Combating racism - how Oxford City does it

5.16.00pm GMT Fri 25th Jan 2008

A resident recently asked what exactly Oxford City Council does to tackle racism in our community. It was one of those questions which, slightly embarrassingly, stumped me: I know the Council has always taken a firm anti-racist line - and that councillors have made it a priority for the Council to enact anti-discrimination legislation - but that's a bit different from working out how you can change hearts and minds in the city at large. I asked one of the Council managers to brief me, and thought I'd share her bullet points with you...

• Participation in MANTRA (Multi-Agency network to Tackle Racial Harassment). This group develops policies and procedures for reporting racism and also deals with specific case work.

• The Street Wardens have a specific brief to provide witness support to racial harassment cases and to sign post people suffering racial harassment. If they come across racial harassment they will confront it.

• We have a Corporate Equality Standard which includes how to deal with racial harassment complaints both internally with our own staff and external complaints.

• We currently fund the Oxfordshire Racial Equality Council. This organisation provides support to people suffering racial harassment and provides tribunal support for cases in the work place.

• We are currently working with the PCT and County Council to develop an independent Equalities Group which will provide a lobbying and support role for victims of racial equality (in lines with the development nationally of the Human Rights and Equalities Commission).

• We grant aid a number of groups to promote capacity building of ethnic minority and faith groups.

• We grant aid projects and events aimed at bringing different communities together.

• We put on the Mela - aimed at improving community relations and community cohesion.

• We support Asylum Welcome and Refugee Resource projects such as the Media Project, aimed at improving media coverage of race issues.