Positive action scheme takes off

Black and minority ethnic communities are significantly under-represented in the library and information profession, especially at senior levels. Last month, CILIP's governing Council agreed to release funds to enable the development of a scheme to redress the balance.

According to Ayub Khan, Chair of CILIP's Equality & Diversity Panel, the idea was initiated at the first Black Contribution to British Librarianship Conference in 1998. 'It's always been an ambition of CILIP’s and its predecessor body the Library Association to develop a positive action scheme similar to that run at the American Library Association – the Spectrum programme,' Ayub explains, 'so it's not something that we've just thought of; it’s been on the cards for some time.'

So why is there a lack of workers from minority ethnic groups in the profession? Ayub Khan believes there's an issue around the image and stereotype of the profession, possibly a lack of role models, and maybe even careers advisers failing to make potential recruits aware of the opportunities available.

Other professions face the same challenge too, he adds. So the steering group that is nurturing CILIP's Encompass scheme looked to other professions for examples of good practice.

'The Museums Association's Diversify scheme was really highly influential to our thinking about what we do,' Ayub explains. Two schemes run by Path National, a skills development agency, were also crucial: a positive action training needs scheme for the Royal Town Planning Institute, called Tomorrow's Planners, and another scheme for Brent Libraries.

Securing funding for what CILIP wanted to achieve was inevitably a challenge. 'There were so many competing priorities, and we had to make the case for change,' he explains.

'We looked at the moral case for change, around respect and inclusion, the business case in terms of attracting a wider pool of staff and visitors to libraries, and of course also to sell CILIP membership. And also we looked at the legal case in terms of race relations.'

Working in partnership with Path National, an employer will convert an existing mainstream post into a graduate trainee post – perhaps when someone retires – automatically generating savings in costs such as National Insurance as a result. The employer will then pay Path National £4,000 a year to manage the trainee’s programme, including attendance at university or college one day a week to do a library & information course, and a small sum will also be payable to CILIP for additional benefits.

CILIP's job will be to manage the marketing of the scheme to employers, secure the necessary placement offers (20 are proposed for 2008/9) and offer a range of benefits to the trainees. These would include CILIP membership, chartership fees, funding for attendance at a short course or conference, and a networking event at CILIP – and it has pledged £10,000 for the initial development.

First employer response has been positive, Ayub confirms. 'We've had some stakeholder meetings with various employers and we’ve fed their comments into the scheme design.'

'At the moment, they want to know what the scheme is going to look like, and that’s what we need to be doing over the next phase,' he adds. 'We'll need employer buy-in if the scheme’s going to be successful.'

Meanwhile CILIP members are encouraged to promote the scheme and raise awareness, not only to their employers but also more widely within their localities, at events such as careers fairs. A pilot scheme in London should be followed by full roll-out, and the ultimate aim would be to incorporate it into CILIP's Framework of Qualifications, so it becomes part of the mainstream offer.

There's a danger, of course, that other disadvantaged groups may resent all the attention being paid to just one section of the community. Ayub Khan is aware of the risk.

'Encompass is not a scheme in isolation or a discrete project, but part of a wider strategy around equality and diversity,' he points out. 'If this scheme is successful, we would hope to roll it out to other disadvantaged groups.'

'There is going to be hostility in some areas,' he acknowledges. 'We have to be really clear that it’s about the evidence and the statistics, and it’s no guarantee of employment and it’s within the law.'

Tim Buckley Owen is an associate consultant with the Tribal Group (which carried out consultancy in connection with the Encompass scheme), as well as being a regular feature writer for Gazette.

(Library & Information Gazette 30 May 2008)

Further background on the Encompass scheme