Welcome to WDEMA
It gives me great pleasure to introduce the West-Dunbartonshire Ethnic Minority Association web site.
We strive to promote the active participation of the Ethnic Minority Community. We are non-political and non-sectarian, seeking to represent all the minority community throughout the area, and to enhance understanding of the ethnic minority community by disseminating information, providing development training seminars and rendering advice on all aspects empowering them to interact equitably with the indigenous population.
In looking to move ethnic minority community into the mainstream it is necessary to understand the needs of community in general and ethnic minority community in particular.
No community can operate in isolation, to progress and grow we need to work in partnership and for any partnership to be effective the changes that are required needs to take place on all sides.
The government at present is supporting programmes of social inclusion and capacity building. They are hoping that where racism exists these attitudes will be challenged and a more open and even access to opportunity will exist. We need to be reminded however that attitudes cannot be changed by legislation alone.
It is hoped that the web site will provide opportunities and communication links between the ethnic minority community, local authorities, local industry and public sector organisations.
And mainly that West-Dunbatonshire will recognise and benefit from the diversity that ethnic minority contribute to the Scotland.
Haji Munir
Chair
West-Dunbartonshire Ethnic Minority Association (WDEMA)