Minority report

It is now a year since Sebert Cox, chair of housing group Places for People, told the Race in Housing inquiry that a "behavioural change" within organisations was the only way they would ever deliver an adequate service to black and minority ethnic (BME) residents.

The inquiry, run by the Housing Corporation, the National Housing Federation, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Federation of Black Housing Organisations, was more than just well-meaning talk. It has encouraged individual councils to make real progress on the issue of involving and engaging people from diverse communities.

Monitoring how well they are succeeding is difficult, as there is no single organisation responsible for gathering statistics about the various projects across the country. But a number of councils are leading the way, and Uppal's involvement in Bradford city council is just one example.

Bradford gets on board
Uppal, a former chair of the Tenant Participatory Advisory Service, was hired by Bradford council in April to encourage BME tenants to sit on the boards of community housing trusts newly set up following stock transfer.

Adverts were placed in local newspapers and on a local Asian radio station, and every BME tenant received a letter explaining why they should consider applying to be one of the five tenants on each board.

There is now a BME representative on each board and one has recruited four BME members.

Westminster works it out
In London, Westminster council is working on a similar recruitment drive because one in three Westminster tenants is from an ethnic minority. Last month, the council held a workshop day to boost involvement from the ethnic community.

The council worked with the Westminster Federation of Residents' Associations and the BME tenants' and residents' advisory network. The result was a day of workshops where residents were shown how to get their concerns over to estate managers and told how residents' associations and housing panels work. The cultural needs of particular groups were taken into account: for instance, a women-only workshop was set up for Muslims who felt uncomfortable with a mixed meeting. The council provided lunch, transport, a creche and even entertainment including a five-a-side football match.

Head of housing strategy John Dimmer says the voluntary sector was key to getting residents to participate. "We contacted 75 voluntary groups, all of whom represent those from ethnic minorities, and they were able to encourage people.

"The traditional profile of a tenant association is of a white-dominated organisation, with the result that those who need to be connected to their new surroundings often miss out because they are the least likely to know what is available."

The council hasn't added up the final costs of the day but believes it is in the region of £5000 – small potatoes compared with the rewards it hopes to reap in terms of resident involvement.

Integration Bristol fashion
This month, Bristol council started a three-month equality strategy and anti-racial harassment policy. It includes a register detailing the individual support needs of its tenants.

Clare Cook, executive member for neighbourhood and housing services, says: "The council is determined to put in place practical and measurable initiatives which will bring about real improvements in the lives of everyone in our city, regardless of race, gender, disability, age or sexuality. The equality strategy will develop over the next three years."

There is a large tenants' resource centre in the centre of the city where individuals can discuss issues with other tenants or council officers. But council staff are aware that such places are largely perceived as being run by and for white people. Like Westminster, Bristol is encouraging people from ethnic minorities to attend meetings by being more sensitive to their cultural preferences. For example, some people do not like to attend tenants' meetings held in centres where alcohol is available, so the council has suggested that a school may be a more suitable place for people to meet.

Bristol is also trying to make those from ethnic minorities feel more safe and encourage them to mix more in the wider community by fitting racial harassment alarms in their homes. Around £5500 has been spent on this project and another £43,000 on tenancy management and tackling harassment. This involves the police, council and community reviewing race relations in the area and carrying out further security measures such as fitting extra locks for residents.

Relating to each other in Rochdale
In Lancashire, Rochdale council's approach is to employ more BME staff. The Rochdale Housing Initiative operates a positive action housing management scheme and a trainee regeneration officer scheme, both involving a partnership with West Pennine Housing Association and local contractor Stonebridge Construction. At the moment, there are eight Asian trainees on the housing management course and two on the regeneration course.

The housing management scheme costs about £9000 a post, the regeneration training scheme about £10,000 a placement; the council pays about half while the remainder comes from outside sources including the neighbourhood renewal unit and the European social fund.

"Trainees are able to bring linguistic skills to areas where people cannot speak or understand English well," says RHI manager Darryl Lawrence. "Once it is known within the community that these officers are from an ethnic minority themselves, tenants start to ask about their rights. They can relate to the officers. In terms of engaging tenants these schemes have been invaluable."

Rochdale's scheme, like the ones in Westminster, Bristol and Bradford, prove that landlords can engage all the communities in their area. Bill Brown, director of the BME tenants' and residents' advisory network, says: "Landlords need to get in touch with mosques, temples and churches and liaise with them to tell people about these groups.

"We should be working with both white and black tenants' associations and bringing them together."