Housing pressures in British cities partly result from the net migration of people to Britain over the past ten years. Immigration has also changed the nature of minority ethnic communities, while longestablished minority ethnic communities are changing with successive generations. What does recent research tell us about the nature of these changes, and their impact on policy and practice in housing and neighbourhood renewal?

Some of the key points include:
Policy should recognise that two groups in particular – asylum seekers/ refugees and many Muslim people – feel discriminated against. A radical change of language and policy is needed at central Government level to address this.

Policy on funding of minority groups should recognise the need for services targeted at new migrants and for work targeted at isolated groups within longer-established communities. There is also a need for targeted community development work in many ‘white’ communities.

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"Every Organisation Matters: Mapping the children and young people’s voluntary and community sector."
This study, the first ever mapping of the size and scope of the children and young people’s voluntary and community sector (CYPVCS), aims to help policymakers, commissioners and those who run services to better understand the context in which they work.
The research conducted by the University of Hull was commissioned as part of the Speaking Out project, a joint initiative between the National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations and the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services.

See attached the executive summary, the full report can be downloaded from http://www.ncvcco.org/index.php?page=635

Research specialists Ipsos MORI have been appointed to conduct the National Survey of Third Sector Organisations, on behalf of the Office of the Third Sector. Thousands of third sector organisations will receive this crucial survey in September 2008. The survey will be based on data provided by BMG Research and GuideStar Data Services.

For the first time, all local authorities are to be judged on their performance in creating an environment for a thriving third sector. To measure this performance, the government is commissioning the largest ever survey of the third sector.

Thousands of third sector leaders will receive the National Survey of Third Sector Organisations in September. Results from the survey will be available early in the new year and will drive change locally and nationally, by revealing performance against a key local government performance target (National Indicator 7). It will also provide valuable evidence on the performance of local partnerships, funding relationships, opportunities to campaign and influence and other issues facing the sector at a local level.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation have just published a report on Poverty rates among ethnic groups in Great Britain on their website.

As part of its monitoring of poverty and social exclusion (see www.poverty.org.uk), the New Policy Institute has analysed how the rates of income poverty differ between ethnic groups and the reasons for some of these differences.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation have just published a report on Ethnic minorities in the labour market: dynamics and diversity on their website.

The research examines the labour market performance of Britain’s ethnic minorities. In particular, it emphasises the diversity of their experience and the dynamic change in the relative positions of ethnic groups between 1991 and 2001.

While some groups have improved their labour market position relative to white people, substantial disadvantage remains, both in access to jobs and in earnings once in employment.