Glasgow Equality Work
Glasgow Voluntary Sector Race Equality Network
CRER coordinates the Glasgow Voluntary Sector Race Equality Network (GVSREN).
GVSREN is a platform through which voluntary and community groups led by or working with people from BME communities can network, share concerns, raise awareness, work together, and develop a coherent and strategic voice for racial equality in Glasgow. GVSREN is a forum to promote equality, rights, and social justice.
Members of GVSREN meet approximately four times a year. Members put forward agenda items to raise the issues that affect their organisations and the people they work with. This helps the network to provide mutual support to address the barriers faced by organisations, BME groups, and minority ethnic people living and working in Glasgow.
Representatives of the network sit on the Glasgow Equality Forum to promote racial equality alongside the other equality strands. This ensures that the views of GVSREN members are heard and have an influence within Community Planning structures in Glasgow.
The network has been in existence since 1997, formally constituted in 2000 and was previously known as Glasgow Black and Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Network. Membership of GVSREN is free, and open to voluntary sector and community organisations based in Glasgow that are led by, or work extensively with, BME communities. If this is your area of work in Glasgow, and are interested in membership, or would like more information, contact mail@crer.org.uk.
GVSREN survey - Glasgow Communities Fund 2020-23
Many GVSREN members and other organisations working with BME communities were negatively impacted by the funding recommendations of the Glasgow Communities Fund. This summary report sets out the results of a survey and analysis of funding recommendations: Glasgow Communities Fund – Impact on BME organisations
GVSREN Letter to Glasgow City Council
Ahead of the 2022 Glasgow Council elections, GVSREN members were surveyed on their priorities for race equality. After the elections this letter was sent to the Glasgow Council leader Cllr Susan Aitken, outlining those priorities: GVSREN Letter to Glasgow City Council.
Glasgow Equality Forum
As coordinators of GVSREN, CRER is a member of the Glasgow Equality Forum (GEF). GEF is a Glasgow-wide strategic policy forum which brings together representatives of voluntary sector equality networks in the city to encourage better cooperation and cross-sector engagement on equality issues. GEF provides strategic and policy expertise, and through the associated equality networks can provide access to wider viewpoints, including opportunities to engage with grassroots community organisations. Forum members can also provide advice and support on effective community engagement.
GEF’s member equality networks are:
Glasgow Women’s Voluntary Sector Network (coordinated by Wise Women)
Glasgow Voluntary Sector Race Equality Network (coordinated by CRER)
Glasgow LGBT Voluntary Sector Network
GEF’s associate member organisations include:
Faith in Community Scotland
Scottish Refugee Council
WSREC - West of Scotland Regional Equality Council
Quarterly Meetings
GEF holds quarterly meetings to:
Raise issues of importance with Community Planning Partners, such as Glasgow City Council, Glasgow HSCP, Police Scotland, and Glasgow Life
Build links across different networks, equality characteristics, and agencies and demonstrate good practice of working in partnership together
Provide advice, monitoring, and support in relation to Community Planning Partners' work to implement the Equality Act 2010
Create a space for community planning partners to engage with and draw on the experience of equality groups to improve the delivery of policies, services, and functions
To keep up to date with GEF’s work and the wider equalities landscape in Glasgow and nationally, sign up for regular equality update emails at www.equalityupdates.org.uk .
If you need more information about GEF, please contact CRER.
Glasgow Public Sector Bodies
Thanks to funding from Glasgow City Council’s Glasgow Communities Fund, CRER is able to offer a limited amount of support on race equality issues to Glasgow’s public sector. Each year, we carry out a range of targeted activities such as running topical events, publishing guides and research publications, and providing one-to-one support around the Public Sector Equality Duties. We also get involved in Community Planning structures through the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership Equality Working Group, feeding in views from our work with local voluntary and community organisations and offering expertise on legislation and best practice.
CRER also evaluates reports published by each of the 20 listed public bodies in Glasgow which demonstrate how well they have met the Scottish Specific Equality Duties as laid out in the Equality Act 2010. Our summary reports provide analysis of each report submitted to compare equality approaches across the city and highlight best practice and identify areas for improvement.
You can find copies of these reports in our publications section.