The Edinburgh Minority and Ethnic Drugs Initiative (EMEDI) unveiled their findings and recommendations at a one-day conference at Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh. The event was chaired by Nina Giles of Edinburgh and Lothian Race and Equality Council, and the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, councillor Lesley Hinds, was in attendance.
EMEDI was set up during 2005 to investigate the reasons why proportionately fewer drug users (and those affected by their drug use) from within the black and ethnic minority communities seek access to counselling or other assistance services. Previous research had identified a drug and alcohol problem within ethnic minority groups, but found that take-up of GP services was significantly less than average. EMEDI is a one-year initiative funded by the Scottish Executive’s Drug Challenge Fund, Crossreach (the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council) and the Robertson Trust.
The initiative identified eight key findings, concluding that the stigma associated with drug or alcohol abuse created a more significant barrier to seeking help in black and ethnic minority communities. They found that the lack of addiction services for those with a gambling problem was an issue, as was the fear that service providers would not show appropriate understanding to cultural or race issues. EMEDI has flagged up ten key recommendations for action. These include seeking to build a more diverse workforce in addictions services organisations through employing bilingual staff, improving diversity education within drugs organisations and providing more information on drugs issues through ethnic minority projects.
Commenting on the launch of EMEDI’s conclusions, Mr Glenn Liddall, manager of Crossreach’s Simpson House Counselling Service, said: “The work done by the EMEDI will prove to be invaluable in informing the provision of drug and alcohol support services in Edinburgh. Clearly, there are problems that are going unaddressed in a number of the capital’s communities, and the implementation of these recommendations will be a step toward righting that particular wrong. However, Edinburgh Minority and Ethnic Drugs Initiative was only ever meant to be the beginning of this process, not an end in itself. It is of critical importance that the work done during the past year is used to inform further research – not only in Edinburgh, but in the rest of Scotland.
Extracted from the Church of Scotland website