Essex Racial Equality provides services to the BME individuals and statutory agencies.
Can We Help You?
Role Of The Race Equality Officer
At Essex Racial Equality Council we provide free support for people who believe that they are victims of racial harassment and discrimination and help to obtain redress. We recognise the harmful effects that racial discrimination has on the victim and their overall quality of life.
In working with you we aim to be a centre of excellence in supporting victims and will provide, representation at employment tribunal. We work closely with a firm of solicitors Timmings, McGuigan Partnership (TMP) (www.tmpsol.com) who will also provide legal support and guidance on your case, if referred through our organisation.
Below are examples of types of cases we have dealt with:
- Racial harassment from neighbours.
- Preparing cases for employment tribunals regarding indirect, direct discrimination, as well as racial harassment and victimisation. We will also provide advice on current employment legislation
- Support to victims of racial incidents who wish to make race complaints against the police
To help you we have set out below definitions of discrimination. If you need any clarification we will also provide telephone advice and guidance.
Contact details:
Racial Equality Officer
Essex Racial Equality Council
Pitsea Area Housing Office
13 Northlands Pavement
Pitsea
Essex
SS13 3DU
Tel: 01268 465068
E-mail: basildon@essex-rec.co.uk.
Definitions Of Race Discrimination
Direct Race Discrimination
Race Relations Act 1976 section 1 (1a) "a person discriminates against another in any circumstances relevant for the purposes of any provision of this Act if-
(a) On racial grounds he treats that other less favourably than he treats or would treat other persons".
Indirect Race Discrimination
Race Relations Act 1976 s1 (1) (a) "a person... discriminates against another if... he applies to that other a provision, criterion or practice which he applies or would apply equally to persons not of the same race or ethnic or national origins as that other, but-
(a) Which puts or would put persons of the same race or ethnic or national origins as that other at a particular disadvantage when compared with other persons".
Case Study
My first case was an African mother of four children living in Southend, who is experiencing racial harassment from her neighbours. The situation failed to improve after she reported the matter to the police three times. After I interviewed her, I took copies of the crime incidents reports and drafted a statement. I gave the Southend Hate Crime Panel on the 21st August 2006 a copy of the report and the crime incidents reports. I also gave the housing representative at the panel, a copy of the same documents. The result was that in one week later, the family were offered the opportunity to be re-housed, and the case was put at the top of the housing list. The housing officer rang me personally to inform me of this. The housing officer is in the process of compiling a report to support my client's application to be re-housed. This is an example of how a Race equality officer, can bring public bodies to account in terms of the race legislation.
Form To Complete If You Need Our Help:
Advocacy Service
At Essex Racial Equality Council we provide an Advocacy Service.
The BME Advocacy Service will support the Black and Minority Ethnic community in Essex (excluding the unitary authorities), who are between the ages of 18 and 65, and who may have a learning disability, mental health issue or a history of drug/alcohol abuse, to access statutory services to which they are entitled.
The support will include offering information, representation and support in relevant areas of their rights and promote the inclusion and empowerment of the BME citizen to access services within statutory organisations.
The BME Advocacy Service will ensure that the citizen who may be experiencing difficulties accessing statutory services, obtains the relevant information on their rights and assists and empowers the citizen to explore the options available in a language that they are familiar with.
The BME advocate will work within the standards of the Advocacy Charter and comply with the Health and Safety policies and procedures of the Essex Racial Equality Council and the BME Advocacy Project.
Contact Details:
Racial Equality Officer
Essex Racial Equality Council
Pitsea Area Housing Office
13 Northlands Pavement
Pitsea
Essex
SS13 3DU
Tel: 01268 465068
E-mail: basildon@essex-rec.co.uk.
Advocacy Downloads
There is a BME advocacy poster available for download here (Word doc).
Additionally, see the leaflet on our "Advocacy" package: 20177 Advocacy Leaflet.pdf
Training Downloads
We have a leaflet on "Training" package: Training Leaflet.pdf
We also have working for us a Racial Equality Officer and Community Development Officer, go to their pages and you'll see what they do.
If you would like to know more about what we do, please contact us.