The North West Infrastructure Partnership commissioned the Centre for Local Economic Strategies and the Centre for Local Policy Studies to research the impact of current policy on equalities and the specialist organisations that deliver to some of our most marginalised communities.

The research process lasted eight months, included 15 issue-specific focus groups, and involved over two hundred and fifty voluntary and community sector organisations from across the North West and looked at:

• The equalities impact of policy agendas around localism, big society, welfare, health, and economic growth;
• The socio-economic implications of a reduced focus on equality;
• The values of equalities focused voluntary and community sector organisations;
• The applicability of impacts and implications to the North West

A series of FREE consultation events 2011

Choose from the following three consultation events being run by BTEG:

• London, 4th October, 2011
• Peterborough, 6th October, 2011
• Birmingham, 12th October, 2011

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) civil society organisations play an important role in providing services for offenders, ex-offenders and their families. Some BAME communities experience disproportionately adverse outcomes throughout the justice system through their interface with the police, courts and prisons.

Click here to register for one of the events.

• When: Monday 10th October 2011, 7:00pm-9:00pm (doors open at 6:00pm)
• Where: Vortex downstairs

This event has been organised in response to the reactionary and damaging prison sentences currently handed out to accused rioters.

C.1 day a month / Pro bono

Missing People is a national and independent charity, offering a lifeline when someone disappears. We are currently recruiting for a new trustee.

If you are a proven board-level leader, respected within your professional networks and you are willing to engage with either our fundraising or influencing work then you may be who we are looking for.

The Voice of the North Project have launched a video, showcasing reflections on the Northern youth experience.

Click here to watch the video.

A skills and information sharing seminar on the Personalisation Agenda and the opportunities and benefits for the LGBT third sector.

The Norwich and Norfolk Racial Equality Council has folded after 18 years, after making a net loss of £42,000 in the last financial year and becoming “unsustainable”.

The Runnymede Trust have called this closure "a disaster for the people of Norfolk".

An e-petition to Government has been launched against the eviction of convicted rioters from their homes.

Do we understand the implications of making people homeless and the potential long term consequences, the petition asks?

Members of the BME VCS Coalition including V4CE have written a letter to the Guardian, calling on the Government to draw up a race equality strategy that provides leadership in the wake of rioting.