“Number Games”
A Feedback films Production For the Runnymede Trust
An investigative journey by Dr Rob Berkeley. This short film examines social justice in the Big Society. We explore the dynamics of US racial inequities to give context to three stories of Chicagoans who have worked to empower minority communities, hold public institutions to account on their record of promoting race equality and innovate in the delivery of public services to reduce racial inequality. The film will draw on the largest conference of race equality activists in the US to inform the conclusions and areas for further exploration. The film seeks to encourage debate in England and will be used as a tool in creating discussion.
Background
The coalition government has set out its aspiration to move towards a greater role for citizens and civil society institutions in responding to the needs of individuals and communities. This aspiration is born out of the financial crisis which the government believes requires severe and swift cuts in public spending, a shift in the relationship between the state and the individual and a desire for citizens to take a more engaged role in shaping their communities and neighbourhoods. This new approach has been termed ‘The Big Society’.
Black and minority ethnic communities in England face the double challenge of cuts in public services on which they disproportionately rely (including for employment), and adapting to a renewed relationship with institutions that have struggled to address race inequalities over a prolonged period. Meanwhile, the infrastructure of race equality organisations that would seek to support Black and minority ethnic citizens and public institutions in this transition, have become reliant on government funding in order to deliver their goals. The reality is that this funding is no longer available, putting many organisations at risk. Nonetheless the issues of disadvantage and marginalisation persist.
Making the shift to more independent funding, strategies that require less government support, and which hold institutions to account while empowering members of Black and minority ethnic communities, has become a pressing issue for many organisations. Those seeking to promote race equality are faced with some significant choices. These choices can be driven by financial expediency or more positively through understanding and embracing the new realities of state support for organisations and their activities.
The urgency of this shift in thinking and approach requires information and the opportunity for debate and discussion. This includes the gathering of expertise from those arenas in which lower levels of government spending and higher levels of voluntarism have been the leitmotif. The United States is one such arena. While race inequalities in have a significantly different trajectory in the US, there are numerous parallels with race equality in England, including similar issues of budgetary tightening being faced. This project seeks to understand the ways in which the US experience of its version of ‘Big Society’ can inform the activities of English organisations. Providing inspiration for the shift in practice while maintaining a public policy and social action focus on alleviating persistent disadvantage experienced by certain minority ethnic groups.
Client: Dr Rob Berkeley
“This project was extremely challenging we wanted a documentary that spark discussions but only had a limited budget, we achieved so much more that i expected. We have had great feedback so far and hope this film will help shape government reforms”
Credits
- Presented by Dr. Rob Berkeley
- Directed by Jonathan Tetsill & Jamie Coward
- Produced by Johnathan Tetsill
- Camera – Johnathan Tetsill
- Additional Camera – Jamie Coward
- Edited by Jamie Coward
©Feedback Films 2011