Final report developing effective engagement for consultation with black and ethnic minorities in rural areas

Building Inclusive Rural Communities
DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT FOR CONSULTATION
WITH BLACK AND ETHNIC MINORITIES IN RURAL AREAS.
An action research project for the
Carnegie UK Trust RURAL ACTION RESEARCH PROGRAMME
Theme: ‘Building Inclusive Rural Communities’
January 2009
Charlotte Williams and Tue Hong Baker
Lead Agency:
North Wales Race Equality Network (NWREN)
Partner Agency:
Keele University, Staffordshire.

Contents
Page No.
Acknowledgements
Executive Summary i-iv
1. Background and Aims 8
2. Policy Context and Existing Research 9
3. Methodology 13
4. Action Research with Service Providers 18
Key Messages 34
5. Living and Working in Rural Communities: Ethnic Minority Views 35
Key Messages 52
6. Conclusions 53
Bibliography 56
Appendices 61

Acknowledgements
The research team would like to thank the participants who took part in this research
from both the Local Authority partners and individuals and groups from the black and
ethnic minority population of North Wales. Their trust and confidence in the process
were remarkable. We are also grateful to the board and staff group at the North
Wales Race Equality Network who provided the base from which this research was
undertaken and opened access to many of the participants. Thanks go to the
Director, Mary Holmes for her comment on this report and to the Steering Group who
guided the project. We would also like to acknowledge the support of the Wales
Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care Research and Support Service
(WEDHS) who developed the scoping study that led to the research question
underpinning this project. Finally thanks go to our partners on the Carnegie UK Trust
Rural Action Research Programme (RARP) for the critical exchange of ideas and to
Philomena de Lima, the Consultant Facilitator on the RARP programme.
Research Team
Ms. Tue Hong Baker (Research and Development Officer)
North Wales Race Equality Network (NWREN)
Professor Charlotte Williams OBE (Project Manager and Academic Lead)
Keele University, Staffordshire
Steering Committee
Ms. Pam Luckock, North Wales NHS Trust
Dr. Ahmed Valijan, Lay Member, NWREN
Ms. Anne Westmorland, Voluntary Sector
Ms. Mary Holmes, Director, NWREN

i
Executive Summary
Background
This research project is funded by the Carnegie UK Trust under the Rural Research
Action Programme (RARP). It has been designed through a partnership between
the North Wales Race Equality Network (NWREN) and Professor Charlotte Williams
OBE of Keele University, Staffordshire. It arises from a scoping exercise undertaken
by project workers on the Wales Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care
Research and Support Service (WEDHS) which sought to determine priorities for
research as voiced by minority individuals and groups in rural areas of North Wales
and those working with them. A key concern was the level and nature of consultation
and engagement between mainstream agencies and ethnic minority
individuals/households. This was perceived as poor both by service provider
stakeholders and by members of the ethnic minority population. The overall aim of
this action research project was to explore the nature of the engagement between
ethnic minority groups and public service bodies and to seek to enhance consultation
strategies between public bodies. The project also sought to investigate the 'quality
of life' factors that encourage the attraction and retention of ethnic minority groups in
rural areas and to explore aspects of their civic association.
Methods
The research was conducted between May 2006 and September 2008. The
research included a literature review, a survey of selected public authorities in the
area to assess their consultation strategies in use and the facilitation of consultation
processes with three public bodies. In addition a questionnaire survey of ethnic
minority individuals resident in the region and a series of focus group interviews were
undertaken to assess four key aspects of rural living: Belonging: Family, Friends and
Community Association; Getting Involved and Influencing Decisions.
Policy Context and messages from the Literature
In recent years the relationship between public bodies and communities they serve
has been transformed by a range of policy initiatives. In Wales, Making Connections
(WAG 2004) places a citizen focus at the heart of public policy and commits to the
development of strong inclusive communities. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act
2000 places clear duties on public bodies to both know the extent and nature of their
ethnic minority populations and to consult with them on the range of policy issues.
The value of good consultation cannot be overstated. It not only ensures the
incorporation of the valuable insights and experiences of marginal groups and
individuals but provides legitimacy and buy-in for decisions and policy
implementation. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that establishing good practices
and capturing the views of minority groups in rural areas presents particular
challenges. A major barrier to consultation is the low density and geographical
dispersal and diversity of ethnic minorities in the area and their lack of visibility – a so
called ‘hard to reach group’. Other common barriers to effective consultation
identified in the literature are:

ii
• Time and capacity
• Funding and other resource issues
• Track record in building relationships
• Lack of transparency of the process
• Being tied to traditional or mainstream methodologies
• Relying on a single methodology
• Lack of good demographic data
• Lack of awareness of cultural issues/engagement ‘literacy’
• Being over ambitious – quantity not quality
• Varying levels of commitment from the top
There is an emerging grey literature on Good Practice Guidance for effective
engagement with ethnic minorities and other hard to reach groups but few ‘worked
examples’ of how these techniques might be deployed in rural areas.
Typically ethnic minorities in rural areas lack the political clout to exercise voice and
participate fully in local affairs. They are poorly represented on local boards,
committees and other decision making fora or in positions of public office. It is well
documented that their service needs are often overlooked or maginalised and there
are considerable barriers for them in accessing services and gaining advice and
information. In addition they face racism and discrimination in their communities.
Ethnic minority organisations, groups and individuals report a sense of ‘over
consultation’ and ‘consultation fatigue’ as the policy mandate pushes public bodies to
engage with them. Little is yet known about the level and nature of their civic
association in rural areas.
Action Research with Service Providers
Over a period of 18 months a number of service providers in the area were selected
for developmental work on consultation with varying levels of intervention from the
project worker. They were surveyed to identify the major constraints on consultation
in practice. A workshop was held to discuss messages from the literature and to
introduce the range and variety of consultation mechanisms available to them. Of
the original 18 participants, 3 authorities were selected for in-depth work. The case
studies selected included consultation work on an authority’s Race Equality Policy,
on the development of an authority’s Spirituality, Religious and Cultural Care
strategy, on an authority’s work with minority women on housing need and a cross-
authority collaborative event ‘Joint Race Equality Consultation Event’.
Key messages
There exists a good amount of enthusiasm and commitment by front line
workers towards engagement with ethnic minority individuals and households
There is a lack of leadership from the top in terms of commitment to initiatives,
the allocation of appropriate resources and capitalising on gains made by front
line workers.

iii
Participants lacked learning from available resources or from tacit knowledge
within the organisation. Many participants are daunted by the challenges of
engagement in rural areas and considerable support is needed
Organisations are not being creative or utilising sufficiently innovative
techniques to meet the evident challenges and there are insufficient use of
mixed methodologies
Cross authority working and the development of partnerships in equality
practice is a positive step, although organisational cycles produce their own
constraints on the development of good practices.
Staff turnover means there is a loss of expertise, capital and established
networks conducive to sustained and good practice in this area. Institutional
memory is poor.
Third Sector organisations are vital to supporting effective consultation and
engagement
There can be no quick fix in solving the issues of engagement with ethnic
minorities in the area. It requires building of trust, the commitment of time and
resources and sustained capacity building
There are still concerns about the production of a genuine and open dialogue
in the consultation process in which outcomes are followed through and
appropriate feedback given to participants.
Efforts will need to be made to increase the representation of ethnic minority
individuals on decision making bodies and fora.
Living and Working in Rural Areas – Ethnic Minority Views
The responses of over 90 individuals and three focus groups produced a rich
account of minority views of living and working in the North Wales area. By far the
greater number of participants had been resident in the area for over 5 years and a
third for over 20 years. Respondents valued many of the traditional features of rural
living, including the beauty, peace, quiet and environmental benefits. People are
contributing to a variety of activities in their community motivated by a sense of ‘duty’
and ‘putting back into society’. Key barriers include lack of time, carer responsibilities
but also language and culture barriers and concern about discrimination and racism.
In confirmation of the literature on rural racism it is clear that the noted constellation
of factors of isolation, conspicuousness, fear of racism and discrimination overlay an
individual’s ability to participate meaningfully at local level. It is apparent that people
do not expect or necessarily seek co-ethnic association at local level, beyond family
and religious association, but sustain positive ‘ethnic’ association nationally and
internationally through actual or virtual networks.
The findings of this study suggest a picture of individuals with a high investment in
their locality and good levels of integration against a broad range of non-political
indicators. Where the locus of control lies with the individual in terms of mobilising
services, for example within the private sector, the preference appears to be to go

iv
local for services. There is apparent, however, a low sense of attachment or
engagement with the local state and an apparent weak sense of being able to
influence and shape decisions. Representation on local (public services) bodies is
low.
In terms of engagement and consultation with public sector agencies although there
were positive signs of growing awareness and competency by organisations,
experiences suggest the ‘consultation literacy’ of organisations remains poor.
Key messages
Ethnic minority individuals hold positive views of living in rural community
High levels of attachment and belonging are expressed by ethnic minorities to
their local neighbourhoods
Respondents seemed well integrated in terms of use of a range of local
services, neighbourliness and associational life
People were regularly involved in voluntary activities, contributing in terms of
care and support of others
Overall formal political involvement at local level is low but people are not non-
political
People’s motivation for involvement reflects the known prompts and the
known constraints to voluntary activity.
Volunteering and contributing locally is also constrained for some by fear of
discrimination, racism and fear of outsiderism.
Ethnic minority individuals welcome consultation that results in outcomes
Public bodies still lack ‘consultation literacy’ with regard to minority
communities
Conclusion
The gains accrued to good consultation and engagement are many. Not only does it
enhance and legitimate policy decisions through incorporating the valuable insights
and experiences of marginal groups but it also fosters investment and good
integration for people from traditionally excluded sections of the community. For
appropriate engagement and consultation exercises to take place and for fruitful
partnership working to develop there needs to be good leadership, careful
preparation, training, support and appropriate funding to facilitate efforts. Without
this, consultation will only ever be tokenistic and exploitative. Ethnic minority and
migrant households are making a vital contribution (economic, social and civic) to
rural communities. Their contribution needs to be valued and recognised.

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1. Background and Aims
This research project is funded by the Carnegie UK Trust under the Rural Research
Action Programme (RARP). It has been designed through a partnership between
the North Wales Race Equality Network (NWREN) and Professor Charlotte Williams
OBE of Keele University, Staffordshire. It arises from a scoping exercise undertaken
by project workers on the Wales Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care
Service (www.wedhs.org.uk) which sought to determine priorities for research as
voiced by minority individuals and groups in rural areas of North Wales and those
working with them (Saltus et. al 2004). A key concern placed on the research
agenda was the level and nature of engagement between mainstream agencies and
ethnic minority individuals/households. This was perceived as poor both by service
provider stakeholders and by members of the ethnic minority population, and
particularly so for those in more isolated areas of the region. A major barrier to
consultation was seen by the provider group as the geographical dispersal of ethnic
minorities in the area and their lack of visibility – a so called ‘hard to reach group’.
By contrast ethnic minority organisations, groups and individuals had reported a
sense of ‘over consultation’ and ‘consultation fatigue’ on the one hand or
demonstrably displayed a lack of interest in membership of ethnic minority
organisations in the area which were the main focus on consultative activity (BEST
Report 2004).
The overall aim of this action research project was to explore the nature of the
engagement between ethnic minority groups and public service bodies and to
enhance consultation strategies between public bodies, such as health trusts, local
authorities and the police and ethnic minority households.
Through an understanding of practices in use by public bodies and through
developing an understanding of the preparedness and capacity of ethnic minorities
to associate in dialogue over their service provision needs, this research aimed to
build inclusiveness in rural communities.
The research had four main objectives, namely:
• To investigate and evaluate techniques of engagement with ethnic minority1
households in rural areas who are 'hard to reach' or marginal.
• To develop an understanding of 'quality of life' factors that encourage the
attraction and retention of minority ethnic groups in rural areas and
to explore their association with public bodies.
• To assess their perceived ability to influence policy, planning and service
delivery at local level.
• To develop, pilot and evaluate appropriate models of consultation with
selected agencies.
1
For the purpose of this study ethnic minorities were defined as those individuals categorised under the census
categories ‘Black’, ‘Asian’, ‘Chinese’, ‘Mixed’ and ‘White other’. The study focus was on those ethnic minority
individuals who formed part of the settled community of North Wales.

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2. Policy Context and Existing Research
The relationship between public bodies and their communities has been
considerably transformed in the contemporary era. The policy terminology of
consultation, participation and representation signal an unprecedented emphasis on
civic engagement in the affairs of public services. Traditional roles have become
blurred and partnership working is being established as the norm. Consultation is but
one aspect of these new found relationships but is nevertheless a critical one. The
Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places clear duties on public bodies to both
know the extent and nature of their ethnic minority populations and to consult with
them on the range of policy issues.
The value of good consultation cannot be overstated. It not only ensures the
incorporation of the valuable insights and experiences of marginal groups and
individuals but provides legitimacy and buy-in for decisions and policy
implementation (Cabinet Office 2008). Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that
establishing good practices and capturing the views of minority groups in rural areas
presents particular challenges (Craig and Lachman 2008). The diversity and
dispersal of minority individuals and households in such areas means that they are
too often considered ‘hard to reach’ (Brackertz 2007) and many of the traditional
methods of consultation prove ineffective. Public bodies are obliged to deal with a
moving rather than a static picture of ethnic diversity in their areas as communities
are rapidly changing and they need to develop strategies of engagement that
capture this dynamic. Whilst a comprehensive literature exists on models and
approaches to community engagement and specifically with ‘hard to reach’ groups
(see for example: Cabinet Office 2008, Community Action Hampshire 2006, Dunlop
2004, Scottish Executive Involving People Team 2002, Russell et al 2001, UK
Community Participation Network 1999) there has been relatively little work aimed at
tapping in on models in use with ethnic minorities in rural areas (Cynwys 2007, BEN
2006, Devon REC 2003). Public bodies in too many cases have fallen back on
frameworks that are too rigid to engage with diverse populations or have had to rely
on approaches developed where there are concentrations of minority individuals
and/or organisations.
A review of the grey literature (Caust et al 2006, Devon REC 2003, NWREN 2003,
Scottish Executive 2002) on the common issues identified by public bodies
suggested key barriers to effective consultation to be:
• Time and capacity
• Funding and other resource issues
• Track record in building relationships
• Lack of transparency of the process
• Being tied to traditional methodologies
• Being tied to mainstream methodologies
• Relying on a single methodology
• The geographical dispersal of ethnic minority households and individuals

10
• Low ethnic minority population density
• Lack of demographic knowledge
• Lack of awareness of cultural issues/ engagement ‘literacy’
• Being over ambitious – quantity not quality
• Varying levels of commitment from the top
The literature identified a variety of approaches. More traditional models include the
use of:
• Consultation documents
• Public consultation events
• Focus groups
• Questionnaires
• Face to face interviews
• Telephone interviews
• Case studies
Where there were more innovative models identified in the literature, useful case
studies exist if not specifically applied to ethnic minorities in the rural context. For
example peer/community led research focusing in on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual
peoples’ experiences of accessing health services (Stonewall Cymru 2007), using
film making (Taylor 2005), e-forums (Northern Ireland Forum 2008) or mobile phone
technology to promote the voices of young people (LifeSwap 2007). As an
alternative to methods that relied on literacy and articulation skills, visual and
creative techniques such as “Planning for Real” (Browne et al 2005), participatory
diagramming and mapping (Ahmad & Pinnock 2007) were cited as effective tools for
‘showing’ opinions and ideas, while recruitment methods such as snowballing,
utilising gatekeepers and piggy-backing on other events (Holder & Lanao 2002,
Groundwork 2005) were helpful for gaining access to ‘hard to reach’ groups and
individuals.
Much of the literature focuses on identifying the barriers to engagement but stops
short at looking at solution focussed work (Blakely et al, 2006, Scottish Executive
2001, NWREN, 2003, MEWN 2006). The literature indicates a number of challenges
that arise in the process of engagement related to motivation, incentives, appropriate
planning for involvement, dissemination, feedback and following through on
promises. There is clearly no ‘quick fix’ to be had and most guidance points to long
term investment in capacity building, partnership working, innovation and increasing
the representation of ethnic minority individuals on boards, committees and other
decision making fora (Cabinet Office 2008, COSLA 2008, Andrews et al 2006,
Council for Europe 2007, Fountain et al 2007, Hashagen 2002). The literature clearly
signals the need for strong leadership from the top in public sector bodies to guide,
support and sustain developments within the organisation (Craig and Lachman 2008,
CRE 2007, WEDHS 2008).
In relation to this study, the context of Wales, and indeed rural Wales, also provides
an important reference to perceived and actual barriers to engagement. Previous
studies carried out in North Wales illustrate a longstanding lethargy towards issues

11
of ‘race’ and ethnicity and public bodies slow in responding to their duties under the
Race Relations legislation (BEST 2004, WEDHS 2008, CRE Annual report 2007,
Williams 2007). The low numbers of ethnic minority people in such areas has meant
authorities operating with a ‘low numbers = low need’ assumption giving rise to a
plethora of access difficulties and unmet needs amongst ethnic minority residents
(Cynwys 2007). This reflects the characteristic issues identified by De Lima (2004) in
her review of the literature on rural racism. There has also been a tendency to over
consult with a few ‘known’ individuals or groups, which ethnic minorities in the area
complaining of consultation fatigue (NWREN 2003). Public bodies in the area have
lacked what has been called ‘consultation literacy’ (Cabinet Office 2008).
The other side of the coin that this study addresses is the civic participation of ethnic
minorities in rural areas. Civic participation has become a major strand of the
Government’s modernisation agenda. Strong well integrated communities are the
cornerstone of for public service delivery as detailed in policy guidance for England
(HMSO 2008 Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities) and in Wales
(WAG 2004 Making Connections). They are also an important barometer of social
cohesion and integration vital to the promotion of social justice aspirations and to
well being and avoiding social unrest. Whilst a number of studies highlight rates or
levels of civic participation amongst ethnic minority groups, for example Home Office
Citizenship surveys 2001, 2003, 2005, or barriers to civic participation (Department
of Communities and Local Government 2006) the focus on broader non-political
community based participation of ethnic minorities is only more recently coming to
attention (Campbell and McLean 2002). Aspects of volunteering, neighbourhood
activities and engagement in social networks amongst different ethnic minority
groups is the focus of Ahmad and Pinnock’s study (2007). This study pursued the
diversity amongst ethnic groups to tap in on differences in participation activity. They
found the major motivations for participation were: making friends, helping, being
part of the community, interest and personal development. The major barriers
revealed were lack of time, family commitments, work commitments, crime and
victimisation and racism and religious hatred. They conclude that a common theme
raised by people of all ethnic groups was the lack of opportunities to participate for
people living in deprived areas because of the lack of community facilities, coupled
with concerns for safety.
Whilst these studies are beginning to uncover aspects of civic association, there is
little to tell us about the experiences of ethnic minorities in rural communities. The
academic literature and research on the issues of rural/race and ‘racism’ that has
developed steadily over the last 10 years has had as its focus issues of rural
victimisation and discrimination and lack of access to services (Jay 1992, Derbyshire
1994, Nizhar 1996, Kenny 1997, Dahlech 1999, Henderson and Kaur 1999, De Lima
2004, Williams 2007). Such studies have been instrumental in bringing to public
policy concern the high levels of harassment, violence and discrimination faced by
ethnic minority rural dwellers and attempts have been made to extrapolate some of
the universal characteristics of this experience (De Lima 2004). Perhaps an unwitting
spin-off of the focus of these studies has been the attention given to minority
communities as victims rather than active participants of rural communities and a
subsequent loss of focus on the quality of life factors that enhance settlement and
investment by ethnic minorities in rural areas. Less attention in the literature has

12
been given to issues of community relations and the ways in which ethnic minorities
associate and engage within rural communities and indeed their interface with public
bodies (Campbell and McClean 2002). Where there are such studies, the focus has
been on the conspicuous lack of ‘traditional markers’ of the ethnic community
organisation (Ray and Reed 2005:230) in such areas which it is argued hampers
community association and integration. That is to say, their focus has been ethnic
minority association within ethnic organisations rather than any consideration of the
ways in which ethnic minorities achieve integration on a number of levels and across
civil society generally.
This study builds on the existing literature by tentatively exploring aspects of the
inclusive citizenship agenda of Government as played out in rural areas. Attention is
given to illustrating the nature of attempts made by public bodies to ‘reach out’ to
minority individuals and groups for the purpose of consultation and to the difficulties
they experience in practice. In order to build this strategic development the action
research project engages with them in this endeavour. At the same time this study
seeks to capture and interpret aspects of the experience of ethnic minorities living
and working in rural communities and aspects of their civic participation.

13
3. Methodology
This report relates to data collected between May 2006 and September 2008. The
‘life’ of the project covers the period 2006 to 2008, in effect over an 18 month period
with specific feedback points reorienting the focus of the research based on a cycle
of piloting, evaluating and implementation. The partnership work with the agencies
remains ongoing. The research includes, a literature review, a survey of selected
public authorities in the area to assess their consultation strategies in use, the
facilitation of consultation processes with three public bodies, the survey of ethnic
minority individuals and a series of focus group interviews.
3.1 Literature review
A desk based literature review of academic and grey literature was conducted to
ground the research with a focus on three main areas:
• The literature of rural race issues
• The literature on consultation mechanisms with ‘hard to reach’ or marginal
groups
• The literature on civic participation and ethnic minority groups
Key messages from the available evidence was shared with service providers in
stage one of the project.
3.2 Action research with service providers
The action research project aimed to produce experimentation with dynamic
consultation practices in rural areas, in order to enhance the engagement between
public bodies and ethnic minority individuals/groups. For the purpose of this project
the prime focus for the selection of activity was on issues such as health and
wellbeing, community cohesion and community participation. Seven public bodies
that are members of the North Wales Race Equality Network (NWREN) partnership
were initially selected for attention and invited to participate. For the purpose of this
report they have been anonymised.
From an initial survey of their policies in practice, three partners were selected for
detailed development work. The remaining authorities were engaged in the
development cycle for discussion and debate on the effectiveness of chosen
strategies. The selection of the three partners for developmental work was
determined on the basis of the nature of their project and the extent to which they
serviced more ‘remote’ geographical areas.
The bedrock assumptions of this project (based on a review of the evidence) are
firstly that there is a distinction to be made between ‘rural’ and ‘remote’; secondly
that the demographics of this region indicate no significant geographical clusters of

14
ethnic minority groups/communities and thirdly that ethnic minorities form weak
associational links with the few established ethnic minority organisations operative in
the area. Service providers were introduced to key findings from the literature review
in the preparation stage of the project. The developmental work with service
providers was structured around three overlapping phases:
(a) Phase One
A survey of major providers in the area was undertaken to assess what
consultative mechanisms were in use with ethnic minority individuals and
groups in the area and their views as to their effectiveness. Key individuals
from these authorities were interviewed to assess what practices the authority
has deployed in the preceding 12 months and their account of what
barriers/opportunities existed. Questions such as: What do you consider to be
effective consultation? What partnership arrangements have you made in
order to engage in effective consultation? What types of co-operative
arrangements would be feasible for you to enter to provide more streamlined
consultation? What do you see as the major obstacles and barriers? In what
ways could you improve your dialogue with minority communities? were
explored with potential participants. Participants were also invited to identify a
piece of work that would be undertaken in the following 12 months that
involved consultation with ethnic minority groups.
A workshop with 18 authority representatives in attendance was undertaken
to set out the aims of the research and outline the findings of the literature
review. Innovative models of consultation were explored with the participants.
From the identified pieces of work three authorities were selected for close
working and eleven for ‘second tier’ working which involved keeping in touch
emails and invitations to further workshops (see Appendix 1).
(b) Phase Two:
In phase two individual developmental discussions were held with the three
key partners responsible for consultation work with minority communities.
Partners were assisted to develop and pilot a framework for consultation
based on a piece of work they had identified. They were then involved in
piloting trails and experimental work with continued follow up discussion and
feedback conducted both on e mail and in face to face meetings. In this phase
there was continued tracking, monitoring and review activities
(c) Phase Three:
Is still in progress and involves conducting a final workshop to discuss the
findings of this report.
3.3Survey with Ethnic Minority Individuals
A number of existing questionnaires and surveys, including Citizen Survey for Wales,
Home Office Citizenship Survey, CIVICUS Civil Society Index were examined. The
rationale was to extract pertinent questions which would allow us to compare our
results with those produced in other surveys. Existing surveys focussed rather

15
narrowly on aspects of civic activism, civic participation and consultation (taking on
roles such as magistrate, school governor, councillor) or undertaking specific
activities (contacting officials, signing petitions, attending public meetings etc). It
was a contention of this study that understanding the broader associational life of
ethnic minorities in a rural area was crucial to evaluating and developing their
capacity and preparedness to work with public bodies. A questionnaire was designed
(Appendix two) which elicited both quantitative and qualitative responses structured
around the following themes:
Belonging
Family, friends and community
Getting involved
Influencing decisions
Initial drafts of the questionnaire were piloted with NWREN board members and
amendments made.
A total of 93 questionnaires were completed.
The research assistants were recruited from the staff of NWREN. One ethnic
minority researcher did the bulk of the data gathering (n=73), with an additional
researcher recruited to support a particularly intensive period of data collection
(n=20). Both researchers had considerable experience of data gathering.
Participants were identified from within the three targeted local authority areas
participating in the study through a snowballing method. Where contacts became
involved who lived outside of the county boundaries (n=23) they were included
provided they were resident in the North Wales area. The snowball recruitment
began with key contacts on NWREN’s mailing list which included board members,
NWREN staff, colleagues from other ethnic minority organisations, English language
tutors, equality officers in NHS Trusts, Heads of ethnic minority community groups,
religious leaders and other members of the lay public with whom the researchers
came into contact in the course of their work. From an initial ‘known’ sample of 10
participants and 9 gatekeepers combined with a sample of opportunistically recruited
participants (n=19) a total of 64 participants were successfully recruited through the
snowball sampling. 48 different ethnicities were identified amongst the participants.
Whilst the initial intention had been for the questionnaires to be self administered the
process of application became that of structured interviews. The shortest interview
was 15 minutes and the longest 2 hours. More than a third of the interviews (n=34)
were over 30 minutes long. Of the total 93 questionnaires completed 92 were
facilitated and 1 was self completed. The interviews were conducted either in person
(n=58) or by telephone (n= 32) and two were conducted by Skype. The majority of
telephone interviews were conducted out of office hours, telephoning the participant
at a pre-arranged time at home or on their mobile. Interviews in person took place
mainly in neutral places such as cafes and drop in centres. Two community events
were attended (an informal dinner with Muslim ladies at a mosque & the closing end
of year ceremony of the Chinese School). Researcher’s attendance was facilitated

16
through key contacts but co-operation of individuals were enlisted in the course of
the event.
No attempt was made to structure the sample by ethnicity. All interviews were
conducted in English.
3.4 Focus groups
The research design included the intention to conduct 20 in-depth follow up
interviews to draw out rich, qualitative data from the first stage survey. Since the first
stage data gathering had evolved to undertaking structured interviews and had
already provided much detailed qualitative data, it was decided to utilise this second
stage to consider questions specifically on consultation experience and the
willingness and capacity of individuals to engage in the future. To this end
participants were targeted from respondents in the first stage who had been involved
in consultations in the last 12 months and a combination of individual in-depth
interviews (n=2) and small focus groups (n=3) were undertaken. The focus groups
were achieved by ‘piggy backing’ on other events such as a training session at an
ethnic minority community organisation and an ethnic minority social group meeting.
Participants were invited to share a meal and discussions took place either before or
during the meal.
3.5 Ethical issues and methodological considerations and constraints
The research proposal was reviewed for ethical considerations under the guidelines
of the WEHDS framework (www.wehds.org.uk).
The respondents were contacted through the snowball method via key community
gatekeepers with the starting point at the NWREN. Their agreement was sought by
gatekeepers prior to the approach by the research assistants. Feedback from key
contacts indicated two notable groups declined participation: some high level ethnic
minority professionals working in the area and younger ethnic minority members
working shift patterns. Time constraints were cited as the factor for non-participation.
The snowball method suggests certain limitations on the sample. Typically people
introduce participants who are from their own networks, reflecting similar age and
status. This cohort effect was tempered by having at least nineteen starting points.
Nevertheless the sample may reflect the fact that these nineteen people had some
association with NWREN. The high concentration of respondents within one
authority reflects the location of NWREN.
Sparsity and geographical dispersal of minorities in this area throws up challenges
for confidentiality. All respondents were given reassurance about anonymity in this
report. The public authority participants were also given assurance of anonymity in
the report writing.
Given the limitations of funding and time constraints no attempt was made to
translate the questionnaire into minority languages or into Welsh, nor was there any

17
facility to utilise interpreters in the interviewing process. This represents an obvious
constraint on the findings. Research with ethnic minority groups takes considerable
time and resources. Working with ethnic minority groups requires the building of trust
and good relationships. Budget allocations for this kind of research are typically
small and often don’t take into account the difficulties of locating participants, the
time that has to be spent on building relationships, the trust and sensitivity involved
in the work and concomitant casework that often arises through such contacts. The
scope and scale of this study within the funding limitations attests to the commitment
of the staff at NWREN.
The action research approach allows for amendment and development of the
research design as an emergent part of the process. The switch from self
administered questionnaires to structured interviews was one such development
pushed by the respondents’ preference. The time and resources to undertake this
aspect of the study increased considerably but it had the effect of both producing rich
data and did provide an opportunity to raise people’s awareness of the services
NWREN provides.
3.6 Data handling and Analysis
Service Providers
Detailed minutes of all meetings and workshops with service providers were taken
and a record kept of email correspondence. The research officer made
contemporaneous notes of her interventions, observations and reflections of the
work undertaken with the partner organisations. Official documentation surrounding
consultations was provided by the partner organisations for examination. The
researcher then wrote up detailed case study profiles of the work of each of the
organisations.
Survey
Qualitative responses were handled manually, identifying the frequency of key
themes. Purely qualitative data, ie neither numerical nor categorical, was entered as
string data using the social science software package SPSS. This string data was
reduced by post-categorising into contextual headings providing some detail of
experiences behind the statistics (Bourque, 2004).
These categories were developed inductively after data collection and during data
analysis. Category headings and the contextualisation of the data were compared by
three independent reviewers to insure validity.
Focus groups
Detailed contemporaneous notes were made during the focus group discussions.
These were handled manually and thematic analysis was made to analyse the
responses. The coding and categorisation of the data was conducted by the
researcher in collaboration with the project leader.

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4. Action Research with Service Providers
4.1 Phase One: The survey of major providers
An initial survey was undertaken with service providers to establish the extent and
nature of the consultations they had undertaken with ethnic minority individuals and
groups and their perceptions of the key difficulties encountered.
Method
Seven public bodies operating within the three North West Wales local authority
boundaries of Ynys Mon, Gwynedd and Conwy were initially selected for attention.
Contact was made through key individuals to identify potential stakeholders.
Preliminary meetings, either in person or by phone were held to communicate the
project vision, discuss their policies in practice and plans for forthcoming
consultations. Participants were then invited to one of two repeated seminars to
share experiences and ideas as well as look at the barriers to consultation for the
ethnic minority communities and the innovations that were identified in the literature
review.
Public bodies are traditionally seen as notoriously reluctant to engage with outside
agencies particularly as participants on research projects. One of the striking
aspects of the project was the scale of the response from public agencies. From the
starting point of seven, over thirty expressions of interest were received, including
several requests to extend the invitation to other interested parties. The high levels
of interest are indicative of the extent to which organisations feel they need
additional support to meet their statutory duty to consult effectively with minority
groups. Many clearly came forward on the assumption that the project would
provide them with simple answers, a magic tool kit or even do the consultation for
them. A key asset for this particular strand of the work was seen as NWREN’s status
as an independent, non-regulatory agency. It enabled the creation of a neutral, non-
threatening environment for the project in which participants are able to be open and
candid about the barriers that they face and the support offered via the project was
seen as a ‘critical friend’ rather than in any enforcement capacity.
Emergent themes
The Experience of Engagement
Taking aside those working in equalities or diversity departments, the majority of
providers had not undertaken any consultations specifically targeted at ethnic
minority groups in the last 12 months. Engaging effectively with the public for
consultation in general is seen as challenging and the additional demographic
factors of small ethnic minority numbers, in households scattered over a wide
geographic area were frequently cited as major obstacles. Ignorance about how to
access participants and lack of know how were also in evidence. Inevitably, the
triple jeopardy of time, budget and resources was established as a reoccurring
theme. The feeling of frustration voiced by one respondent that the statutory duty to

19
consult is simply “parachuted down from on high without additional funding or
support” to facilitate the process was echoed by others.
Institutional and Political Barriers
‘Political influences' at corporate level, in terms of lethargy, lack of interest and
inadequate protocols which are highlighted in the CRE’s Monitoring and
Enforcement Report 2005-7, were also apparent (CRE 2007). Consultation with the
ethnic minority community was, in places seen as the sole responsibility of one
person or department rather than as a strategic issue or one that was embedded
across the organisation as a whole. Concerns were also raised internally about
being seen as singling out particular groups, and some felt that they needed to
justify, to both internal and external challenges, expending time and funds on
consulting with, what is still statistically a very small percentage of the population. A
number talked about reluctance of institutions to change, of resistance to letting go of
models of consultation which don’t work and of “some people who have remained in
post for years...(who) don’t want to move away from... the same thinking, same way
of working and with the same people”. Some participants felt that institutions were
still very reluctant to acknowledge and learn from poor practice or strategies that did
not work well.
Motivation
Despite these issues respondents were in general very positive and felt that overall
there was “sense of willingness to move forward and problem solve” and that “many
staff were honest about problems and aware of the issues”. Certainly, from a project
perspective it was impressive to note the individual participants’ awareness of the
need for change and their willingness to take on board new ideas. Comprehension of
the obstacles for both individuals and from a community perspective seemed to be
evolving. There was general consensus in understanding that people were “bored of
public sector issues” and that consultation needed to be made interesting and
relevant if people were going to engage. While there were comments about the
difficulty of moving beyond “the same groupies with the same issues” there was also
an awareness that “people needed to vent their spleen before they could listen... and
focus on the issues”.
Experiential learning
There were indications that there was a shift in emphasis occurring. One respondent
talked about the need for “public authorities’ expectations and perceptions to
change”, that continually expecting people to carry on “putting themselves out”,
going out to venues specified by the public bodies and on times and dates not of
their choosing was unrealistic and ineffective. “Small focus groups of various
members of the community are the way forward” was one view. The success of this
was evidenced in some consultation work that had centred on disability groups.
Invitees were requested to attend different group meetings and trust was built up as
part of an on going process rather than a one off visit. The agenda was negotiated
between group interests and public body concerns. Overall it was very much a
personal rather than an organisational approach. As a transferable model for
engaging with ethnic minorities, however, the key difficulty lies in the difference in

20
associational patterns between these groups. While there are a number of disability
groups/forums in North Wales there are very few ethnic minority community groups.
As one respondent commented; “disability groups (here) are more organised and
political whereas ethnic minorities seem more frequently individual ...and just want to
get on with their own lives”.
Where minority ethnic organisations exist, this approach of meeting people on their
terms and collaborating together rather than imposing a service lead, public sector
agenda can be very effective and one of the local authorities is beginning to work on
similar lines with an ethnic minority community group.
However, in the North Wales context, methodologies that target individuals and
households must be the strategic focus. Building trust and personal relationships
that do not require organised groups are key transferable skills. Some public bodies
are starting to overcome some of the long-established barriers of “where to find
people” and how to make first contact by tapping into the diversity within their own
organisation. Already, albeit at times unconsciously, techniques such as snowballing
and establishing access through gatekeepers were being employed.
Partnerships
Networks on local and national levels are slowly being established in the area but at
this stage the evidence suggests it is only embryonic and efforts were not being
made to formalise arrangements or to share or store learning in practice. It is
interesting to note that while there were a number of good working practises being
utilised, organisations frequently didn’t have the time or the protocols in place to
reflect and evaluate work that had been done let alone share and disseminate it. For
many, this study provided a positive and useful mechanism that enabled these
processes to take place.
Rurality
In relation to overcoming rurality issues generally there was evidence of growing
partnership working, although it was acknowledged that this could have drawbacks.
Issues such as distribution of workloads were identified and the suggestion that
collaborations could actually increase certain barriers as the result of a “guilt by
association” effect where the collaboration produced poor practice. Tapping into
community access points (such as local schools, shops, places of worship), piggy
backing on rural community events, exploiting local knowledge as well as utilising
mobile units to bring consultation into the community were other features noted by
service providers as having potential . Most importantly a number of respondents
talked about the need to be flexible and adaptable to situations on the ground and of
being “willing to abandon plans that were laid if they were not working and to take
the initiative.”
Recognition
There was acknowledgment that people’s time and input needed to be valued and
recognised. Several of the respondents had used honorariums, food or vouchers in
their consultations.

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4.2 Phase Two: Development work with stakeholders
Following on from the initial survey and the two seminars that were held in phase
one of the project, participants were divided into the following three levels for
developmental work:-
1. At this level the project worker worked closely with a small number of
participants on a particular consultation issue or process. Participants were
encouraged to trial or pilot a new technique(s) or methodology(ies). The
project worker assisted at planning and evaluation stage as well as attended
any planned events, as appropriate.
2. Involvement at this level was be less onerous for participants. Scheduling,
budget or other constraints meant that it was not possible for participants to
be more closely involved or that mechanisms were already in place with
which they were happy to proceed. The project worker ‘looked over their
shoulder’ occasionally in the course of the 12 months and participants were
requested to feedback and evaluate their methodologies and outcomes.
3. This was intended to be an informed but more peripheral level, involving a
simple summary of any consultation that had been completed or planned for
in the research period. Participants would also be involved in the loop for
feedback and dissemination of findings from the project report.
From the initial list of thirty plus, eighteen participants attended either a seminar or
an alternative forum. Appendix 1 shows the shortlist of participants that were
categorised into the first two levels. The original target of seven stakeholders was
considerably extended given the level of interest shown in the project. This not only
reflected the vast potential and interest in the proposed pieces of work but also the
difficulty NWREN faced in withholding support in light of the high levels of interest
and expectation that the project generated.
In addition to the fore-mentioned criteria, level one participants were selected on the
basis of distinctive factors:-
Building capacity at lone working level (singleton) and supporting
implementation of seed change through the organisation
Building capacity and innovation on the foundation of learned experience and
good practice
A piece of work that would have high impact on emotive or personal issues
The Action research element of this study was designed to take participants through
four overlapping phases as described in the methodology. Three case study projects
have been selected here for discussion plus a collaborative multi-agency Joint Race
Equality Consultation event held in the research period.

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The Case Studies
Case Study 1
A North Wales NHS Trust initiative: Consultation on the Authority’s Race Equality Policy
This was an opportunity to support capacity building and innovation on the foundation of learned
experience and good practice. The case study was carried out over a period of 12 months from
June 2007 to June 2008. The key contact holds immediate responsibilities for equalities and
equality policy development and in addition the team includes a development officer and a part
time administrator. The department seems to be well supported from upper management level.
Inputs from RARP
An introductory, pre- seminar meeting was arranged with two of the key players to discuss
preliminary ideas. This was followed by the seminar with other statutory agency representatives to
share experience and good practice and an extended discrete planning and development meeting.
On going support was also provided by email and culminated in a detailed feedback session.
Main Barriers to Innovation
A number of barriers emerged. Some of these barriers (I) appeared to be constant over time, while
others (II) appeared more circumstantial but not less prevalent
I) Constant barriers
Limited resources and limited capacity were fundamental elements that effected and
reflected on all of the processes. For example a key member of staff was unavailable for
some time due to an extended sick leave and in addition there was no PPI co-ordinator in
post during the whole of this period to support or contribute to the consultation work.
II) Circumstantial barriers
Infrastructure changes impact on staffing levels and responsibilities. For instance there had
been some major upheavals over this period and with the promise of more to come. There
was a merger earlier in the year, which meant there were uncertainties about leadership,
staff roles etc. Further changes are due in April 2009 across the whole of the NHS. Quite
aside from the actual work that changes of this type engender, the psychologically impact
should perhaps not be overlooked. Even assuming that there is job security for these roles
there is no certainty that the work undertaken will continue to be regarded as relevant or a
priority.
Lateral Solutions and Successes
Despite these barriers innovative and lateral solutions had been implemented using both a
synergistic and multi-strand approach. A number of different ideas and techniques were utilised
targeting different groups; general staff, specific staff groups, and community. Tapping into ethnic
minority staff resources enabled the development of the Religion & Belief Policy. The relationships
and level of trust that this built is reflected in the staff responses to later work, such as the staff
languages database.

23
Case Study 1 cont.
Utilising the assistance of key ethnic minority staff to encourage greater ethnic minority
participation demonstrates the beginning of a positive networking strategy. Faith groups were
also contacted at local and national level and these links have been retained for future
consultation work.
Where feasible areas of synergy were developed tapping into and / or supporting work that
was going on within the Trust. For example, the Patient Information Officer was the lead in
developing the "Tell us what you think" webpage, an online questionnaire which asks service
users to provide their opinion on specific areas of the trust and on issues that may affect them.
Working with other organisations to share resources and expertise for the North Wales Joint
Race Equality Consultation Event is an achievement, given that there is little history of co-
operation modalities between statutory services in North Wales. (See Case Study 4)
Good Practice to Better Practice
The work with minority ethnic staff is exemplary and this is a position that few other statutory
organisations can compare to favourably. The targeting of specific staff groups such as
overseas nurses demonstrates an awareness that there are differences in views, perception,
needs etc within minority ethnic Trust staff. The success of tapping into internal staff
resources depends heavily on building relationships and trust as well as the relevance of the
task in hand. The Religion & Belief Policy and the language database were issues which were
of evident significance to staff. This will not always be the case in consultation matters and
other organisations wishing to replicate this approach should be cautious not to unduly burden
staff with expectations when time, knowledge or interest may all be constraints.
In addition, it must be recognised that minority ethnic medical staff are not necessarily
representative of minority ethnic ‘communities’. Techniques such as piggy backing on the
event for UN Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and snowballing from known
contacts were excellent methods of reaching out to individuals in the wider community. This
kind of work needs to be expanded in order to ensure inclusivity and that consultations are
sufficiently community focused.

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Case Study 2
A North Wales NHS Trust initiative: The development of a Spirituality, Religious and Cultural
Care Strategy
This case study covers the period from July 2007 to September 2008. The consultation
revolved around issues that were potentially high impact and emotive. It was hoped that this
consultation would form a platform for a communication network for continuous consultation,
acting as an incentive for participation and engagement.
Inputs from RARP
A preliminary one-to-one meeting was held with the key contact and followed by a detailed
phone conference for planning purposes. Two further formal planning and progress meetings
were held with new staff as they joined the project, in addition to various informal telephone
and face to face support meetings. A extensive final phone conference was held for support
and to update on progress.
I) Constant barriers
Limited resources were again a fundamental element. It is seemingly rare that consultation
comes with ring-fenced budget and although there were plans to utilise budgets across
departments to maximise resources, resources remained a key constraint throughout the
process.
II) Circumstantial barriers
The team working on this project comprised of individuals drawn from three departments. A
number of infrastructure changes at departmental, organisational and regional levels resulted
in fluctuating staffing numbers and redistribution of responsibilities. Policy amendments at
national level regarding the framework also contributed to significant delays to progress.
Circumstantial barriers have not allowed for the full consultation process to be completed
within the timeframe of this case study. However, there is evidence, at a number of different
levels, of much thought and careful planning.
The original religious and spirituality care strategy was expanded to include cultural care. The
concept of cultural care has been developed from an enhanced understanding and
appreciation that culture is often interwoven with and can impact on spirituality and religious
needs.
The intention is for consultation to occur in stages - keeping the initial draft as clear as
possible. Participants would then hopefully see and feel how they can truly influence the
development of the strategy. Preliminary consultations would then be followed by further
consultation on the final draft.
The recognition that incentives are necessary has prompted considerations of more innovative
strategies for engagement; food as a key element of social interaction and cultural exchange
has initiated plans such as consultation meetings centred around a meal or multi cultural
cookery workshops.

25
Case Study 2 cont.
Preliminary activities in the form of piggy backing on existing networks through voluntary
and community organisations, utilising existing groups within or connected to the hospital,
such as patient support groups and hospital volunteers has enabled officers to form and
develop contacts with the key actors and gatekeepers through whom there will be
opportunities for snowballing. Synergistic working through links into other on-going projects
or programs such as a local ethnic minority community arts project and a regional ethnic
minority disability research project have offered networking opportunities and assisted in
raising the profile of individual key staff and their work. Where working partnerships are
formed with individuals or groups it is important that issues of capacity, be it time, funding or
expertise are carefully considered and that building trust and equity between partners
underpins all collaborations.
The Chaplaincy Centre at the hospital has a multi-faith worship area which holds Sunday
Service, Catholic Mass, Friday Muslim Prayers, Weekday Services and Daily Muslim
Prayers. It is well utilised by hospital staff of all faiths and by the family and friends of
patients. There are currently colourful display boards and some notices on general matters
of interest. Developing further sensitive and appropriate methods for dissemination and
exchange of information could prove valuable and promote inclusivity.
Bringing ambitious and innovative plans to fruition within a framework that is constrained by
time and budgetary considerations requires careful management and it would be interesting
to re-visit this project to evaluate the transition from planning to implementation.

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Case Study 3
A North Wales Local Authority Housing Department initiative: Engaging with young minority
women on housing and tenancy issues.
This case study aimed to examine the issues of capacity and lone working, at officer level.
The circumstances of a single worker is often more representative of those undertaking work
with ethnic minority engagement than the situation of key players in the two previous case
studies.
It has not been possible to obtain feedback from this project. However, learning from action
research occurs through examining not only successful outputs but also the barriers and
processes that result in less inspirational outcomes.
Inputs from RARP
The seminar meeting with other statutory organisational representatives to share experiences
and ideas was followed by a one-to-one planning meeting. A second in-depth planning and
support meeting was held halfway through the project and on-going support was also made
available informally by telephone and at event meetings.
Potential Barriers to Innovation
There were a variety of contentious issues in operation here. They can be categorised as
institutional (I), external/geographical (II) and project specific (III).
I) Institutional barriers
Structural and hierarchical mechanisms within an organisation can impact on day to day
working as well as delivery of outputs over time. For example, lone workers may struggle
when difficult projects necessitate expertise outside of their experience and good
management support is required to pre-empt isolation and aid progression.
Institutional attitudes and priorities inevitably influence the working environment for all
personnel within an organisation. In matters that are potentially controversial or politically
sensitive, strong leadership is essential in creating a positive ethos for pioneering innovative
solutions for non mainstream work.
II) External barriers
Rurality and sparsity of ethnic minority households have been issues for all of the projects
involved, but were markedly more acute here. The consequences of the paucity of previous
work around engaging ethnic minorities resulted in limited experienced personnel, few
networks or contacts which could be utilised or developed.
III) Project specific barriers
The target group of young ethnic minority women tenants constitutes a minority within an
already hard to reach minority group. This increases exponentially the difficulties of
identification and engagement.

27
A practical and detailed plan of action was suggested with multi strand approaches for
identifying and engaging with ethnic minority tenants. It focused on connecting with
individuals and groups utilising techniques such as piggybacking on other ethnic minority
projects, linking into existing tenant forums and information channels, snowballing from
known contacts and liaising at community level through local businesses, community classes
and other potential contact points such as libraries. The emphasis was on developing
relationships and building trust as a foundation for meaningful and on-going consultation.
The barriers that may have impacted on this project were potentially substantial. However,
without feedback it is not possible to evaluate whether the process itself was ineffectual or
whether the variety of barriers impeded progress.

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Case Study 4
Collaborative multi-agency initiative : Joint Race Equality Consultation Event
A group of North Wales’s public sector agencies including local authorities and various health
service organisations collaborated in a joint public involvement consultation event on race
equality in public sector service delivery.
Inputs from RARP
The initial key contact attended a seminar meeting and a one-to-one preliminary planning
meeting. A management member of NWREN contributed to a cross partnership planning
meeting and support was informally given by telephone and email in the run up to the event.
Although this initiative was not directly part of our level one partnerships, a number of our
partners were involved as key players. Feedback and evaluation was conducted through
meetings with key players, facilitators and attendees.
The majority of barriers were associated with either the general logistics of collaborative
working or issues specific to the partnership.
I) Logistical barriers
Given the limited history of co-operation in and between public sector bodies in North Wales,
one might be able to assume, a corresponding lack of experience in pulling this group
together as a functioning entity. Challenging areas included: trust, sharing agendas,
equitable distribution of responsibilities, balance of power between agencies and then
balancing the focus of work to incorporate different agendas.
II) Partnership specific barriers
Between them, the partners provided services across the whole of North Wales. This is a
huge geographical area (2,400 square miles) from which participants needed to be recruited.
This factor in itself posed important questions on how cross region representation and
inclusivity could be ensured.
Although public meetings at designated venues and times is a model we would encourage
statutory organisations to move away from due to high costs and high potential risk of poor
participation, the successes of this particular venture should be recognised and applauded.
For many of the statutory organisations, this will be by far their most successful attempt to
engage with ethnic minority individuals.
There was promising evidence of the beginnings of a multi strand approach to recruitment for
consultation. For example, a variety of information channels were utilised to promote the
event from local and regional print, broadcast and on-line media, through public and
community spaces as well as business and community networks. Allowing their audience the
option to participate through a free post questionnaire or in person at a choice of two
workshops also broadened the sample and mitigated some of the issues inherent in utilising
only one venue.

29
A proactive approach to minority languages encouraged inclusivity and fostered a sense of
confidence and trust. Community translators were recruited to help facilitate small discussion
groups and workshop materials and the feedback report were translated into key community
languages.
Careful planning and attention to details, for example: visiting local businesses for an
introductory chat and a personal invitation; offering a fee to community facilitators so that their
contribution is shown to be valued and supporting good facilitation by providing a detailed
facilitator’s pack all contributed to a positive sense that effort had been expended and that the
process was therefore important and meaningful rather than tokenistic.
The collaborative nature of this project was undoubtedly advantageous in terms of sharing of
resources, expertise and contacts. However, partnerships of this kind need framework
structures that are formalised in order to clearly delineate roles and areas of responsibility if
there is to be long term sustainability.
Sustainability in consultation is also about managing expectations. A commendable feature
of the feedback report was a ‘What Happens Next’ section, which detailed individual
organisations’ responses to the issues raised. Although organisations spoke mainly in terms
of “issues identified for consideration and / or action” rather than providing a scheduled action
plan, it is vital that there is follow through. In the words of one of the attendees: “Show us
what you are doing about the information we have given you to avoid us not bothering again!”
The investment of time and resources has been considerable and potential opportunities for
the future should be exploited, not wasted. This event should be seen both as a learning
experience and a foundation on which to build future consultation work. A number of
participants, both those who attended the event and those who sent in questionnaires
expressed willingness to participate in further consultations, questionnaires, and discussions.
Building these relationships and working in a more focused way at grassroots level by taking
consultation into the community is a more viable model for on going effective consultation.
Development and progression out from the event, rather than replication should be the
theme.

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Case Studies and beyond: Overarching themes
Phase Two of the action research identified eleven partners for second tier working
in addition to the three case studies above. Seven of these continued to input into
the progress and tracking cycle post seminar and we were able to evaluate
methodologies with five partners. Looking at the experience of the partners as a
whole, a number of overarching themes emerge.
O Enthusiasm and commitment by front-line workers to engagement with
ethnic minority individuals and households
There were initially very high levels of involvement and expectation among the
partners which demonstrates considerable commitment to inclusive engagement but
this was often undermined by organisational or institutional constraints.
O A lack of leadership from the top in terms of commitment to initiatives and
the allocation of appropriate resources
Good leadership at strategic and policy level sends out important messages, not only
to personnel within an organisation but cascades through to service users and the
wider community. This is particularly significant in regards to work with minority or
marginalised groups. Without a proactive stance, and drive from above, project staff
can feel isolated and demoralised.
Lack of funding and time, recurring constraints for the majority of partners, become
overwhelming obstacles and there is a danger that passive resistance or a tokenistic
approach of ‘jumping through the hoops’ then appears to be the only solutions.
Capacity issues cannot be allowed to undermine the implementation of an authority’s
statutory duty to consult inclusively. However the responsibility for tackling this
should not rest on individual staff or single departments alone. Institutional attitudes
and priorities must actively encourage experimentation and innovation in order to
look for solutions that meet the needs of their diverse and changing demographic.
O A need for more creative, innovative techniques to meet the challenges
Barriers of rurality and the sparsity of ethnic minority individuals and households are
persisting challenges that require lateral solutions. Networking, identifying key
players, building relationships and trust are all vital tools for effective engagement.
Techniques such as snowballing from staff and other known contacts will identify
individuals beyond ‘the usual suspects’.
Organisations need to move beyond models where they set the prescriptive agenda
of date, time, venue and process. Piggybacking on other events was a popular
technique and can be an effective practice, but one that needs to be utilised with
caution. Piggy backing should not be regarded as a quick, simple option, particularly
if the event is an ethnic minority focused consultation with a specific agenda. The
danger being that the number of potential consulters can become hugely

31
disproportionate to the number of consultees and participating individuals find
themselves targeted on issues beyond the agreed programme.
More constructive piggybacking taps into non-consultation events at community,
local or regional level. Less formalised events such as village and county shows,
food, culture or sporting festivals all offer opportunities for engagement. For
example, one partner created a highly visually stand at a popular regional food
festival outlining the strategy under consultation. Stickers were used to encourage
and enable people to identify their key priorities and additional input could be given
‘graffiti wall’ style on post-it notes.
Some community events will require specific invitation through gatekeepers. These
‘closed’ events are particularly important as they may allow access to individuals that
may be impossible to engage with in any other way. Sensitivity, trust and respect
are standard codes and engagement opportunities at ‘closed’ community events
must not be abused.
Exploring alternative and innovative participatory models (informal meetings
revolving around food, participatory diagramming, multi media techniques, activity
based incentives etc) while working co-operatively on individual and community need
and levels will generate more sustainable and meaningful dialogue.
> Greater use of mixed methodologies needed
Utilising a single mainstream methodology excludes and marginalises many ethnic
minority individuals. A flexible approach that employs a variety of techniques will
increase the likelihood of engagement, while synergistic working or partnerships with
third sector organisations or other statutory agencies can also broaden the potential
audience by ensuring that a variety of channels are being deployed.
O Cross-authority working and the development of partnerships in equality
practice is a positive step
Partnership working has much to recommend it; sharing expertise and ideas as well
as resources can result in more ambitious and innovative solutions. Collaborative
working that crosses departmental, organisational or sector boundaries also
capitalises on the limited availability of the target audience and lessens the likelihood
of ‘consultation fatigue’. For partnerships that aim to function as a sustainable entity,
it is essential that structures and protocols are formalised. One of the project
partners recounted that setting up strong frameworks helped delineate
responsibilities and encouraged stakeholders to take ownership of the work, for
example members of the project group were organising meetings internally across
departments within their own local authority to disseminate progress on the project
and gain feedback on current & on-going issues within their county.

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> Community key players and Third Sector organisations are vital to
supporting effective consultation and engagement
Working with community key players or third sector organisations can allow access
to individuals and networks that are impossible to engage with in any other way but
partnerships of this type raise some particular issues. There is an inherent imbalance
of power here which can result, albeit inadvertently, in unequal outcomes.
Partnerships must benefit all parties otherwise there is no incentive for co-operation.
A reliance on key players, whether for access to closed events, as facilitators or as
major participants necessitates careful handling. Any contribution and input from
individuals or groups must be negotiated clearly, sensitively and equitably. There
may be multiple issues of capacity; time, financial, knowledge etc which need to be
taken into consideration and assumptions and expectations on both sides need to be
carefully managed. Funding can also be a key issue here. Lack of time and budget
often dictates the necessity of co-coordinators/project staff relying on the voluntary
contribution and good will of individuals and community groups. Project staff may
“appreciate the difficulties” of capacity for individuals and community organisations
but without the authority to access funds (for remuneration, additional resources or
incentives etc) the result is simply frustration on both sides.
Without leadership from the top to ensure that realistic budgets are allocated staff
who are tasked with engagement and consultation inevitably decide that their only
option is to move on and try to find individuals who are willing to voluntarily
contribute on their terms. This can presents substantial limitations;
i.) Whether they know where to locate or how to engage these potential
participants
ii.) How representative the individuals they find are (usually retired,
professional etc)
iii.) It also leaves untapped the knowledge base of a group of people
who quite often have contributed voluntarily for years and have
simply become disillusioned with the process.
iv.) Ultimately it does not address some of the fundamental problems
about consultation and engagement and is no more than a sticking
plaster as a short term solution
> Institutional cycles and staff turnover impact on institutional memory
through the loss of expertise, capital and established networks
Effective engagement with minority groups and individuals requires specific expertise
and is heavily dependent on good networking. These are often lost with
infrastructural changes and staff turnover resulting in poor ‘institutional memory’.
Leadership and strategic protocols are needed to capture and disseminate expertise
and good practice, capitalising on the successes made by frontline staff.

33
O Innovation is relative to experience
Innovation and perceived creativity is a continuum, and organisational change can
only be measured from their unique starting points. In areas where there is little
apparent history of ethnic minority engagement, organisations do not have a
repository of tacit or explicit knowledge to draw on. Expectations and evaluations of
process and outcomes should be assessed within this context.
Given that there is a deficit of experiential learning and tacit knowledge in regards to
effective and inclusive engagement with minority individuals and groups it could be
argued that much of the success and progress lies not in big ideas but in attention to
detail. Examples include:
• Including a member of the target audience on a steering or advisory group at
planning stage
• Presenting a range of options so individuals can choose their mode of
participation
• Providing ready translated material in appropriate key languages
• Extending personal invitations through a short visit, phone call or by
personalising print and email invitations
• Offering honorariums or other incentives to demonstrate that people’s
contribution is valuable
• Ensuring that evaluation and the opportunity for anonymous input is integral to
the timetable rather than a final pre-departure tag-on etc
• Acknowledging people’s time and effort by providing feedback on
consultation.
• Demonstrate that input is meaningful by disseminating resultant actions or
explaining why action is not possible.
Much of the above may seem commonsensical. However, such points are too
frequently sidelined and perceived as tangential rather than pivotal to success.
> Long term strategies rather than a ‘quick fix’ are required to solve the issues
of engagement with ethnic minorities in the area.
There is no quick fix solution, nor a single idea or model that will meet the needs of
our diverse community. Meeting and talking to people on their terms empowers
individuals and builds confidence and trust. Capacity building, particularly in under
represented areas such as on decision making bodies, is vital. This is time and
resource intensive but will ultimately pay dividends in terms of building meaningful
and sustained channels for inclusive engagement.
4.3 Phase Three: Dissemination
This phase is still in progress and involves conducting a final workshop with
stakeholders to discuss the findings of this report. This is planned for the summer of
2009.

34
4.4 Key Messages
There exists a good amount of enthusiasm and commitment by front
line workers towards engagement with ethnic minority individuals and
households
There is a lack of leadership from the top in terms of commitment to
initiatives, the allocation of appropriate resources and capitalising on
gains made by front line workers.
Participants lacked learning from available resources or from tacit
knowledge within the organisation. Many participants are daunted by
the challenges of engagement in rural areas and considerable support is
needed
Organisations are not being creative or utilising sufficiently innovative
techniques to meet the evident challenges and there are insufficient use
of mixed methodologies
Cross authority working and the development of partnerships in equality
practice is a positive step, although organisational cycles produce their
own constraints on the development of good practices.
Staff turnover means there is a loss of expertise, capital and established
networks conducive to sustained and good practice in this area.
Institutional memory is poor.
Third Sector organisations are vital to supporting effective consultation
and engagement
There can be no quick fix in solving the issues of engagement with
ethnic minorities in the area. It requires building of trust, the
commitment of time and resources and sustained capacity building
There are still concerns about the production of a genuine and open
dialogue in the consultation process in which outcomes are followed
through and appropriate feedback given to participants
Efforts will need to be made to increase the representation of ethnic
minority individuals on decision making bodies and fora

35
5. Living and Working in Rural Areas: ethnic minority
views.
North Wales comprises six local authority areas, Ynys Mon, Gwynedd, Conwy,
Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham. Large expanses of the region can be
described as rural with population concentrations in small towns along the coastal
strip. All six authorities have an ethnic minority presence of under 2%, ranging in
numbers from as little as 481 ‘non white’ people in Ynys Mon to 1400 people in
Gwynedd as at the last census. These figures do not include all ethnic groups,
transient populations such as students or workers and do not allow for the changes
to the area brought on by the influx of new economic migrants from the Accession
countries of the European Union.
The ethnic minority population of North Wales is extremely diverse and
geographically scattered and in a state of flux and change. As at the last census
(2001) no concentrated pockets of ethnic minorities of more than 200 people could
be found in any one ward across the region. There are no geographically based
ethnic minority communities in the area, the more usual profile being isolated
individual households. The largest minority groups by ethnic category are the
Chinese and Mixed groupings. The typical profile is of a relatively young
economically active minority population with a strong emphasis on public sector
organisations, catering and small businesses as occupations (BEST 2004).
Previous surveys have characterised the nature of needs amongst these households
and the experience of racism and discriminations (NWREP 2004, Cynwys 2007,
Crew et al 2007) and other studies in the area have illustrated the changing profile of
rural communities with the influx of economic migrants from the accession countries
(NWREN 2005, Hold et al 2007).
The ethnic minority population is highly differentiated and rapidly changing but as
this study illustrates there is a core of ‘settled’ households that have been in the area
over a large period of time.
The Home Office (2004) utilises a number of indicators as a measure of integration
including, civic participation, social participation, informal volunteering, formal
volunteering, employer supported learning, neighbourhood activities and
engagement in social networks. This research captures aspects of several of these
indicators of integration to characterise the participation of ethnic minorities in rural
areas. A detailed profile of the respondents is given and the findings are then
discussed in relation to four key themes:
Belonging
Family, friends and community
Getting involved
Influencing decisions

36
5.1 The survey respondents
A total of 93 individuals participated in the study. The participants were recruited
from right across the six authorities of North Wales but the majority were based in
Conwy (n=36).
The age of participants ranged from 20 – 81 with a mean age of 44. Sixty one of the
participants were female and the remaining 32 male.
The majority of the participants were born outside the UK (n = 63) which may be a
reflection of the age profile. Only 5 participants were actually born in Wales.
However a total of thirty participants related that they had lived in the UK for virtually
all of their lives. 18 participants had lived in the UK between three to five years the
remaining participants had been in the UK between five and 68 years. Thus almost
70% of the sample were residents of the area for over 5 years. 60% of the sample
identified themselves as British (n=56). Over 53% of the participants spoke some
Welsh, with 13 individuals rating themselves as intermediate to fluent Welsh
speakers. 90% of the participants reported themselves as fluent in English and the
majority (n= 84) were bilingual (languages other than Welsh). Some 50 languages
were identified as spoken amongst the sample. 70% of the participants were in
employment and of those almost half in full time employment. Those who were not
were looking after a home/family, retired or students. None of the respondents were
on benefits or unemployed. The respondents covered a broad range of ethnic
groupings including, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Kenyan, Iraqi, Filipina, Thai,
Korean, Mixed ethnicities amongst others. The typical respondent was therefore
female, resident, employed, multi-lingual and in middle years.
Table 1: Birthplace
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Frequency
Wales
Elsewhere in UK
Outside UK
Focus group respondents
The focus group respondents straddled eight ethnic groups with the largest grouping
being Chinese. 14 were female and 6 male.

37
5.2 Belonging
The majority of respondents were long time residents of the area. Over two thirds
(70%) had lived in the area over five years or more and almost a third of the sample
had lived in the area over 20 years. Whilst participants had moved to the area for a
variety of reasons, work or moving with a spouse for work was the highest incentive
cited. Many participants reported having joined family already living in the area
(n=20).
When asked an open question about what they liked about the area there was a
strong emphasis on the environmental benefits including the beauty of the area, its
peaceful, quiet and rural nature, friendships and neighbourliness scored highly and a
‘good place to bring up kids’ featured in several responses. In many respects this
reflects the attractions cited by majority group respondents in rural studies.
Dislikes included, lack of access to services in particular related to transport
difficulties, and lack of facilities for young people, job opportunities and social,
cultural and entertainment facilities. A large number of responses clustered around
issues of perceived racism, isolation and the lack of an ethnic minority presence. For
example:
‘Racism, prejudice and ignorant attitudes by some people’.
‘Racism. Locals and in the Council’.
and
‘In the street someone will always notice colour of skin as not many ethnic minorities
here’.
‘Not many people like me. I suppose accept that goes with the territory’.
‘Sometimes fed up with standing out in the village’.
‘Far from friends and sometimes feel isolated’.
In this respect this study confirms the constellation of factors identified in the
literature on rural racism (De Lima 2004). Feelings of conspicuousness, isolation
and encounters with day to day racisms and discriminations are part of the norm for
ethnic minority rural dwellers.
In addition, concerns with the operation of local government featured strongly in
responses with unfair business restrictions, planning decisions being the most
notable complaint. There were a small amount of references to tensions between
the Welsh and the English which reflect broader political issues of this part of Wales.
Overall however, by far the greatest number of respondents expressed strong levels
of belonging to the local area 53% as opposed to 36% who said they were not
strongly or not at all attached to the locality. This strength of attachment was
extrapolated to North Wales (57%) and to UK (59%) but less so to the local County

38
level, with only 40% expressing strong attachment by comparison with 48% who felt
not strongly or not at all attached to the County. It is worthy of note, that almost a
third of the sample expressed little or no attachment to the local area.
Attachment to local neighbourhood and feeling part of the neighbourhood was
however, strongly expressed by the majority of respondents (n=60) despite the fact
that most respondents observed that their neighbourhoods were not close knit
(n=69) and almost half disagreed with the statement: people in this neighbourhood
are willing to help their neighbours (n=42). In stark contrast to the latter response
however, most respondents felt able to ask a neighbour to lend a tool, keep an eye
on their home when away, water their plants when away or loan some food item if
they ran out. The evidence suggests that people generally felt happy in their
immediate neighbourhoods but did not extend the strength of attachment to their
local area or local authority area. When these responses are considered in the light
of responses to involvement in local politics (see below) it appears that investment in
the local state or identification with the local authority/council is relatively low
amongst these respondents. Beyond this however wider feelings of attachment to
Britishness and belonging as UK citizens is however underscored in responses to
these questions and to questions on ethnic identity asked within the study.
5.3 Family, friends and community
The respondents were in regular contact with relatives living out of the area. In terms
of socialising within the locality, most respondents frequently socialised with ‘white
British’ outside of their working time (n=55) or with members of their own family
(n=47). Only a quarter of respondents reported socialising frequently out of work time
with friends of the same ethnic origin (n=25) which may be a reflection of the lack of
opportunity to do so. However when asked about ethnic collective association
feelings of belonging to an ‘ethnic community’ at local level the responses indicated
these were low. Again the lack of opportunity for ethnic group association generally
is reflected in these responses but these responses are possibly more revealing of
the lack of association within the same ethnic group. Religious and cultural
association on a national or international level was however notable amongst this
sample. Association on a national or international level was expressed strongly by
almost a third of respondents reflecting perhaps co-ethnic group association. The
concerns of ‘ethnic segregation’ that arise in areas where there are concentrations of
ethnic minorities are not a feature of rural areas. The evidence of this study indicates
people socialising and interacting in the local community outwith ethnically driven
relationships and association. At the same time the evidence suggest national and
international co-ethnic association at work.
Finally, respondents were asked about mobilising a range of services locally,
nationally or internationally.

39
Table 2: Using private services
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Shop for cultural
foods
Arrange a wedding
Consult a solicitor
International contacts businesses
National contacts Businesses
Local Contacts Businesses
International contacts businesses 17 30 5
National contacts Businesses 65 27 20
Local Contacts Businesses 42 43 69
Shop for cultural foods Arrange a wedding Consult a solicitor
The diagram illustrates quite starkly that mobilising the services for a wedding or
funeral would be undertaken locally, as would consulting with a solicitor. Qualitative
responses within the interviews indicated that availability of appropriate services
such as funeral care for Muslims in recent years meant it was now possible to utilise
local providers.
Participants indicated a preference for shopping for ‘cultural’ foodstuffs outside of the
area. 60% of respondents said they would use national networks to buy ‘cultural’
foodstuffs. In terms of gaining information about cultural events and current issues
relating to their ethnic background or country of origin, the internet ranked highly with
over 50% citing it as a source of such information; family and friends also being an
important source (family n=41, friends=32). For some (23%) language specific
programmes and publications were also considered important. Whilst over 80% of
the sample indicated fluency in English, this may not be indicative of their language
preference in terms of the receipt of general advice and information.

40
Table 3: sources of information on ethnic ‘cultural events and issues’
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Family
Friends
Language specific programs
Language specific publications
Internet
Not interested
Family 41
Friends 32
Language specific programs 25
Language specific publications 18
Internet 55
Not interested 6
1
Overall the response to questions about integration at local level illustrated a picture
of ethnic minority people socialising within the local community, part of an easy flow
of neighbourliness and utilising local private businesses. Investment in local life is
apparently high and vibrant. There is some evidence to suggest however that
attachment to or identification with the local state is not strong. At the same time
ethnic minority residents retain strong links with family and friends elsewhere and
being part of national and international networks that run along ethnic lines. Arguably
residents have no expectation of high ethnic association within the area and seek
this type of association through religious or cultural networks that extend well beyond
the local community.

41
5.4 Getting Involved
Table 4: involvement by organisational type
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Children’s school Education
Education for adults
Environment Animals
Ethnic Organisation
Health / Disability / Social Welfare
Hobbies / Recreation/ Arts/Social Clubs
Justice and Human Rights
Local Community or Neighbourhood groups
Politics
Religion
Safety First Aid
Sport/Exercise
The Elderly
Trade Unions
Youth Organisations
Unpaid Work
Donated Money
Group Activities
Member
Civic participation as measured by involvement in volunteering and participation in
local groups and organisations is an indicator of integration. Participants were asked
to indicate groups, clubs and organisations they had taken part in or supported over
the last 12 months. No attempt was made to restrict the range or number they had
been involved in.
About a third of participants indicated association with an ethnic minority
organisation. This finding could of course be skewed given the snowball effect from
the original sample of NWREN board members or could be a reflection of religious
association. Religious association was mentioned by almost a third of the sample
and some degree of community association was indicated by almost all (95%)
respondents indicating a high level of participation. Involvement in political
organisations was relatively low in this sample.
The most frequent ‘Group Activities’ mentioned were Sport and Exercise, Hobbies/
Recreation/Arts/Social Clubs, closely followed by time spent with ethnic and religious
organisation. Group activities associated with ‘Children’s School Education’ and
‘Education for adults’ and Local Community or Neighbourhood groups featured fairly
highly. By contrast the frequency of time spent with youth organisations was low
perhaps reflecting the age profile of the sample. In addition to the categories offered

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Final report developing effective engagement for consultation with black and ethnic minorities in rural areas