Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities Action Group: terms of reference

Background

On 13 September 2016 a report by Duncan Morrow’s Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion was published – setting out a number of recommendations for the Scottish Government and partners. 

On 13 2017 June the Scottish Government published a plan of action – ‘Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities’ - to implement the Advisory Group’s recommendations and in a statement to Parliament on the same day the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities announced the establishment of a multi-agency delivery group, with Ministerial oversight, to ensure that the Advisory group’s recommendations are progressed.  

Objectives

The group will:

• consider both existing and emerging issues with a focus on improvement and driving forward practical change as well as provide strategic cross-sectoral leadership
• ensure that actions within ‘Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities’ are progressed in a collaborative way over the lifetime of the Plan

Scope

The group will have responsibility for ensuring that the recommendations within Duncan Morrow’s Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion are progressed and a programme of action is set out in the Scottish Government’s response.

Critical to this will be alignment the other strategies/policy areas including (but not limited to): 

• Respect for All: The National Approach to anti-bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People
• A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People 
• Race Equality Framework and Delivery Plan 
• Equally Safe strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls
• 2018 Year of Young People

Membership

The Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, social Security and Equalities.

Organisation:

• Police Scotland 
• Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)
• Education Scotland
• YouthLink Scotland
• Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• BEMIS attending on behalf of Rami Ousta
• Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO)
• Equality Network
• Respectme
• Glasgow Disability Alliance 
• Interfaith Scotland

Official support will be provided by the Connected Communities, Equalities and Health and Wellbeing teams within the Scottish Government. 

Other individuals and organisations may be invited to attend meetings as and when appropriate. The Scottish Government’s Advisory Panel on Community Cohesion, once established, will also be invited to attend meetings.

Deliverables

• work to address the under reporting of hate crime
• consider how to break down barriers to reporting  
• develop approach to gathering evidence around hate crime 
• consider how to improve engagement with Scotland's minority communities to build community cohesion 
• engage in dialogue around definitions and terminology relating to hate crime
• consider the international definition of anti-Semitism can translate into operational practice
• work to address prejudice-based bullying 
• explore further the potential of youth work (as a model of peer-led intervention) to contribute to tackling hate crime and prejudice 
• consider the recommendations of Lord Bracadale's independent review of hate crime legislation
• gather evidence of hate crime experienced within the workplace, with an initial focus on front line workers
• consider further steps to prevent and tackle online hatred and misogyny 

A report will be published in 2020 setting out an update on progress relating to the implementation of the Advisory Group's recommendations.

A work plan accompanies this document that clearly sets out priorities and timeframes. It will be kept updated to reflect the work of the group as actions are completed and priorities change.

Frequency of meetings 

The group will meet regularly, approximately every three to four months; however this will vary depending on issues and priorities.

Secretariat 

Secretariat support will be provided by the Scottish Government’s Cohesive Communities team.