Liz Burns and Rohini Sharma Joshi launched the new publication ‘Changing Attitudes to BME Employment’ a practical guide to help employers recruit people from BME backgrounds. The guide is available on the Equalities Scotland website www.EqualityScotland.com

They were dismayed to find how little progress had been made by the housing community on BME recruitment. For example, the report reveals that there are still 40 housing associations in Glasgow that do not have a member of staff with a BME background.

They said that despite there being legislation in place and the fact that every organisation has an equalities strategy very few organisations have addressed the massive under representation of BME staff working in housing. They felt that this revealed that there is a need for practical guidance.

They used the experience that they have gained through numerous recruitment fairs and work with PATH employees to construct 10 essential steps that every employer should take to enhance their recruitment procedures. Liz and Rohini feel that this will enhance general recruitment process as well as increasing the representation of BME staff in housing.

The guide contains suggestions for the entire recruitment process from advertising vacancies to providing feedback on interviews. For example, the guide suggests that employers should explain that the interview is an opportunity for the potential employee to “sell” themselves as this is a practice that is unfamiliar to many cultures.