In the wake of the violent unrest that has taken place across the country in recent days, this round-up from Third Sector Leeds focusses on information and advice for groups and organisations working with communities across the city.
As Chair of Third Sector Leeds, I would like to offer reassurance and support to the sector at this troubling time and set out what action we are taking to stay informed of the continuing situation.
First, let’s be clear what we have witnessed, these are not protests, but acts of racism and hate. As a sector, we must stand together against racism, and unite against acts of hate in our communities.
It is encouraging that further unrest in Leeds has not taken place, despite the actions of a minority of individuals intent on causing alarm and distress over the weekend. This speaks to the strength of the city, our communities and our partners – we hope that this continues to be the picture in Leeds. Please do continue to share good news stories about the great work that you and your communities are doing – as positive examples of the unity and cohesion in the city.
What can groups and organisations do?
Offer Support to Staff & Volunteers
If you haven’t already, reach out to people within your organisation to check how they are and what support they might need. This could be practical support in terms of travelling to work / meetings or emotional support to deal with the impact of events on people’s mental health and wellbeing. Many organisations will have access to counselling support for staff, there is also further information via Mindwell and Leeds Health and Care Academy.
Share Information on Reporting & Hate Crimes
There are many ways in which hate crime in the city can be reported, including through Leeds City Council and trusted VCSE organisations including:
- Stop Hate UK, for reporting any hate crimes
- Community Security Trust, for reporting antisemitism, hate crime or suspicious activity
- Tell Mama, for reporting anti-Muslim incidents, accessing confidential support and resources including on mosque security.
Reporting enables us as a city to develop an accurate picture of how national unrest is impacting in the city and make appropriate responses. Leeds Culturally Diverse Hub have produced a video on the value of reporting hate crime and incidents and the impact this can have. Further information and contact details are available here: Report a hate crime or incident (leeds.gov.uk).
If someone sees or receives threatening or racist messages on their social media channels, or anything signalling a threat to their safety, they should take a screen shot and report it directly to the police.
If your staff, volunteers or communities have information to share that requires a Police response please call 101, or if anyone experiences threatening behaviour, or is concerned for their safety, please call 101. As always, the advice is to call 999 in an emergency.
Share Intelligence Directly with the Police
In terms of reporting in any community intelligence, our statutory partners are encouraging the use of the Partnership Intelligence Portal. Registering for use of this portal enables VCSE organisations to submit information to the heart of the intelligence function and prevent any delays in intelligence being actioned (for this, or any other concerns which you may have regarding criminality). We would really encourage VCSE organisations to utilise the PIP (members of the public are unable to register), so please do register here.
If you experience any difficulty with registration, please contact the Intelligence Management Unit: [email protected].
We are in contact with LCC colleagues (who are in daily contact with the Police and Local Resilience Forum) who have committed to sharing significant intelligence updates with TSL.
Be Mindful of the Pressure on Specialist Organisations
Even before the recent unrest, organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers were under significant strain due to the hostile environment around immigration and asylum. Organisations are working to ensure people, staff and volunteers feel safe and supported in the current environment, including working with colleagues at Leeds City Council. Be aware that specialist organisations are under pressure, so the need for the wider sector to ensure services and support are inclusive is more important than ever.
Stand United Against Hate
Whilst the current focus of the violence centres around refugees and asylum seekers, the broader rhetoric is racist and incidents in other parts of the country have highlighted that people have been targeted on the basis of the colour of their skin.
Hope Not Hate are a national organisation focussed on the organised far right, the communities who are susceptible to them and the issues and policies which give rise to them. Their work aims to build skills and resilience across communities and civil society organisations, creating an alternative narrative of togetherness and unity. Check out their website for more information on the current unrest, including staying safe online and physical security.
Stay Connected to your Community
Avoid using social media as your primary way of communicating with at-risk communities. Use email and direct communication to inform people of the support that is available, especially if it is related to any specific sessions/events you are running.
When circulating communications outside your organisation, be clear what status the information has, such as verifying its source or finding corroborating information, including whether it can be posted on social media or not.
There are a number of opportunities for third sector staff and volunteers to come together and reflect, share concerns and seek support around the unrest.
The Network of Regional Youth Work Units is working with national partners to offer ‘Space to Connect’ sessions for youth workers and allied professionals:
- Session 1: Thursday, 8 August, 11am-12pm Registration here
- Session 2: Monday, 12 August, 5-6pm Registration here
- Session 3: Thursday, 15 August, 3-4pm Registration here
Many third sector and community networks are thinking about ways to support each other, and this can be a helpful way of accessing support and staying informed and safe. If you are part of a network that provides information or support, get in touch to ask how you can join in.
Other guidance and resources
Youth organisations across the UK have also put together a list of resources to help support young people following unrest.
The Racial Justice Network published a statement in solidarity against racism and white supremacy, with advice for Black and people of colour on staying safe.
NAVCA and the VCS Emergency Partnership published some guidance for local infrastructure organisation on supporting the sector and responding to racist violence in local communities.
NCVO shared some videos to support organisations on how to handle online misinformation, business continuity and communicating in a crisis.
We want to hear from you!
We will continue to share updates and further guidance as the situation develops. If there is something specific that you would like support or guidance on, if you have any concerns or if you would like to discuss anything in this update, please contact TSL by emailing [email protected]
Kim Groves
Chair of Third Sector Leeds
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