Opportunity to help improve public service provision for trans women

Equality Counting

Engender has got some funding from the Equality and Human Rights Commission to enable women disadvantaged by a public service provision to come together in several communities-of-interest groups around specific issues of concern.  Together in their interest groups, the women will develop and implement strategies to hold public service providers to account using participatory action research and equality legislation as tools.  Over the last couple of years, Engender and the Scottish Transgender Alliance have been working together to improve trans-inclusion in feminist equality work. Therefore, Engender is keen to use this new project to help support women who are disadvantaged by transphobia within public service provision.

If you are interested in organising as part of a ‘community of interest’ group to help improve public service provision for trans women, Engender will support you to:

• carry out participatory research
• develop and articulate gendered equalities analysis
• establish opportunities for dialogue with the service provider in question
• And take action using your research and analysis to advocate for change.

Engender will offer training on participatory action research approaches which will take place in March and will be held in Edinburgh (Times to be negotiated with yourselves, could be one evening a week for four weeks or Sunday afternoons could be a possibility?) Assistance with travel and child-care costs is available.

To take part you need to identify as a woman and support trans equality. Engender is fully committed to ensuring your privacy and dignity in regard to any possible trans identity or background you may also have.

The lifespan of each of the groups will depend on their issue(s), some may formalise, whilst others may be issue-specific and then disband. Either way everyone involved will gain transferable skills in how to organise around an issue, research it, analyse it and articulate it in ways that use the opportunities, for changing and challenging policies and provision offered by equality legislation, and enable dialogue with the public service provider or policy makers to effect change. Engender will support you throughout the process, but the emphasis will be on enabling you rather than campaigning or doing on your behalf.

For more information about getting involved, please contact carol.flack@engender.org.uk or telephone Carol on 0131 558 9596 by 1st March 2010.