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

Attendees and apologies

• 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
• Miura Lima, Youth Advocacy Lead at Intercultural Youth Scotland (IYS)
• Monica Lee-MacPherson, Head of SHIMCA (Scottish Highlands and Islands and Moray Chinese Association) Inverness
• Nusa C Parinussa, Founder-Director of ID.Y CIC
• Samina Ansari, Former CEO Amina - Muslim Women's Resource Centre

Apologies

• Adebusola Ramsay, Visual Artist, Independent Researcher and Data Linkage Practitioner
• Ndaye-Lisa Badji-Churchill, Advocacy Officer at Shelter Scotland and Volunteer Manager at Black Girls Hike C.I.C
• Rahela Cirpaci, Community Leader at Romano Lav
• Shulamite Ezechi, CEO of ANYISO
• Zaki El Salahi, Freelancer in 'Dark Matter Education' and PhD Candidate

 

Items and actions

Key discussion points

• safeguarding ourselves and safeguarding the Design Advisory Group (DAG) work the impact of racism targeted on those who undertake anti racism work
• discussion on safe and effective off boarding from this work acknowledging the risks, the challenges, the hopes within participation in DAG. Agreed to seek expertise of Dr Gabriella Beckles-Raymond to support this process. A series of workshops  will be developed for DAG members and consultants recruited to support the work

• succession and contingency planning for the actual work. Developing appropriate reporting to future Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS), the learning to go to the Host/future AROS. Discussion on the final report’s  approaches and deadlines

• succession planning  and contingency for DAG in relation to future host and the impact of Scottish Government (SG) delays which now results in project end before host announced. Discussed appropriate channels to communicate subsequent to official project end

• discussed and agreed a number of approaches to capture knowledge and DAG project expertise in a safe effective and accessible way

- a series of individual recorded conversations with all members

- a series of collective conversations with external critique and guidance

- a graphic recorder to attend the final off boarding session

- a full project report, incorporating briefing papers will be submitted at project end to the future host

• three follow up sessions agreed for 2025 with all those who have participated in Expert Reference Group, the Anti-Racism Interim Governance Group (AIGG) and DAG to support Scotland build antiracism infrastructure to address systemic racism. External resourcing sought. Ministerial invite to be given

• discussed community engagement fund roll out and supportive processes
• weekly short life working groups (SLWG’s) well attended and supportive to the process. Thanks to all who have contributed
• update forty four organisations were successful – wide age range of people participating in events to be organised (from twelve years old to elderly)
• the community consultants want DAG members to know that the community engagement has worked really well. Community Outreach Workers felt in control of their remit and not overwhelmed despite the time pressures
• people acknowledged that they normally don't get funding for this type of event, and to work in this way. The ambition for the fund to encourage and support an anti-racism trauma informed approach appears to be acknowledged and welcomed by many of the participating  organisations
• as a mechanism for future AROS the resourcing model appears to be working despite the clear pressures of inordinately short timescales
• the events calendar for people when they have capacity to attend has been successful
• organisations were not competing against each other for funds. This is noted by DAG as a success in itself
• briefing papers are in development. A full detailed report will be submitted project end. It is anticipated for public release as soon as a host organisation is identified