Organisation: West Thames CollegeType of FE provider: CollegeFocus on: Equality and Diversity (Race)

Working with the CommunityAdvisory Group

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Information andAdvice Service Tel: 0207 936 5798Email: advice@lluk.orgwww.lluk.org

Summary of activity The involvement of members of the local communityhelps to inform the college’s approach to raceequality and faith issues.

Background and strategic drive for activityWest Thames College is a medium-sized furthereducation college situated in the London Boroughof Hounslow. The college’s 6,000-strong studentpopulation is drawn from a long-establishedmulticultural community, with around 60 per centbelonging to a black or minority ethnic group.English is a second language to more than half ofits students. The college has sites across the area,including its main campus in Isleworth and its SkillsCentre based in Feltham.

The college is fully committed to promoting andimplementing race equality practices for staff andits Community Advisory Group is an excellentexample of this. The group evolved from thecollege’s desire to develop good links within thecommunity and to ensure that its decisions on keycultural issues were well-informed. Whilst thegroup was set up before the implementation ofthe Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, thislegislation has helped set the tone and reinforcethe work of the group.

Set-up and implementationGroup members include the Director of HounslowRace Equality Council, senior advisers from the localauthority, representatives from local communities,governors, the Principal and Vice Principal. To beginwith, the Community Advisory Group focused onoperational issues at the college, such as queriesconcerning race, religion and belief. Over time,however, the group has developed more of a strategicrole within the college. For example, it has advisedthe college on employment strategies andcontributed to constructive discussions about howto collect and analyse staff monitoring data.

The group is now a sub committee of the collegeCorporation and attends all relevant collegemanagement meetings. The central role played bythe group in college discussions and subsequentaction illustrates the mutual trust that hasdeveloped between the group and the college.

Obstacles facedAlthough the college is fortunate in having awholesale commitment and solutions-focusedapproach to race equality issues, there can bedisagreements on the types of solutions that shouldbe adopted. This is not necessarily a bad thing, asthe robust discussions that take place between thecollege management and the Community AdvisoryGroup helps the college ensure it considers all theavailable options.

Impact and achievementsThere are very good links between the group andsenior management of the college, which is partlydown to the presence of the group at events suchas college management meetings. Group membersalso play various important roles in college activitiesoutside the group – for example, some are nowalso governors.

The group has a good collective knowledge andexperience base and is well placed to be able tochallenge the college’s management team onimportant workforce issues such as recruitment,selection and progression.

It has also helped contribute to the Association ofColleges’ Beacon Award for race equality, whichthe college was awarded in 2008. This has raisedthe profile of the college both locally and nationallyand further encouraged the college in its efforts topromote and implement race equality practices.

Links to legal requirements and other equality areasThe group has a strong commitment to raceequality and the governing body is aware of its legalresponsibilities in this area. It is also able to considerand assist the college on relevant faith issues, whichhelps to ensure that the college can meet therequirements of legislation under the EmploymentEquality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.

Next stepsThe college has recently agreed to extend theremit of the Community Advisory Group toembrace all strands of equality and diversity.

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Contact

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Provider contactBilly ElliottVice Principal – Student and Services West Thames College London Road Isleworth MiddlesexTW7 4HSbilly.elliott@west-thames.ac.uk

“This example shows how thecollege’s involvement through thegroup has led to community leadersbeing moved to apply for governorposts, thereby increasing the diversityof the corporation.” The Workforce Race Advisory Group

Find out more about the work of The WorkforceRace Advisory Group: www.lluk.org/3151.htm.