Leaders of national umbrella bodies for charities and social change organisations have issued a statement of commitment to dismantling racism in charities and the voluntary sector.
An excerpt of the commitment can be read here:
As leaders of national umbrella bodies for charities and social change organisations we have an essential role to play in advancing equality in our society.
The organisations we support and represent work in every aspect of our social fabric. At a time of crisis for individuals they provide the essential, often life saving, support needed, they enrich our communities and cultural life, and they campaign where change is needed. At a time of crisis for the nation they are #NeverMoreNeeded.
There is a problem of race inequality in society and our sector, and this impacts on our staff, our volunteers and the communities we are here to serve.
Far too many of the senior roles within our sector are held by white people, and there has been a real lack of opportunity for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals to begin, develop and succeed in their careers in the voluntary sector whether as paid staff, volunteers or Trustees.
Too often those organisations that are led or shaped by BAME individuals and communities are not given the same access, opportunities and funding as those primarily led and shaped by white people.
Systemic racism and discrimination in the UK directly and indirectly leads to poorer life chances, deeper health inequalities and greater risks being carried within BAME communities, and those challenges are exacerbated when our sector fails to address its own problems of race inequality.
While many of our members have campaigned and fought for race equality and social justice over many years, collectively we have not done enough to create the real changes that are needed to achieve true racial equality in our work.
We know that words alone are nowhere near enough. But we also know that silence amongst leaders, especially white leaders, in our sector causes pain for our colleagues and our communities.
The statement also references Voice4Change and ACEVO's recently published report ‘Home Truths: Undoing racism and delivering real diversity in the charity sector.’. Read the report and recommendations here.
Read the statement in full on the Never More Needed website.
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