Discourse about racial disparities in public spaces often feels disconnected from action. At Action for Race Equality (ARE), we created the Policy Action Forum (PAF), a space focused on practical solutions. The online series brought together experts to address racial disparities and collaborate on solutions to end disproportionality.
Building resilience for ‘led by and for’ organisations
The first PAF centered on building the resilience and voices of ‘led by and for’ organisations, a key focus for ARE. Throughout our 30 year+ history, we’ve championed the expertise of organisations that are led by and deliver services for Black, Asian, and Mixed Heritage people.
These organisations and services frequently share challenges when it comes to building their capacity, growth and sustainability – in large part due to racial discrimination.
Speakers Tebussum Rashid, ARE senior associate with over 30 years of experience in fundraising and organisational development, and Shanea Oldham, community organiser from Newham and member of the Harm to Healing Coalition, shared insights on these challenges and how best we can support and champion the expertise of the by and for sector.
Redefining the definition ‘Led by and for’
The term led by and for has increasingly been co-opted, reducing organisations to data, and marginalising their expertise. Tebussum stressed the importance of organisations being issue-led, intersectional and a culture of mutual learning. Building on this, ARE’s Head of Policy, Meka Beresford, introduced the Racial Terminology Project, which seeks to understand how race terminology is being used in the UK today and how we should use it in the future.
Similarly, Shanea noted how by and for organisations operate in oppressive systems while supporting individuals impacted by them, uniquely positioning these organisations to drive systemic change.
Addressing funding and support challenges
Funding remains one of the biggest challenges for led by and for organisations. Shanea noted that inconsistent, project-specific funding limits their ability to effectively meet community needs.
Tebussum explained the catch-22: due to lack of trust between organisations and funders, organisations do not have the capacity to capture their impact which they rely on to access funding. To combat this, funders must offer culturally sensitive support and shift from a transactional relationship to a transformative one. Equally, organisations must position themselves confidently as leaders, setting the agenda that will lead to change.
Building capacity and solidarity in community organisations
Shanea emphasised the need for meaningful allyship and a critical evaluation of power. Led by and for organisations often feel diminished when interacting with institutions, especially institutions that are responsible for creating and sustaining harm, inequality, and injustice.
Therefore, it is essential that public bodies approach relationships with organisations intentionally and equitably to avoid reproducing damaging power dynamics. For example, through co-production, transparent accountability mechanisms or demonstrating anti-racism in their practices.
Within the sector, Shanea insisted that:
Solidarity and community connection is the cornerstone of movement building.”
Tackling bias and driving policy change
A shared understanding of bias is critical for inclusivity. One attendee noted that differing perspectives on bias hinders solidarity, and local efforts to agree a definition is crucial to cohesion.
Discussions also addressed how the value of by and for organisations feels contingent upon the solution they provide. One attendee shared that, while his ability to de-escalate young people is valued, he faces obstacles when advocating for their needs. He argued that terms like “unconscious bias” enables scapegoating and should be seen as a facet of racism. Therefore, changes to language are ineffective if they do not improve youth or sector wide engagement.
The need for by and for organisations to be involved in policymaking as a mechanism of accountability is paramount. We frequently lead the way when it comes to challenging injustices but have the least access to funding in order to carry out this vital work.
Shaping the future: A salient takeaway from the Policy Action Forum was the need for language to unite, not divide. By and for organisations must leverage their lived experience to lead authentically and resist outside pressures. By building solidarity, challenging harmful structures and redefining relationships with funders and policymakers, they can change their communities for the better.
Bowale Fadare
Author
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