Briefing Paper 13
Monitoring the ethnicity of housing service users: forty years of progress?
It is 40 years since ethnic monitoring in housing services was first recommended, but this paper suggests that true monitoring is in decline. Whilst basic sources of information are available, practitioners do not appear to be putting them in context. The key issue for housing services is to ‘get beyond frontline figures to actually identify, explain and (consequently) act on any potential areas of concern that may emerge’.
Author(s): Adrian Jones
[Briefing Paper]

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Briefing Paper 12
Refugee community organisations: working in partnership to improve access to housing services
Housing services for refugees are better targeted and delivered when refugee community organisations (RCOs) are involved as partners: this means involving them at an early stage and providing ongoing support. Recruiting and training refugee community researchers can also empower community members, by allowing them to take ownership of the research agenda.
Author(s): Patricia A. Jones, David Mullins
[Briefing Paper]

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Briefing Paper 8
Black and minority ethnic young people and housing
This briefing looks at the housing experiences, needs and aspirations of black and minority ethnic (BME) young people aged between sixteen and twenty-five. It aims to inform housing providers of ways of improving services to this diverse group, arguing that we need to listen more closely to the voices of young people in order to design and deliver improved housing services. The briefing draws attention to key issues of choice, affordability, diversity and the prevention of homelessness among young BME people.
Author(s): Deborah Phillips
[Briefing Paper]

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Briefing Paper 5
Black and minority ethnic user participation in housing
Emphasis on user participation in the housing sector has risen, yet in spite of this, the involvement of African, Asian and African Caribbean tenants in councils and housing associations seems to be limited. This is of particular concern given that these communities are more likely to experience poor housing conditions, overcrowding, homelessness and racism and to have specific housing needs arising from larger family sizes and cultural practices. This paper argues that providers should look at how appropriate support can encourage participation from black and minority ethnic tenants, rather than assuming they are ‘hard to reach’. To make involvement meaningful to tenants, they also need to be shown how their participation can influence the services provided, and monitoring and follow-up are essential.
Author(s): Tracey Bignall
[Briefing Paper]

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Briefing Paper 4
Housing choice and racist hostility
Extending housing choice for black and minority ethnic households requires consideration of racial discrimination, social and economic inequality and household needs, preferences and aspirations. Increased opportunities for the expression of housing choice in new lettings systems has improved the choices of location open to black and minority ethnic households, but there is mixed evidence of impact. Tackling racist hostility and reducing this constraint on housing choice requires renewed work around a ‘Racism Reduction’ agenda, at an individual, local and national level, together with significant improvements in victim support and enforcement.
Author(s): Ian Law
[Briefing Paper]

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Briefing Paper 2
Racist harassment and housing services
Although official figures indicate that racist harassment is decreasing, many incidents are reported only at a crisis point when abuse can no longer be tolerated. To support victims effectively social landlords have to ensure that they understand the victim’s perspective and can use a range of codes of practice, good practice guidelines and resources to help them respond to racist incidents.
Author(s): Kusminder Chahal
[Briefing Paper]

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No place like home? Addressing the issues of housing and migration
O’Hara, E., Shelter, October 2008
This paper encourages the current immigration debate, considering political and media attention on who has come to the UK and why, and perhaps more importantly how the needs of these individuals can be met with public services.
[Housing Resource]

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The advice gap: A study of barriers to housing advice for black and minority ethnic communities
Radebe, D., Shelter, January 2007
This study investigates the ways that black and minority ethnic service users access housing advice.  It also considers obstacles to service provision, and the impact that age, language skills and method of advice-giving can have upon service provision.
[Housing Resource]

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Black and minority ethnic housing associations: The challenge of growth and viability
The Housing Corporation, Source Research 69, October 2003
This report considers the success of black and minority ethnic housing associations, comparing with a selection of non-BME housing associations to see the extent to which they faced similar problems.  The study highlights factors which have enabled some associations to develop successfully, whilst others experience problems.
[Housing Resource]

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Examining the experience of Positive Action Training in Housing
Julienne, L., Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2001
This study examines the impact of PATH (Positive Action Training in Housing) schemes upon the experiences of black and minority ethnic social housing staff.  The views of ex-PATH trainees are compared with a control group of non-PATH black housing workers to see how the scheme has helped or hindered staff career progressions.
[Housing Resource]

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Social housing allocation and immigrant communities
Rutter, J. and Latorre, M., ippr, Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2009
This report examines the allocation of social housing in England, considering whether there is any basis to persistent media reports indicating that migrants receive priority over non-migrants. Analysing a range of quantitative and qualitative evidence, including the 2001 Census, local authority policies and the results of focus groups, the report outlines some of the drivers of social housing allocation and also the background to perceived distortions in allocation policy.
[Housing Resource]

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24dash.com
24dash.com is Social Housing and Public Sector news website, combining national coverage from the Press Association with press releases from housing associations, local authorities, charities and other relevant organisations.
[Weblink]

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Innovation into Action
Innovation into Action provides good practice examples for involving council tenants in managing their homes.  Although the project has now finished, the site contains a useful collection o f information and Good Practice Guides & Toolkits.
[Weblink]

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