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A £9million Tackling Race Inequality Fund (TRIF) to address discrimination and underachievement has been announced by Communities Secretary John Denham yesterday.

 After a wide-ranging consultation on improving opportunities for minority ethnic people the Government is announcing a new commitment to funding projects that will drive forward efforts to promote race equality.

TRIF projects will give targeted help to disadvantaged groups and all reflect a sense of shared values and fairness. The projects are split between 21 national and six regional organisations and include organisations such as the Stephen Lawrence Trust, Age Concern, the Race Equality Foundation and Mind.

Speaking at the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, London, John Denham said:

“This Government is committed to tackling disadvantage and inequality in every part of our community.  We recognise it is still the case that many black and minority ethnic people face particular challenges from discrimination and prejudice.

“These grants will help ensure that people get a fair deal – no more, no less – whichever community they come from.”

Funding will be used to address:

Equal opportunities for people from BME communities

Projects like PATH Yorkshire who are “Building Britain’s Future” by offering training for young people before they start an apprenticeship.  Overall, projects that have demonstrated they will help develop a fairer society by tackling barriers to participation based on race, colour or ethnicity have been successful in obtaining funding.

Inequalities of access to services

TRIF grants are being given to projects aiming to reduce gaps in outcomes for people from BAME groups in a range of public services and in employment.  Particular groups still face specific challenges which prevent them realising their potential at school, at work or in society – for example

• Pakistani and Bangladeshi women’s employment rates are 27% and 28% respectively;
• In 2004, Black Caribbean pupils were three times as likely to be excluded from school than White pupils; and
• Black African, Black Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi men experience penalties in employment which cannot be explained solely by educational achievement or other socio-economic factors.

Increasing civic participation

Research has shown the most effective changes in communities are instigated and led by those people who live there. Many people from minority ethnic groups volunteer and are active in their communities, but they are under-represented in public roles. Some of the projects we are funding are seeking to support more minority ethnic people to move into these roles.

Tackling racially motivated crime

Funding has been allocated to projects which work with local bodies promoting race equality, including supporting the victims of racially motivated crime.

Helping disadvantaged groups

Projects that focus on overcoming disadvantages and barriers which hold people back, whether through social exclusion, educational underachievement or poor housing have received funding.

Research into race equality

Funding is being targeted towards projects which will help increase the evidence base about the challenges facing minority ethnic communities and ways to tackle them. The Government’s recent REACH strategy identified factors which led to young black men having fewer opportunities available to them.