Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office, Edinburgh - Briefing Document Two

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Parliamentary Officer:Rev Graham Blount
Phone:
0131 558 8137

Briefing Document No 2 - Page 3 of 4

"Social Inclusion: Opening the door to a better Scotland" - Continued.

Where do the Churches Go from Here?
This paper has briefly summarised the general thrust of the report and strategy, and raised in that context some of the general concerns already expressed by the churches. Churches also have important experience of the more detailed aspects of government policy which are presented here as aspects of social inclusion strategy, and therefore will have detailed points to make, on such issues as homelessness (5.26-28), education (ch6), community sentencing (5.31-32). There will also be areas of activity that churches will either already be involved in, or may wish to become involved, eg the New Deal and Social Inclusion Partnerships.

But we are not yet great at joined-up thinking ourselves and much of the churches' thinking and practice re social inclusion remains fragmented, even within individual churches. A great deal of good work is being done and valued contributions to the debate are being made, but for the sake of (and with) those who are socially excluded we could do more.

Would a Scottish Churches Social Inclusion Network help us to make a more effective contribution, or would it divert energies of already busy people? And might there be a creative theological contribution to the debate lurking in the deeper and more-rounded concept of prosperity as shalom in the Old Testament?

On The Horizon
While this is not a consultation paper, it does invite comments to the Scottish Office Social Inclusion Team (with no time scale given). Clearly these documents will be a basis for future Scottish Parliament discussion and debate, especially if the Labour Party is to be the dominant part of the Scottish Executive; churches will want to continue to contribute to that debate.

More specifically, Action Teams on
(A) excluded young people
(B) inclusive communities
(C) impact of local anti-poverty action and
(D) "making it happen" (sharing good practice, overcoming professional organisational and cultural barriers) will produce recommendations by 30 September 1999.
a further Action Team will produce a draft Evaluation Framework by 1 July 1999
the existing Social Inclusion Network will prepare an "Inclusion Plan" for integrated action by 31 December 1999.

Churches may wish to respond to any or all of these. In different ways, Scottish Churches are already contributing to this discussion; for example the SCPO has been invited to share with the Poverty Alliance in hosting a series of Poverty Forums to bring together Parliamentarians, activists, church people and others with direct experience of poverty. We might also note the comment in the Strategy document that the Government's Social Inclusion Network "must also connect with the many other organisations not formally represented on it and ensure that they are engaged and committed" (s7).