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Equality, diversity and social housing - a new CIH Scotland practice briefing
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The Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland has launched a brand new web based Practice Briefing, Equality, diversity and housing. This free publication is aimed at providing good practice guidance for housing organisations on the impact of equality and diversity issues in the communities that they serve.
The briefing comes at a time when Equalities is back on the political agenda with the introduction of a new Equality Bill which is certain to pose new challenges for social landlords and public bodies across the UK.
As well as highlighting the forthcoming changes in legislation, the briefing is a practical guide for housing organisations to enable them to develop coherent and responsive equality and diversity strategies. This is particularly relevant given the recent major report by the Scottish Housing Regulator, Social Landlords in Scotland; Shaping up for Improvement, which indicated that progress across the sector is slow in relation to improving equality and diversity practices. The regulator has also recently outlined an Equality Action Plan for 2009 and their continued commitment to monitoring equalities in the regulation activities.
Launching the briefing, Alan Ferguson, Director of CIH Scotland, said: "With the announcement of the new legislation coming into force in April 2010, public bodies will need to consider and plan more effectively for the diverse needs of th eir workforce and the communities they serve.
“Recognising the importance of equality and diversity in relation to housing will help landlords to comply with the law and be proactive in providing the right services to meet the right needs of their diverse communities and workforce. Taking a positive approach will promote good relations between people from different backgrounds and can enhance the quality of life.
"CIH Scotland is pleased to be able to make this practice briefing freely available as a tool to enable housing organisations across Scotland to review their equality and diversity strategies and to further prepare for the introduction of a new Equality Bill and respond to the concerns of the S cottish Housing Regulator.
"It is important that all organisations work together to try and eliminate the discrimination that still exists in our society today and to promote equality of opportunity in all areas of work."
