Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities Action Group minutes: September 2019

Attendees and apologies

In attendance:

• Chair: Aileen Campbell, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, Scottish Government
• [redacted], [redacted], BEMIS
• [redacted], [redacted], COSLA
• [redacted], [redacted], Police Scotland
• [redacted], [redacted], Police Scotland
• [redacted], [redacted], Respectme
• [redacted], [redacted], Scottish Trans Alliance
• [redacted], [redacted], CEMVO
• [redacted], [redacted], YouthLink Scotland
• [redacted], [redacted], COPFS
• [redacted], COPFS
• [redacted], [redacted], YouthLink Scotland
• [redacted], [redacted], Glasgow Disability Alliance
• [redacted], [redacted], Interfaith Scotland

Official support:

• [redacted], Connected Communities, Scottish Government
• [redacted], Cohesive Communities, Scottish Government
• [redacted], Cohesive Communities, Scottish Government
• [redacted], Cohesive Communities, Scottish Government
• [redacted], Private Office, Scottish Government

Apologies: 

• [redacted], [redacted], Equality and Human Rights Commission 

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Cabinet Secretary thanked YouthLink Scotland for hosting the event, and thanked everyone for attending.

Launch of Speak Up

YouthLink Scotland introduced its Speak Up resource aimed at young people to recognise hate crime and increase their confidence in dealing with incidents. Members welcomed this resource and undertook to share it across their networks using the hash tags #endeverydayhate.

Action:

• group members to promote Speak Up resource using hash tags #onescotland #hatehasnohomehere and #endeverydayhate

Minutes of previous meeting

The group agreed the minutes, and confirmed that there were no actions arising. 

Action group outcomes

The Cabinet Secretary thanked everyone for their engagement over the summer and reiterated the importance of collective leadership and collaborative working in order to progress the group’s work plan.

The group agreed that using hash tags would help create an identity for the group and allow for a more consistent approach.  It was agreed that the hash tags to be used would be #OneScotland and #HateHasNoHomeHere.

It was suggested that membership of the group was widened to include gender and age organisations if these characteristics are included in the new legislation.  

BEMIS suggested that to keep focus on community cohesion the group should share the narrative with examples of good practice to each other and collectively ensure this is shared, and responded to, using the hash tags on social media.  

Action:

• group members sign up to and use the group’s Knowledge Hub site to share resources 

EU exit

Police Scotland reported that Scotland is not currently experiencing the significant rise in hate crime and increase in community tensions that is being felt in other parts of the UK.

In contrast group members are hearing from their communities that this is not the case in reality and that Brexit has resulted in an increase in incidents of hate crime that are going unreported and a feeling of vulnerability/risk. The group also expect tensions to heighten further.

There was consensus from the group that the narrative from the Scottish Government is sending the right message but this should be amplified and be more frequent over the coming weeks to provide continual reassurance.

Action:

• YouthLink Scotland to share research on migrant youth on the Knowledge Hub
• Scottish Government to amplify reassurance messages that tackling hate crime and prejudice remain a priority 
• group members to disseminate reassurance messages to their communities

Third party reporting centres

Police Scotland presented their options paper on Third Party Reporting Centres to the group. The group welcomed the report.  It was felt that further clarity was required on the options for consideration.  There was consensus that a reporting app would be beneficial but further investigation is required.  

Action:

• Connected Communities to set up working group on Third Party Reporting Centres 

Note - The Cabinet Secretary left the meeting.

Hate Crime Awareness Week

Connected Communities thanked the group for their engagement on the campaign creatives and advised that the campaign won’t be ready to launch during Hate Crime Awareness Week. It was agreed that we had to remain pro-active and send a robust message on community reassurance.  

Action:

• group members to provide information on what they are planning during Hate Crime Awareness Week including suggestions for Ministerial engagement 

Hate crime data

Police Scotland thanked members who attended the data workshop in August and provided the group with a brief overview of the session.  The group remained concerned that current data collection was not fit for purpose and that it’s vital to have a system that is able to provide good reporting on hate crime statistics, including cases that are reported but not progressed as a hate incident or crime. 

Action:

• Connected Communities to add data and evidence to the agenda for the next meeting

Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities Conference

BEMIS provided a quick overview of the 2019 conference and suggested that there will be an opportunity for the 2020 conference to be expanded to include all hate crime characteristics. 

Action:

• BEMIS to convene a sub-group for the Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities Conference 2020  

Next meeting

COPFS offered to host the next Action Group meeting at the beginning of 2020. 

AOB

Connected Communities advised the group that work on new hate crime legislation was progressing for introduction in this current parliamentary session.

Connected Communities 
October 2019