Future Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland: Design Advisory Group minutes - April 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. 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) Invernes
• Nusa C Parinussa, Founder-Director of ID.Y CI
• Olalekan Oyedepo, Researcher, Co-Founder and Project coordinator at the Hope Project Scotland
• Rupa Mooker, Employment lawyer
• Shulamite Ezechi, CEO of ANYISO
• Talat Yaqoob, independent consultant

Apologies

• Ndaye-Lisa Badji-Churchill, Advocacy Officer at Shelter Scotland and Volunteer Manager at Black Girls Hike C.I.C
• Samina Ansari, Former CEO Amina - Muslim Women's Resource Centre

Items and actions

Key discussion points

• welcome and Eid Mubarak to all those observing

Design Advisory Group (DAG) operations

• members updated that the Project manager role has been impacted by significant Scottish Government  (SG) administrative delays
• members updated that the Project Lead role has been impacted by significant SG administrative delays
• members updated re ongoing financial administration delays on member payments. It was noted that members have been working on DAG for several months and had still not been paid; this needs resolving for members. Not least  to move on to engaging with confidence with a wider team of freelancers and working directly with communities

• members indicated interest for various short life working groups (SLWGs)

• welcome to two new members who joined for a pre-meeting

• Huddle document sharing platform is being discussed with S
• members reviewed and finalised principles  “ways of working “ document before signing off
• Proposed Design Lead (PDL) shared an update on the Terms of Reference (ToR) and anticipated Ministerial appointment letters

• an overview of the Short Life Working Groups in a visual diagram: Community relations, Procurement, Tech-IT: functionality - informed by what communities would like to see. Systems: modelling, research. Communications: identity, narrative, public facing information, website

• an overview of two SG internal working groups relating to anti-racism work and their historical context

• fiscal host developments - Impact Funding Partners identified and significant progress made with a view to contracting to recruit staff and administrate and publicly announced anti racism community engagement fund

• procurement: Specification of Requirements document has been completed for SG. Procurement is progressing swiftly after months of delay and the group will be requested to contribute advice in the following stages. The anticipated public release date is approximated as 6th June with preparation in May. The PDL will contact the Procurement SLWG regarding meeting dates 

• discussion on stakeholder engagement and building national understanding: A meeting of existing SG stakeholders in race equality work as recommended by the Anti-Racism Interim Governance Group (AIGG) has been agreed by SG but not progressed. This is necessary for clarity of information about future Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) and for building  community relationships

• discussion on what appears to be recurring conflation from SG departments and stakeholders about the role of DAG and the future AROS

• noted there is an apparent lack of understanding in SG about who the organisation is for and hence risks of inaccurate information being shared to stakeholders by SG. It has been agreed to pause and work together on a full comms briefing about future AROS and the interim DAG role

• DAG requested a meeting with SG colleagues to discuss an increasingly apparent knowledge gap and build shared understanding. There were significant challenges in the meeting which DAG will take forward with SG colleagues

• discussed the need to reiterate in all comms with and from SG that the future AROS is not  “for” adversely racialised people. It is an organisation for the systems to address systemic racism and is building from those experiencing most the adverse impact of systemic racism

• it was noted that recruitment for freelancers may take longer than hoped due to administrative delays

• PDL provided an update on the briefing paper being prepared for SG for the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) process

Thanks and close

Co-chairs thanked everyone for their participation in the discussions and encouraged members to get in touch if anyone has any suggestions or concerns.

Actions

• Project Manager (PM) to follow up with last group member for finance administration
• PM to progress proposal with Impact Funding Partners (IFP) before Work Plan meeting with SG
• PM to circulate final “how we work together” document
• identify a 3rd person is requested to join the panel for Procurement
• Proposed Design Lead (PDL) will share further information on procurement 
• a list of SLWGs and timelines will be shared (potentially to Huddle)
• communications core briefing paper to be developed to support accurate information sharing