Contents

About us

What is the Racial Equality Council?

The Swansea Bay Racial Equality Council is a voluntary organisation, and a registered charity. The council established its office in 1990 and serves the areas of Swansea, Neath, and Port Talbot.

The broad objectives of the council are to work towards the elimination of Racial Discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and good relations between person of different racial groups.

The council provides a crucial service be promoting equality, and enhancing good relations by bringing all communities together. It supports victims of racial discrimination and racial harassment.

The council is funded by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), City and County of Swansea, and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. The council has also continued to make a difference over the years by running various projects with financial support from the Welsh European Funding Office, Community Fund, the Arts Council of Wales and Compact Funding (City and County of Swansea). Over and above these sources we have a very good relationship with various public and private sector organisations in the area who support our targeted one-off activities such as seminars and conferences.

Its mission is to work for a just society which gives everyone an equal chance to learn, work and live free from the fear of racial harassment and violence.

Why the Racial Equality exists?

Racial Discrimination, injustice, harassment, and even violent attacks, are daily experiences for many people from minority ethnic communities.

Racial discrimination can occur in many different ways, it may be a direct refusal to give someone a job, accommodation, or a place on a college course, just because of their colour or nationality or by creating an indirect barrier to someone from an ethnic minority community from obtaining a job or a service.

Much of the discrimination that occurs is based on ‘colour’, and is directed against ‘visible’ minorities people from Asian, African, Caribbean and Chinese origin. The Racial Equality Council is concerned however, about anyone who may have experienced racial discrimination whatever his or her background.

White people, Irish people, Gypsies, and other ethnic or national groups are covered equally by the Race Relations Act. Swansea Bay Racial Equality Council is the only body in the area, which in collaboration with Commission for Racial Equality assists in enforcing the race relation’s act.

What the Race Equality Council Does!

The council produces an annual work programme in consultation with the CRE, which covers the Council’s 12 months work in the field of Policy Development Public Education, Community Development and supporting the victims of racial discrimination and racial harassment. Our Council takes into consideration the local priorities and CRE’s national priorities. 60% of the time is devoted to the work programme and the other 40% deals with the day-to-day issues, meetings and conferences, etc.

The Racial Equality Council’s activities cover Education, Employment Race Awareness, Housing, Health, Social Services, Community Development, The Criminal Justice System, and the way in which goods and services are provided to the public. We help other agencies take action on racial harassment and attacks.

Anyone who suffers racial discrimination has the right to take legal action in a court or industrial tribunal. The Council can help complainants directly in employment cases, and in other cases it can put them in touch with other agencies.

Membership

The present membership consists of representatives from the two local authorities in the area, voluntary organisations, retail traders, ethnic minority individuals/organisations representing African-Caribbean, Arab, Bangladeshi, Chinese, English, Filipino, Indian, Pakistani, Welsh and many other communities and other individuals who agree with the aims and objectives of the council.

Committees

The Council meets three times a year. The Executive consists of 12 elected members, 4 local authorities nominees, and two co-opted persons. It meets six times a year and directs it’s staff to implement its policies and work-programme.

There are statutory Sub-Committees on Personnel, Finance and General Purpose and Membership.

Partnership

We have an extensive range of partnerships from statutory sector organisations such as the City and County of Swansea, Neath & Prot Talbot Borough Council and Commission for Racial Equality to the private sector organisations as diverse as Barclays and Lloyds-TSB Banks and Swansea Rugby Football Club. If you would like to have more details of our partnerships please feel free to contact our Director who would be pleased to give you any further information that he may have.

How the Racial Quality Council can help you

We can help you if:

You want advice and information about Racial Discrimination, Equal Opportunities, or the work of the Council
You think you have been discriminated against on racial grounds or want to report an incident and need legal advice.
You have been racially attacked harassed or abused and want to know who can best advise you.

We also provide accredited training to organisations wishing to enable their employees to learn about cultural diversity and race relations.

For further information and membership details please contact us by visiting our Contacts page.

Š2003 Swansea Bay Racial Equality Council