with consultation, making contact with BME communities and developing longer term communication structures.

Focussing on longer term relationships has the potential to change the relationship between service providers and communities and to increase confidence in service providers. Engaging a community of communities can be effective. Working directly with service providers (and giving them the advice and support they need) can transform the way that they engage communities. A number of service providers ‘mainstreamed’ their consultation with minority ethnic communities.

The community, interest groups, service providers.

Scottish Centre for Regeneration
scr@communitiesscotland.gsi.gov.uk

//2003

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Citizens' participation, Capacity building