The local challenges of migrant workers

The local challenges of migrant workers

Gill Green

Senior Research Manager

Coverage

• Why this is an issue now

• Why a local understanding matters

• Key challenges

Migration - the driver of population change

Change will continue

 _{Agricultural and food}

industry changes

 Ageing local populations

 _{Ageing workforce in key}

employment sectors

 _{Foreign students}

 Changes in available migrant workforce

The recent impact of accession states was

considerable...

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

N I N u m b er s is su ed ( 0 00

s) EU - Accession states EU - other

Europe outside EU Asia & Middle East Africa

Americas

Australasia & Oceania

New national

insurance numbers to foreign citizens

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

EU - Accession states EU - other

Europe outside EU Asia & Middle East Africa

Americas

Australasia & Oceania

... though migration from other parts of the world is still high and increasing

Key issue: challenge of unexpected change –

• in speed,

• scale and

• rapid geographic

spread of

migrant workers

NI Nos issued to foreign nationals as a % working age pop

National data for local planning remains poor

• Inherent difficulties • OPCS

Methodology • Settlement

knowledge...

Predictable

unpredictabilit

y

Local circumstances affect where migrant

workers live and work

Local understanding

Availability of

cheap (rented)

housing

What kind of local

low paid, hard to fill

Jobs?

Transport:

entry ports

Links from housing

to work

Arun

Frequency of workers living in Arun who are employed at this

postcode

Frequency of workers resident at this postcode

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved Audit Commission 10043998 (2007).

Where A8 nationals living in Arun DC

work

(based on 2005-6 WRS data)

Chichester DC

Worthing DC Horsham DC

Arun DC

....issues can be cross boundary, cross

service and cross provider

Gender, ethnicity and occupation splits vary –

impact will be affected; responses should be

tailored

England One district council in the East Midlands

Female Male

Change can be unsettling and brings local

tensions and challenges

• Concerns about competition and exploitation in local labour and housing markets

• Neighbourhoods with (increases in) poorly managed houses in multiple occupation and high turnover, creating issues for other residents

• Increase in communication difficulties

• Lack of expertise and experience for service staff • Some service pressures

• Social/behaviour issues; younger age group, often (more) single men, poor housing, limited money...

• Destitution for some

Community leadership means helping to manage the

consequences of change for the benefit of the whole

community

• Establishing who new residents are, and making links

• Ensuring employers, agencies and landlords comply

with standards

• Communication - helping new arrivals to integrate

• Minimising local tensions

• Meeting the diverse needs of new residents, if

necessary by modifying services

1. You

can

get a handle on local change

Pool intelligence – don’t chase perfect numbers Engage with migrant workers

and those closer to them – employers, agencies,

landlords, voluntary and faith groups...

See data and information section at

www.audit-commission.gov.uk/ migrantworkers/

2. Raise standards

• Joint action – with fire, police, GLA, unions, advice agencies...

• Key responsibility for housing/caravan standards

A mainly private sector housing issue

...35% were sharing a room with more than one person, 20% with 3 or more, 6% with 5 and more...half were sharing a bathroom with 4 or more other

2. Raise standards

• Joint action – with fire, police, GLA, unions, advice agencies...

• Key responsibility for housing/caravan standards

• LAs are employers and commissioners

....would you meet the good migrant worker employer checklists ?

3. Improve communication

• Includes communicating with own staff and with existing residents • Supporting newcomers to learn

basic English helps them to help themselves

English matters - for newcomers and existing

residents

JRF report on the experiences of Central and East European migrants, May 2007

‘English language proficiency was a

key factor in whether migrants

had received the information

they needed, the extent of their

social contact with British people

and how they felt treated by

them’

MORI what works in

building cohesion-spring 2007

‘The most

effective

initiatives

include ..providin

g English

language training’

London Catholic diocese survey, 2006

Levels of English proficiency

correlate with pay

3. Improve communication

• Includes communicating with own staff and with existing residents • Supporting newcomers to learn

basic English helps them to help themselves – but some translation/ interpretation will still be needed • Multi pronged and constant –

turnover means need repetitive ‘tourist’ communications as well as longer term engagement

4. Minimise local tensions

• Act on ‘small’ issues

• Educate/inform new and existing communities

• Promote positives

• Widen tension monitoring in CDRP; anticipate flashpoints & have

contingency plans

5. Think diversity - modify services

• Information

– For someone not familiar with the English system?

• Individual services

– Book stocks?

• Accessibility

– Opening hours/interpretation options? – Proof of residence needed to join?

• Strategy reviews?

– Housing strategy, especially for private rented? – Planning strategy – caravan sites/temporary

accommodation ?

National and regional developments

& sharing of good practice

• Increase in regional level coordination • CLG funded project that includes:

– mentoring programme

– toolkit of case studies and guidance

• DfES training/support planned for school EAL

• Developments following Commission for Integration and Cohesion

– Key role for local area agreements and local partnerships

– ‘The Audit Commission should ensure that locally determined integration and cohesion measures are clearly incorporated into the Comprehensive Area Assessment regime’

Further information and support

• Report – Crossing Borders –

www.audit-commission.gov.uk

• AC Web pages

–

www.audit-commission.gov

.uk/

migrantworkers/

• IDeA toolkits etc on cohesion and migration pages

• IDeA discussion forum on Communities of Practice