Shifting Public Perceptions

The ‘Shifting Public Perceptions’ Project - An Innovative Approach by Barking & Dagenham Council
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Introduction How do you encourage people of different backgrounds and cultures to respect and value each other’s differences? Barking and Dagenham Council has taken the innovative step of using film to spread the message. Barking and Dagenham Council believes that film is an highly effective way of talking to people living and working in the local area about race equality and the positive benefits of cultural diversity. It also underlines the Council's determination to provide community leadership, fight discrimination and build good community relations. Background The provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 requires local authorities to fulfil the new statutory General Duty of positively promote race equality, eliminate discrimination and foster good community relations. It also requires. It also requires the publication, by 31 May 2002, of a Race Equality Scheme (RES) which lays out the Council’s policies, values and principles on race equality and how it intends to comply with its statutory responsibilities under the Act. At the same time the civil disturbances in the summer of 2001, in the northern towns of Bradford, Oldham and Burnley, led to the emergence of important new community cohesion policy agenda. The home Office investigation into the disturbances found that the major contributing factor was the fact communities had become highly segregated along race lines. Communities were living parallel existences in which there was very little daily contact. This segregation had bred fear, suspicion and a lack of understanding which had bred community tensions that racist groups had exploited. The community cohesion agenda requires local authorities to work with their strategic partners to break down segregation and promote understanding through greater cross-cultural contact. In particular, Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) were charged with producing Community Cohesion Strategies that required services to be restructured to cross-cultural contact. The ‘Shifting Public Perceptions’ Project - The Production of the Cultural Diversity Films It was these twin imperatives, in conjunction with the Council’s wider equalities and diversity work, that led to the development of the ‘Shifting Public Perceptions’ project in partnership with TLMH. It was clear that the Council needed a special vehicle to facilitate a proactive and positive engagement with the local community on race equality and cultural diversity issues. We posed the question, what medium was best suited to allow us to communicate with our local; community, project the Council’s policy and engender genuine dialogue? The answer came in the form of film; and more specifically, the production of the three cultural diversity films. The TLMH Film Production Company took on a commission, from the Council’s Corporate Equalities & Diversity Adviser, to produce films based upon the theme of celebrating the diversity of the local community. TLMH produced treatments for three films that, from skilfully different perspectives, conveyed the common themes that: (1) Cultural and ethnic diversity is a positive attribute to the life and business activity of any locality; and (2) that increased diversity should not be viewed as a problem or something that needs to be accommodated, on the contrary, it is a positive bonus that should be celebrated. The three films can be summarised as follows: The Big Band - shows how music can break down barriers between people from different backgrounds and promote cross-cultural understanding. It features Barking-born and internationally renowned musician Billy Bragg, and a group of culturally diverse musicians creating a world of vibrant sounds in a deserted hall. The film is a celebration of diversity with all the players “now living in East London”. It was filmed in the main hall of Robert Clack Secondary School: Dagenham. The Costermonger– highlights the changing face of life in a traditional East London street market and positive influence of diversity. It features well known local actor Billy Murray in the title role and was filmed in Barking Market. It includes many local people and businesses. The Rainbow – features children of diverse ethnic backgrounds playing happily in a school playground. Filmed at St Joesph’s Primary school: Barking, it emphasises the children’s lack of prejudice and their ability to form a harmonious school community. The rainbow of the title represents both the ethnic and cultural diversity and a symbol of hope for the future. All three films deliver a powerful, yet subtle, message on the value of diversity in everyday life. They will be available in VHS and DVD formats. The DVD version will be fully accessible in terms of translations in the main community languages and facilities for people with visual and hearing disabilities. The Community delivery/reputation Improvement Programme In terms of the ‘Shifting Public Perceptions’ Project, the production of the three cultural diversity films was but one half of the equation. The other half of the equation is actually utilising the films to engage with the local community, stakeholders, partner organisations and staff; in addition to better managing our reputation on these issues regionally and nationally. In order to do this, the Corporate Equalities and Diversity Team devised and delivered the following Phase One Programme:
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Organisation/venue		Target Month
UEL Film Premiere		October 02
West Ham Utd FC		October-December 02
JC DeCaux Posters within borough		October 02-January 03
London Underground: District Line (Upminister to West ham)		October 02-February 03
Pearl & Dean Cinema Advertisement (Goresbrook Village)		October 02-February 03
Executive/TMT		October 02
Press & Media Conference		October 02
Assembly		November 02
YOT trainees Scheme		December 02
Management Briefing		December 02
PCT Equalities Group		December 02
Chairs of the Community Forums		December 02
Community housing Partnerships		December 02
Tenants Federation Representatives		January 03
Members Training		January 03
Barking College		February-April 03
B&D Managers Briefing		February 03
6 Community Forums		March-May 03
Youth Forum		March 2003
Cultural Diversity Films DVDs – 50 key decision makers/Agencies/Press		April onwards
Race Equality Council Members Meeting		April 03
EMPA Members Meeting		April 03
Centre piece of all equalities & Diversity B&D Training Courses		April onwards
Centre piece of all B&D staff inductions		April onwards
Hospital Trusts (waiting areas)		May 03 onwards
Doctors Surgeries (waiting areas)		May 03 onwards
Dentist Surgeries (waiting areas)		May 03 onwards

Further projected Target Groups/Events (2nd Phase – 2003/04) The Corporate Equalities and Diversity Team are also formulating a 2nd phase delivery programme which will include the following groups/events/organisations:

	Older people
	School Governors/Governing bodies
	Schools & Colleges
	Selected Community Groups
	Council Reception Areas
	B&D Police
	B&D Services/Departments
	PCT Staff
	Mori Citizens Panel/Focus Groups
	Barking Festival
	Barking & Dagenham Town Show
	Cultural Diversity Road Show
	Departmental Service Users Panels
	Tenants/Residents Groups
	Barking & Dagenham Chamber of Commerce
	ALG Leader’s Meeting
	B&D Borough Partnership E&D Conference
	Fords Motor Company