Future Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland: Design Advisory Group minutes - January 2024

Attendees and apologies

• Adebusola Ramsay, Visual Artist, Independent Researcher and Data Linkage Practitioner
• Prof. Ima Jackson, Professor of Community Engagement in Research, Social Policy and Infrastructure Development
• Dr Isioma Okolo obstetrics  and gynaecology doctor, researcher, women's health advocate, public speaker and writer
• Dr. Mark Wong, Co-Chair of Design Advisory Group, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Research Methods and Social and Urban Policy Subject Group Lead, University of Glasgow
• Micheal Matovu, Co-Chair of Design Advisory Group, Co-Founder and Director of Radiant and Brighter Community Interest Company
• Monica Lee-MacPherson, Head of SHIMCA (Scottish Highlands and Islands and Moray Chinese Association) Inverness
• Ndaye-Lisa Badji-Churchill, Advocacy Officer at Shelter Scotland and Volunteer Manager at Black Girls Hike C.I.C
• Nusa C Parinussa, Founder-Director of ID.Y CIC
• Olalekan Oyedepo, Researcher, Co-Founder and Project coordinator at the Hope Project Scotland
• Pinar Aksu, Human Rights and Advocacy Coordinator at Maryhill Integration Network and UNESCO RIELA PhD candidate, University of Glasgow
• Rupa Mooker, Employment lawyer
• Samina Ansari, Former CEO Amina - Muslim Women's Resource Centre.
• Shulamite Ezechi, CEO of ANYISO
• Talat Yaqoob, independent consultant (Chair)

Items and actions

Key discussion points

Welcome and explanation given that due to unforeseen circumstances there was no secretariat support, hence none of the documents nor meeting links were accessible for the meeting.

Discussion to further develop the programme of work: detailed talk through of scope and potential options that builds from the 7 strands as specified by the Anti-Racism Interim Governance Group (AIGG).

The intention was to hear from others and create shared understanding and agreement of what could become realistic priorities in this six to nine month interim phase.

Key areas of focus proposed:

• community participation opportunities to engage with this group and (in the repository and comms for future Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS)
• anti-racism stakeholders’ engagement and group space to discuss definitions and ways of working together
• technical consultant etc., on repository design (digital library)
• influencing and supporting procurement design, assessment and participation processes
• subgroups briefing so people know they can join, what it will do and how often it meets (e.g. on procurement/community engagement and “race equality” stakeholders/repository and data)
• noted: job descriptions and memorandum of understanding( MOU) etc to be developed for future AROS to get started quickly when host identified
• finding partners to learn from outside of Scotland e.g. Wales, Canada and Race and Health Observatory England
• challenges with existing staffing component intended to support the work

Further discussion on:

• how to build solidarity across organisations
• how to address the hostility with the landscape of anti-racism and “race” equality and best practice to ensure safeguarding of community, DAG and all involved
• discussion on the procurement process and ways to ensure that we are able to support anti -racism perspectives to become embedded within the evaluation and assessment process
• explored a future MOU with the future host and its relationship to be legally tight and supportive to the ambition of the work
• short life working group (SLWG) for community engagement and how to take it forward
• plan for a discussion and documenting of process if no host organisation is identified

• accountability reiterated as a key focus from the AIGG purpose
• how the AIGG work is central to the DAG ambition hence it was discussed and agreed important to maintain the links despite that the AIGG’s ambition for October 2023  has already shifted far from what the AIGG intended
• asking Scottish Government (SG) for its definition of Anti-Racism (AR) for this piece of work
• how  best for the  group to determine AR for DAG work - personal/interpersonal/ organisational/ societal

Discussion on budget

Costs discussed were developed from the original costings proposed by the AIGG for the future AROS. A more formal budget for DAG interim period will be required to be worked up by the group as nine month priorities become agreed.

• noted that the actual roles specified in the AIGG modelling will need deeper discussion
• AIGG proposed costings appear outdated i.e. from 2022
• funding for communities important to maintain for DAG interim period as for all future AROS work - how it is to be administrated needs more thought and systems clarity. Fiscal host will be required during this interim phase

• more time and money for management required especially at the start of the DAG work
• ensure there is an accessibility budget for everything that DAG undertakes
• agreed the budget will need amended to the developing priorities once specified by DAG

Actions

• email SG to explain that this work needs resourced with its own project manager in order to function. The ambition of the current model with SG staff seconded into “independent” roles is not working
• articulate what the likely SLWG’s are and when and how can people participate in them. Subgroups briefing so people know they can join, what it will do and how often it meets. (e.g. procurement/community engagement /repository (digital library and data)
• the procurement SLWG becomes established and meets within the week to feedback a collective response to SG about the procurement process. This will meet SG deadline of the end of January
• meeting holds for six months to be sent out to all DAG members