WORKING WITH LOCAL WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND FAITH GROUPSCOMMUNITIES AND FAITH GROUPS

Asha-Kin DualeAsha-Kin DualeCommunity Partnership AdvisorCommunity Partnership Advisor

Voluntary Action CamdenVoluntary Action CamdenDec. 07Dec. 07

CC SS CC BB

CAMDEN SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN BOARD

My approach to community My approach to community engagement:engagement:

My background:My background: Work experienceWork experience GenderGender BME factorBME factor ReligionReligion Understanding refugee issuesUnderstanding refugee issues

Where are you basedWhere are you based

Voluntary sector Voluntary sector versusversus statutory statutory Access to community linksAccess to community links Access to informationAccess to information Winning resourcesWinning resources The issue of trustThe issue of trust

DirectionDirection

Steering Group: Steering Group: CompositionComposition SupportSupport Facilitating accessFacilitating access LearningLearning Community and faith ForumsCommunity and faith Forums

A QUESTION OF TRUSTA QUESTION OF TRUST

Full commitment Full commitment versusversus lip service lip service Capacity buildingCapacity building Outreach – hard to reach?Outreach – hard to reach? Community involvement in forumsCommunity involvement in forums

True partnershipTrue partnership

Equal footing – ownership and Equal footing – ownership and prioritiespriorities

InclusivenessInclusiveness Access to informationAccess to information

Thinking differentlyThinking differently

1.1. Your priority is not always shared. Listen!Your priority is not always shared. Listen!2.2. Develop a true partnership by Develop a true partnership by

‘negotiating’‘negotiating’3.3. Gain trust on conflicting issuesGain trust on conflicting issues4.4. Allow ownershipAllow ownership5.5. Be inclusiveBe inclusive6.6. Lasting supportLasting support7.7. Follow up changesFollow up changes8.8. Be appropriately dressed and respectful!Be appropriately dressed and respectful!

What would you like to be mindful What would you like to be mindful when engaging with BME when engaging with BME

communities and faith groups on communities and faith groups on child safeguardingchild safeguarding

‘‘We too have a lot to contributeWe too have a lot to contribute’ (Ibrahim, Somali ’ (Ibrahim, Somali Youth Resource Centre)Youth Resource Centre)

‘ ‘ To my knowledge culture which harm children is To my knowledge culture which harm children is not a good culture but policies should value not a good culture but policies should value certain aspects of a good culturecertain aspects of a good culture’ (Pastor, ’ (Pastor, Congolese Church)Congolese Church)

‘‘Some aspects of the safeguarding and social Some aspects of the safeguarding and social care are difficult to grasp and still there is lack of care are difficult to grasp and still there is lack of understanding how the system worksunderstanding how the system works ‘ (Asian ‘ (Asian voluntary organisation)voluntary organisation)