According to the Race Equality Foundation, ‘a consultation for the 2011 census has recommended the inclusion of ‘Arab and ‘Irish or Gypsy Traveller’ as ethnicity categories. The groups now also include ‘Chinese’ within the Asian/Asian British category and have updated the ‘White British’ label to White English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British.’  

www.raceequalityfoundation.org.uk

The UK Government – Department for Work and Pensions suggest that more than ten million people in the UK today can expect to live to see their 100th birthday – 17 per cent of the population. Three million are currently aged under 16, 5.5 million are aged between 16 and 50, and 1.3 million are aged between 51 and 65. Around 875,000 are already aged over 65.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2010/dec-2010/dwp186-10-301210.shtml

Runnymede brought together 50 older people (50s – 80s) from a range of black and minority ethnic communities to reflect on issues relevant to them.

The discussions touched on topics such as pensions, health and retirement; the level of debate and engagement was very high. Runnymede researchers led the ‘deliberative assembly’, which is a research method that allows open discussion steered towards a particular track by a facilitator.

The findings of the event, which was supported by a group of academics from USA and Canada, will be written up over the next few months. For more information email Phil Mawhinney phil@runnymedetrust.org

Are you aware that the main provisions of the Equality Act 2010 came into force in October 2010? Would you like to know what has changed and how your organisation needs to respond?

Age Concern Support Services (Yorkshire and Humber) are providing training on the Equality Act 2010 to organisations working with older people across the region.

Current prices are £50 per delegate for public sector/ voluntary and community sector organisations and £70 per delegate for private sector organisations

For further information or to arrange attendance to a training event please contact Miriam Browne at Miriam.browne1@googlemail.com  or on 0113 2441860

A resource pack aimed at supporting older people suffering with depression, who speak Urdu has been produced by Age Concern Support Services (Yorkshire & Humber).

The Peace of Mind resource pack, originally produced by Age Concern Tower Hamlets in Bengali but now translated into Urdu by Age Concern Yorkshire and Humber and YHIP, aims to:

- Raise awareness about depression in the South Asian community, focusing particularly on South Asian elders.

- Promote understanding about services and activities that can help elders who may be experiencing depression.

- Show practical ways of how family and friends can help.

The resource pack includes:

- A 15 minute educational drama DVD produced in Tower Hamlets through consultation with the South Asian Community. It highlights the impact of depression on a family, and demonstrates ways of overcoming it. A true account of a service user story is told at the end through an actor.

- A Peace of Mind Handbook which provides information about depression and further contacts. It also outlines a suggested programme for running facilitated sessions with small groups of elders using the film.

If you would like a copy of the DVD please contact:

            Joanne Volpe / Monique Millington

            Age Concern Support Services

            Suite 6, Floor 3,

            7 Eastgate

            Leeds

            LS2 7LY   Tel 01132 441860

joannefaaf@googlemail.com / Monique.millington01@googlemail.com

There is a charge of £10 for the resource pack, cheques should be made payable to Age Concern Support Services (Yorkshire & Humber).

The Equality and Human Rights Commission revealed in August, the action it has taken to ensure the government meets its legal obligations to consider the effect of budget cuts on vulnerable groups.

The aim of the Commission is to ensure that decision-makers come to their judgements based on the best information available, and that these decisions are in line with the coalition government’s own statements that such decisions should be evidence-based, fair and transparent.

 Neil Kinghan, Director General of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:

“Under equality legislation, the Treasury, like all public bodies, has a legal duty to pay ‘due regard’ to equality and consider any disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups when making decisions, including decisions about the budget. This legislation is not designed to prevent reductions in public expenditure. Its role, and the Commission’s role, is to ensure fairness is at the heart of decisions.

“When the Spending Review was announced in June, the Commission wrote to government departments, including the Treasury, asking for reassurance that they would comply with the legislation and issuing guidance to help them to do this. We have pressed the point in person with a number of Cabinet Ministers, including the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

“It is for the Treasury to demonstrate that it has complied with the legislation and assessed the impact of its decisions on vulnerable groups. If it cannot do so, then the Commission will have to consider appropriate enforcement action.”

For more information, please visit the website via the link below:

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/news/2010/august/commission-says-fairness-must-be-at-the-heart-of-budget-decisions/

Are you concerned about the impact of cuts in your area, or have already been made aware of any changes to funding and service provision?