Offering advice to victims of racism and working with employers from all sectors to ensure that they have effective race equality and diversity policies in place is a major focus of REF�s work.
Despite the wealth of anti-racism legislation, racial discrimination and racial harassment is still an issue for people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. Since April 2007 REF has dealt with 201 cases of racial discrimination and or racial harassment and the majority of these cases related to employment.
One recent case involved a victim X who had been racially harassed at work. X put in a grievance about the harassment but took no further action and the grievance was not upheld. X then went off sick and submitted another grievance about his supervisor. With the help of REF and his union, X appealed the original decision not to uphold his grievance. His employers offered a settlement of �18,000. X accepted this and resigned.
The law on racial discrimination is complicated and victims will need expert advice and help in preparing and presenting their cases. It might also be quite costly as legal aid for representation at employment tribunal hearings is not available.
People living or working in Cardiff or the Vale of Glamorgan can contact REF�s Legal Team for advice on the strength of their case. REF offers free confidential, independent advice to victims of racism who live or work in these counties.
As well as advising victims REF works in partnership with organisations from a range of sectors to promote equality and the casework we undertake helps to inform the way that we develop these partnerships.
REF's Schools Against Racism Calendar & Poster Competition promotes race equality in a positive and fun way that engages the creativity of children and encourages partnership, harmony and an understanding and celebration of different cultures.
The competition to produce the 2008 Calendar & Posters is well underway and the theme this year is �Equal Treatment, Equal Respect.
Last year REF distributed 3,500 calendars and 1000 posters to schools, organisations and individuals and we are grateful to Julian Hodge Bank for sponsoring the competition.
Many schools that entered the competition for the 2007 Calendar indicated that the initiative was of great value in helping pupils to understand the concept of diversity. Comments from schools that entered include:
�The competition fits in well with our PSE programme and with our planning for collective worship�
�In year 6 it is part of our Personal and Social Educational Scheme of Work. It lends itself to group discussions, role play and mind mapping. This poster competition gives our pupils the chance to express their thoughts and feelings about racism and cultural diversity�
�Part of PSE work on tolerance and anti-racism�
�I hope that the concept of �Schools Against Racism� becomes even more firmly embedded in Cardiff and the Vale�
The Calendar & Poster competition is an integral part of REF�s Schools Against Racism Campaign. This includes our previous initiatives, �A New Renaissance: Cultural Wall Hanging Project� and the �Tactile Sculpture Project�.
REF believes that schools have a key role to play in eradicating racism and valuing diversity. Our competition has helped raise the awareness of children, schools and the wider community of the importance of race equality. It has been featured in ACCAC�s (Qualifications Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales) �Equal Opportunities and Diversity in the School Curriculum� as an effective tool for celebrating cultural diversity. In October 2004 the initiative was a finalist in the �South Wales Echo Community Champion Awards�.
The Tactile Sculpture Project and Exhibitions
In October/November 2007 REF exhibited its Tactile Sculptures at Barry Library, in the Vale of Glamorgan as part of the Black History Month celebrations.
This was the third time that these amazing sculptures had been shown. In February 2007 they were displayed at the Senedd, the home of the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff Bay and in December 2006 they were exhibited at The Old Library Cardiff.
Featuring a series of dramatic papier mache sculptures on the theme of �Wales� Impact on the World and the World�s Influence on Wales�, the exhibitions were the highpoint of an exciting arts project between 10 primary schools in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan and REF. The children who took part worked with our Arts Project Co-ordinator, Katrina Willis, to create models that expressed their interpretation of this theme and they drew inspiration from technology, science, the arts, tourism and cuisine. The sculptures range from an 8ft tall Samurai Warrior to a model of the Millennium Stadium.
The Cardiff Schools that took part were:
Grangetown Primary School
Herbert Thompson Primary School
St Mary�s Primary School
Ty Gwyn Special School
Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd.
The Vale of Glamorgan Schools were:
Ashgrove Special School
Gladstone Primary
Oakfield Primary
Victoria Primary
Ysgol Sant Baruc
The Tactile Sculpture Project followed REF�s previous arts initiative, �A New Renaissance: Cultural Wall Hanging Project�.
REF would like to thank all the schools and school children who worked with us to produce such amazing sculptures and helped make such wonderful exhibitions. We would also like to thank the sponsors of the project: the Arts Council of Wales, South Wales Police and the Vale of Glamorgan Council. We would like to express our appreciation to The Old Library, Cardiff for hosting the December 2006 exhibition and to Minister Jane Hutt AM and the Senedd for hosting the exhibition in February 2007. Finally we would like to thank the Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) Cardiff for helping us to transport the sculptures and Advanced Management Resource who also assisted.
What did people think of the Tactile Sculpture Exhibitions?
�I am delighted to be invited to launch REF�s Tactile Sculpture Exhibition. Educating our youth about the impact of different cultures and races in our everyday life is key to building a successful society where people of different races and cultures are seen positively and live in harmony. �
Jane Hutt AM launching the Opening of the Tactile Sculpture Exhibition in The Old Library, Cardiff, December 2006
�REF has done a great job in organising the Tactile Sculpture project. It is an excellent way of spreading a positive message that Cardiff and Wales are part of a bigger community of people across the world.�
Cllr Judith Woodman, Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council at the Opening of the Tactile Sculpture Exhibition in The Old Library, Cardiff, December 2006
�Very imaginative work � most impressive�
�A fab display & a great way of getting the message across�
�Great to have the exhibition at the Senedd�
�Excellent ideas, relevant, important theme�
Economic Migrants & Refugee Community Outreach Project
REF's Economic Migrants & Refugee Communities Outreach Project ended in December 2008. The project aimed to help improve the employment prospects of refugees and economic migrants in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Alicja Zalesinska was REF Outreach Officer for Economic Migrants and Hodan Hersi was REF Outreach Officer for Refugee Communities. Alicja and Hodan worked directly with individuals who were economic migrants or refugees and also with employers. Many refugees and economic migrants have a wealth of skills to offer employers in Wales and REF aimed to help ensure that they were able to fulfil their potential, contribute to the economy and integrate into society
Hodan and Alicja set up a number of initiatives. These included a regular twice monthly Banking Clinic, and an Employment Drop in Centre, a Migrant Workers and Refugees Information Day and a Call Centre Training Day. The project is also organised trips to places of interest in Wales to help raise awareness of Welsh culture and history, to help the migrant workers and refugees feel part of society.
The Outreach Project was funded by the European Social Fund.
In December 2008 REF and the WLGA held a seminar on "Economic Migrants - Responding to Local Needs". Presentations from the event can be accessed below.
Last updated 31st January 2008