Establishing Ethnic Environmental Participation

Communicate 2012Judy Ling Wong CBE. HonFCIWEM. FRSA. HonPhD. HonFIES

President. Black Environment Network

Mission StatementBlack Environment Network is

established to enable full ethnic participation

in the environmental and heritage sectors

We use the word ‘black’ symbolically recognising that the black communities are the most visible of all ethnic groups

We work with black, white and other ethnic minorities

Who we are and what we can achieve

depends on how we see ourselves

against the enormous pressure of how others see us

Judy Ling Wong

Sustainable Development depends on:

The relationship of people to the environment

The relationship of people to each other

The number of people of goodwill outnumber racists

UK Man and the Biosphere Urban Wildlife Award for

Excellence 2012

Citation

“The Award is for Black Environment Network as a flagship project for

pioneering and establishing ethnic environmental

participation”

“There is no such thing as a pure environmental project.

A so called pure environmental

project is one that has neglected its social, cultural, and economic

context.”

Judy Ling Wong

The provision of a participatory framework underpinned by policy is about creating relevant opportunities for full participation in the context of social justice

The BEN formula - supporting both sides

Community and individual empowerment - Physical and intellectual access for the full range of social groups- Cultural exploration and expression through activities- Awareness of rights and responsibilities- Confidence and opportunities to lead

Organisational empowerment - Organisational commitment- Dialogue, activities and holistic representation in a relevant multicultural context- Attention to detail- Equal partnership

The work of BEN can be seen in 5 stages:

• AWARENESS RAISING - Putting ethnic environmental participation on the agenda of the environmental sector.

• MODEL PROJECTS - Establishing methodology, publishing and promoting examples of good practice and other resources.

• QUALITY OUTREACH - Enabling environmental professionals to reach out and work effectively with ethnic minorities through training, mentoring, activity development, and networking.

• QUALITY INREACH - Enabling members of ethnic minorities to lead through training ethnic environmental advocates, who promote environmental participation through reaching into their own communities.

• INFRASTRUCTURE - Promoting a framework for equal access to nature and opportunities for participation for ethnic minorities through working at policy level and partnership with committed environmental organisations.

A Cultural Garden

A garden with plants selected to represent the presence of particular cultures

Expressing cultural presence Tai Chi in Peak District National Park

Healthy recipes competition with Rhodri Morgan as judge

- social recognition and prestige, sense of connection to power - sharing knowledge and skills around production of food

- connecting with issues such as health

Linking to Hidden Skills and Knowledge

Environmental arts and crafts as vehicles for comparative learning in the environment, negotiation, cultural interchange, discovery and dialogue.

Planning and building skills, teaching skills,Horticultural knowledge

Food growing, community gardens and Environmental Education

- Learning about nature through cultivars

Community Arts

Community produced arts and crafts are constant links to nature in the neighbourhood and a recognition of diverse social presence

A Wider Vision

Mixed programmes of social, heritage and environmental activities - a cultural workshop and a picnic in the countryside

Storytelling, use of plant motifs and jewellery making at the Royal Museum. Edinburgh

Are we allowed palm trees?Non-invasive species in appropriate spaces gives recognition and builds intercultural working relationships.

It is useful to have a list of plants that are widespread across the world, e.g. Columbines are across the temperate zone without a specific country of origin.

We need more of the same!!

The drivers: Unlocking the vast environmental contribution of excluded groups.

Building an inclusive cohesive society of which we can all be proud.

Building on what has been achieved: All 5 stages go on at the same time

The Environment Sector needs more resources

Multi-dimensional ProjectsAn increasingly wider vision in the context of sustainable development mean that core environmental aims should not be seen as competing with socio-cultural aims. In the present challenging economic climate, environmental organizations need more resources for multicultural participation.

Generating Funding SchemesThe coming together of consortiums and significant funders to bring forward focused multicultural grant schemes can give us the giants of community development and enhanced environmental participation.

Recent examples of infrastructural projects:

THE MOSAIC PROJECT – BEN and the Campaign for National Parks. Over 10 years, 200 ethnic minority National Park Champions across England and Wales, working within their own communities to enable access to National Parks. The project is still ongoing in Wales.

THE BEN RAINBOW PROJECT – 120 ethnic minority Community Environmental Advocates trained to reach inside their own communities to increase participation and 120 Professional Advocates trained to engage with ethnic groups.

LOCAL FOOD GLOBAL FOOD – partnership project with FCFCG to enable ethnic minority engagement across the network of 300 city farms and community gardens. The project puts into place 10 exemplar sites. During the two years of BEN led training, an internal trainer is trained to continue the work using training materials developed specifically for FCFCG.

Invest in the establishment of diverse participation Recognise the impact of displacement and promote a sense of

belonging through repeated engagement– the basis for awakening the love of nature leading to sustained action

Nurture cultural expression and the negotiation of identity to strengthen community

Establish the confidence to claim the right to environmental quality and quality of life

Have fun, work imaginatively and in equal partnership (enable ethnic minorities to lead)

Make connections that have depth over time Support living heritage (diverse knowledge of food growing and

care of the natural environment) Create ‘new’ heritage points of reference through holistic

interpretation (knowledge of common wildlife species in different countries, the origin of popular garden plants)

Mark places with memory - ownership and belonging

Pro-active initiatives for change Organisational awareness raising to build commitment for

diverse representation and participation at different levels Link equal access to representation and participation to policy Purposefully linking holistic (multicultural) interpretation to

broadening access and social inclusion Use historical markers to gain impetus Use focused projects to push the frontiers of holistic

interpretation, involving a range of social groups Empower communities to lead in representation and

negotiation Nurture understanding and provide access to knowledge and

skills that enable action relating to environmental rights Build a support network for furthering representation Lobby for more resources from different sectors for “people,

heritage and environment”

“Change comes through the coming together of

Thinking

Feeling

And

Action”

Judy Ling Wong

“Working with disadvantaged and socially excluded groups is not about doing favours to small groups of people. It is about working towards a vision of an inclusive society of which we can all be proud.”

Judy Ling Wong

People are a Force for Change

“ People are a force for change. We need to Care, Share and Dare to negotiate the context for social inclusion.

Organisations, community groups, and individuals can work together across different sectors using their knowledge, skills and passion to shape our future.”

Judy Ling Wong

For information about BEN and BEN servicesincluding training and consultancy

iukoffice@ben-network.org.uk

All BEN publications and resources are downloadable free

www.ben-network.org.uk