Bristol Users Support Workshop – October 2005
In October, the Council hosted the latest in a series of Users Support Workshops, the aim of which was to canvass the views of the organisations which provide advice and information to tribunal users about how support to users could be improved. Attended by a wide-ranging group of delegates from the advice and voluntary sectors, the workshop was interesting and thought provoking, with a range of views and suggestions emerging for the Council to consider.
The workshop involved breakout group sessions at which the delegates were invited to consider issues arising from the DCA's White Paper "Transforming Public Services: Complaints, Redress and Tribunals", focusing in particular on how user support and dispute resolution arrangements could be improved.
Adjust asked one of the Bristol delegates, Judeline Ross, Racial Equality Officer from the Bristol Racial Equality Council, for her views on the workshop.
Judeline, who has worked for Bristol REC for the last 19 years, said she found the workshop useful and was pleased to see the Council targeting a more regional audience. Although Judeline is not directly involved in providing representation at tribunals, she is well aware of the key issues of concern. Bristol Racial Equality Council works with individuals and agencies towards the elimination of racial discrimination and she found many of the issues raised by delegates very relevant to her own role.
Judeline valued the opportunity to take part in the workshop and provide feedback to the Council on the issues under debate. She is particularly concerned with the issues of improving first tier decision making and encouraging best practice in handling disputes. And given the focus of her work within REC, she particularly looks forward to seeing the outcome of Professor Hazel Genn's recent research on ethnicity in tribunals.
The Council is currently considering the findings from all its workshops in London, Manchester, Livingston and Bristol and will report in due course on its overall findings and conclusions.
The Council is grateful to all the delegates and speakers who participated in the workshops.