Services for Elders from Ethnic Minorities

		Welcome The Project Seem Partners Contact Latest News Useful Links Documents FINAL RESULTS		FINAL RESULTS SEEM Final Conference, Brussels, 8 and 9 November 2005 The SEEM project partners presented the final results of the SEEM project at a conference in Brussels on the 8th and 9th November 2005. A booklet entitled 'Services for Elders from Ethnic Minorities: A Guide to Good Practice in the EU' was presented at the conference. The booklet lists examples of good practice, from across Europe, in the field of health and social care for minority ethnic elders. The booklet also contains a checklist designed to help local authorities and service providers to plan and deliver a more complete and meaningful set of services to these specific target groups. The SEEM booklet and checklist can be downloaded from the documents section. The conference, held at the European Parliament and Committee of the Regions in Brussels, also intended to inform policy makers about the special needs of minority ethnic elders and the efforts needed at European and national level to support continuity for this work. Reception in the European Parliament, 8 November 2005 Around 100 people attended the SEEM reception, held in the European Parliament building. The event formally launched the SEEM booklet and checklist and gave minority ethnic elders from across Europe the chance to speak about their experiences with the project and with the services available to them. Speakers at the reception included Councillor Stewart Golton of Weetwood ward in Leeds, and Richard Corbett, who is a Member of the European Parliament for the Yorkshire and the Humber region in the UK. Discussion forum in the Committee of the Regions, 9 November 2005 On Wednesday 9 November, the SEEM partners hosted a discussion forum in the Committee of the Regions. The message of the project partners, presented by John England, Deputy Director of Social Services at Leeds City Council, to policy makers included the need to understand the diversity of local communities as well as the fact that elders from ethnic minorities have particular needs. Mr England also stressed the need to develop a specific policy on integration and to work with the voluntary and community sector. Also important is to promote active citizenship amongst the elders and to consider access issues so as to mainstream services as widely as possible. After having heard from the elders themselves about their experiences and what they gained from them, the discussion was opened. Jyostna Patel from AGE (European Older People's Platform) emphasised the importance of networks such as SEEM to fight the isolation that individuals from these groups are falling into. Naina Patel from PRIAE (Policy and Research Institute for Ageing and Ethnicity) then focussed on the most debated issue of the conference, the sustainability of such initiatives. It was clear for all participants that services for particular groups such as elders from ethnic minorities cannot be provided on an ad hoc project basis. Anthony van de Ven, Director of policy development at Eurocities, focussed on the fact that working with the general services system offers better chances of sustainability. According to him there are simply too many specific groups, among which elders from ethnic minorities, and it would be impossible to reach each of these groups individually on a continuous basis. Adam Tyson, European Commission, Head of Unit EMPL E2, DG Employment and Social Affairs, confirmed that member states have been reporting that older people and minorities were the groups where poverty was more present. The problem, he added, is that countries still have not found ways to measure the evolution of these situations at local level, due to lack of common indicators and data. Mr. Tyson concluded by saying that the Commission can contribute by encouraging governments to be more aware of these groups' needs and to take more notice of the organisations that represent them. As to future funding programs, Mr. Tyson is also of the opinion that projects cannot replace the work of local authorities and that they are only intended to initiate transnational exchange, which should then take on a life of its own and finally lead to mainstream changes. Overall, the discussion forum was felt, by partners and delegates, to be a great success. Final programme The final programme for the SEEM conference can be accessed below: Final Programme (20K) Speeches The speeches given by Councillor Stewart Golton of Leeds City Council, Councillor Peter Moore of the Committee of the Regions, and Mr John England of Leeds City Council Social Services at the SEEM discussion forum can be viewed by following the links below: Councillor Golton (20K) Councillor Moore (16K) John England (16K) SEEM project team and BME elders in Brussels