A Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) study published in October 2013 focuses on the experiences of people in Wales from five ethnic groups – Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Polish, Somali and white British/Welsh.
The research included those living in a large city, the north Wales coast, the south Wales valleys and the countryside.
Key findings include:
- There were marked differences in the levels and experiences of poverty amongst interviewees – not caused by ethnicity, but by where people lived and the interaction of their human capital, social capital, entitlements and attitudes, thinking and choices.
- It is important to look beyond outcomes, which may be associated with ethnicity (such as higher levels of poverty amongst some ethnic groups) to focus on underlying causes.
- Schemes to reduce poverty within particular ethnic groups need to form part of population-wide anti-poverty strategies.
- Policies to strengthen social and human capital and extend access to entitlements are vital – for example, investing in early years provision and in public spaces.
- Some targeted work would be of particular help for specific groups, especially English for Speakers of Other Languages provision and cultural awareness training for frontline staff in some services.
The research is part of JRF’s programme of work on poverty and ethnicity.
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