The Community Council of Shropshire is committed to promoting equality, diversity and an inclusive supportive environment for individual service users, local people and communities in Shropshire.
Equality means equal treatment irrespective of gender (including transgender), race, colour, ethnic or national origins, age, income and class, disability, socio-economic background, religious or political beliefs and affiliations, marital status, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or other inappropriate distinction. Under the law it protects people from minority groups being discriminated against.
Diversity means understanding that every person is unique, and recognising our individual differences. Diversity is about understanding each other, and moving beyond simple tolerance to embrace and celebrate the unique dimensions within each individual.
Rural Social Exclusion
Social exclusion has complex causes, which can include economic, health, educational and social factors. Social exclusion is often made worse by discrimination, and by poor childcare, healthcare, transport and local support. Social exclusion prevents people from sharing the things most people take for granted, such as a job, a decent home or a bank account.
Rural social exclusion has some significant differences from urban social exclusion:
- Socially excluded households are often scattered within relatively well-off areas.
- Rural housing problems may focus on high prices rather than quality, and rural employment problems may focus on low pay and seasonal work.
- Distance from towns, isolation, poor public transport and poor access to jobs, services and other opportunities can cause problems in rural areas.
- Some people believe that social exclusion could not exist in the countryside.
- Traditional attitudes about rural self-sufficiency and 'making do' can mean that rural social exclusion is given little or no recognition
The Community and Rural Development Team includes a Community Development Co-ordinator whose role promotes the following values:
- Social Justice - enabling people to claim their rights, meet their needs and have greater control over the decisions which affect their lives.
- Participation - supporting people's democratic involvement, based on shared power, skills, knowledge and experience.
- Equality - challenging individuals, institutions and society when they discriminate against and marginalise people.
- Learning - recognising people's skills, knowledge and expertise
- Co-operation - working together to take action, based on mutual respect of different cultures and contributions.
For information call Jonathan Hyams, Community Development Co-ordinator, on 01743 237881 or fax 01743 233335. You can also write to Jonathan at:
Community Council of Shropshire
5 Claremont Buildings
Claremont Bank
Shrewsbury
SY1 1RJ
E-mail: jonathan.hyams@shropshire-rcc.org.uk »
For information about the Shropshire Voluntary and Community Sector Equality and Diversity Forum please click here.
You can get more information from the following links:
Community Development Exchange » (This link will open in a new browser window)
Community Development Foundation » (This link will open in a new browser window)
Federation for Community Development Learning » (This link will open in a new browser window)
Arts in Rural Consultation
In April 2004 the Arts Council agreed funding of £49,850 to support a national pilot scheme based in four parishes in Shropshire to explore how using the arts could engage people who are usually marginal or excluded within conventional consultation processes. Additional funding of £7,000 was subsequently secured from Bridgnorth District Council, Oswestry Borough Council and Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council, along with the active support of their Arts Development Officers.
Each of the parishes was at a different stage in a parish plan. The project enabled them to work with a community artist to develop ideas about how art could be incorporated into the consultation process and their final plan. The artists then the worked with the local community to turn these ideas into action. In some cases the artists worked with the wider community to produce a piece of work that left a legacy of the project.
There is a short Final Report which describes the project's structure, process and achievements, and an independent Evaluation Report which contains a detailed analysis of the project's achievements and lessons and makes recommendations for future work of a similar nature. There is also a comprehensive Guide to Using the Arts in Rural Consultation, which sets out the learning and good practice from this pilot. Hard copies of all are available on request from Lorraine Smart or Jonathan Hyams at:
Community Council of Shropshire
5 Claremont Buildings
Claremont Bank
Shrewsbury
SY1 1RJ
Tel: 01743 360641:
E-mail: Lorraine.Smart@shropshire-rcc.org.uk » or jonathan.hyams@shropshire-rcc.org.uk »
This page was last updated on: 12th April 2006