BEN’s work has shown that although there are a large number of employment opportunities within environment organisations in Scotland, this was one sector with a very low number of employees from BME backgrounds, either employed, in training or seeking employment. The project was set up to address this lack of representation.

One of BEN’s objectives is to encourage young people from BME backgrounds to access and participate in environmental activities. Through projects such as this, it is anticipated that under-representation will be highlighted on the agenda of environmental organizations and addressed by the sector as a whole.

This case study details the work of the Ethnic Minority Youth Participation in the Built and Natural Environment Project run by the Black Environment Network (BEN) and Wester Hailes Multicultural Welfare project in Scotland. It seeks to address the lack of representation of BME young people accessing, participating and seeking employment in environmental activities.

The project provides young people with a number of opportunities to participate in environmental and heritage related activities. The case study looks at why and how the project was set up, the workings of the partnership involved, the evidence of success and lessons learned.

Young people from BME backgrounds are given the opportunity to engage with staff working in the built and natural environment sector. A variety of settings enable the participants to physically contribute to the Scottish environment, for example, the project planted over 50 trees at Craigmillar Castle Park in Edinburgh.

Staff in the sector are given the opportunity to work with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and are also given the opportunity to access BEN’s Diversity Training. The project also supports staff to overcome obstacles and challenge barriers by giving them the confidence to work with BME communities directly.

Black and Minority Ethnic young people.

The project received funding from the Edinburgh Youth Social Inclusion Project.

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

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case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Integration of social groups

Ethnic minorities, Young people