Want to work better with minority communities? Then think like a spy!

Nope sorry, if you’re looking for Aston Martins, international travel or pricey clothes to wear, then perhaps equalities and working with minority communities may not be for you. On the other hand, if its connecting and understanding people is more up your street please keep reading.

What does spying have to do with equalities? The spy world does not work exactly like a James Bond movie, but being a spymaster is more similar than you think.

Both require an in-depth knowledge of local communities and what they have to offer. This will require preparation and the studying of local economies, languages, cultures, and issues. All will have to be understood before the spy will feel equipped in their role within that area. Similarly, this same information and process is essential to equalities officers to aid their understanding within their local communities.

In order for a spy to find out what is going on within an area or organisation, it helps for them to get involved and mix with the people within that group. Here is where too many people in inclusion and equalities seem to fail. They seem happy to put their thoughts or processes out there and wait for people to come to them. Imagine a, spy sitting with a in a shopping centre with a board and various different languages reads “Tell me what is the matter with you and your needs”…it’s not quite going to work is it?

Too often, rather than mixing and finding out about the communities directly, equalities people will put information on websites notice boards in different languages or formats and expect people to come running forward. Even people’s panels will be advertised in the same way. This just does not work. Just like the spy, you need to delve within the community. This will assist you in building a network of agents in prime positions such as shops, religious centres, restaurants and among community activities. This can help you to find out who the local connectors are and who speaks for the people on various matters.

Who knows whom? These are the people you need to bring into the intelligence that will help you do your job efficiently by informing what their needs are and what they require.

Once you find these people, they then become your frontline or your network when you need to share and spread information or find out more. They can connect you and assist you as part of the community.

These people need to be brought in to the networks, they need to be updated kept informed and, most importantly, they need to feel valued and important just as a spy treats his network. 

To truly understand your communities it takes the effort to get involved.