For what reason £148,750 was provided to Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC) between 2017-18 and 2020-21 as part of the Prom…

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communitiesThe Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC) “Equality in the Community” project was funded to reduce the negative effects of inequality, hate and marginalisation experienced by individuals and groups of Minority Ethnic and Refugee backgrounds; Disabled people and LGBTI people living and working in Central Scotland. The project would take an intersectional approach and would address the challenges faced by those with multiple protected characteristics.The project was intended to play a supportive role in building the capacity of those community members and community groups to engage with the wider public to enhance community cohesion and prevent incidents of hate crime and discrimination; increase confidence in reporting and reduce barriers to reporting hate crime. The project will engage with local community groups to discuss and address their experiences and concerns and liaison between them and partner public and third sector agencies to ensure that practical solutions are developed and delivered.To achieve these aims, the project would through its support and advice service and the people’s forums facilitate greater participation in public life and engagement with public authorities and address issues of discrimination, exclusion and hate crime; it would organise events and awareness sessions on hate crime and how it can be challenged by those affected; it would organise community events to facilitate greater community cohesion with particular focus on fighting rising Islamophobia, anti-immigration sentiment and its impact on communities in Central Scotland. It would also help equality community groups to capacity build to organise and achieve their aims and objectives.The specific outcomes to be achieved were:Individuals from Minority Ethnic communities, LGBTI persons and those with disabilities will experience less discrimination and will have reduced barriers to participation in civil societyIndividuals from Minority Ethnic communities, LGBTI persons and those with disabilities will be more aware of hate crime legislation, their rights as victims and will develop the ability to challenge and respond effectively to hate crime against themselves and in the wider communityMembers of Minority Ethnic communities, LGBTI persons and those with disabilities will be more organised and collectively and individually contribute to development of services and feel a part of Scottish society.The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf