Young Black & Successful CIC

Short Term Political Aims Are Prioritised Above International Student

The government is putting short-term political aims above concerns over long-term migration with its plans to cut the number of international students coming to the UK, a think-tank said on Monday.

International students need to be taken out of the immigration numbers game, which is damaging the UK’s universities and colleges, its economy and its international standing, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said.

David Cameron has pledged to cut net migration - the number of people coming to the UK for more than 12 months, less the number leaving - from 250,000 to the tens of thousands by 2015.

But the IPPR think-tank warned the government against trying to achieve this by cutting the number of international students in the short term.

Planned government reductions in student migration would cost the UK between £2bn and £3bn a year in economic contributions from the loss of 50,000 students, but the impact on long-term net migration would be small, the IPPR said.

Only about 15% of international students stay in the UK permanently, the IPPR said.

Instead it called for the government to switch to a “more rational method of measuring student migration flows”, only counting students who stay on in the UK permanently.

The IPPR’s report said the net migration target was distorting the government’s policy choices.

“The current method of measuring student migration flows gives the government a perverse incentive to cut international student numbers in the short term, rather than focusing on what it states is its real aim: controlling long-term net migration,” it said.

“This report suggests that the decisive reason why the UK government is sticking with the current method of measuring student migration flows is not a genuine concern with long-term net migration but a desire to ‘game’ its own net migration target by banking large apparent reductions in 2013 and 2014 which reflect the limitations of the current method of measurement rather than real changes in long-term net migration trends.”

In March, a students’ union launched a campaign on behalf of international students in protest against the government’s immigration policies, which the body claimed were “absolute rubbish”.

Sarah Mulley, the think-tank’s associate director, added: “The government need to take international students out of the immigration ‘numbers game’, which is damaging our universities and colleges, our economy and our international standing.

“This would enable ministers to move back to a policy that supports rather than penalises one of the UK’s most important industries and sources of both future growth and global influence, without in any way hampering its stated objectives of controlling long-term net migration and continuing to target abuse of the student visa system.”

But if the government continues to pursue a reduction in international students as an objective in its own right, “it must admit that it is placing short-term political considerations above a genuine concern with long-term net migration”, she added.

The think-tank also dismissed claims that the government was simply adhering to international standards, saying: “There is nothing to stop the UK taking a different approach.”

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Female unemployment

Unemployment has fallen and that is certainly good news for those who have been hunting for jobs.

But the jobless total is still high and it is hard to tell where it will be in the second half of this year.

Beneath the headlines are many puzzling aspects of the jobs market, one of which is that female unemployment has been rising a lot faster than the male total.

So why does it seem that the hunt for jobs is harder for women than men?

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NUS Officer Elections 2012: How Will Candidates Represent The Diverse Student Population?

For the first time ever, candidates running for the National Union of Students positions have been asked how they intend to represent an increasingly diverse student population.

The decision to pose four questions to the potential officers, who will be voted in at the National Conference of the NUS, was made after concerns were raised over the lack of representation for those not fitting the “traditional” student mould.

Traditionally officers have been, unintentionally or not, biased towards only representing the needs of a certain type of students: undergraduates aged 18 to 25.

But, as institutions are rapidly becoming more diverse, three NUS campaigns have emerged: international students, postgraduate students and mature and part-time students.

The Huffington Post UK have partnered up with the NUS to exclusively host some of the candidates’ responses to the four questions which asked:

·         What experience have you had in the past with these groups of students?

·         How do you intend to involve the sections in the mainstream of NUS’ political agenda?

·         How would you ensure the work of your zone takes non-traditional learners into account?

·         What will you do to more specifically target and improve the lives of these students and include it into your work next year?

Daniel Stevens, a national executive council member for the NUS, pushed for the questions to be introduced after 90 officers signed a petition asking why only two of 25 candidates mentioned international students.

“It’s great to see it finally in place,” Stevens said. “It is one of the biggest issues within the student movement and we have had a good response so far.”

Here are just some of the candidates and how they pledge to improve the representation of diverse and “non-traditional” students:

Vicki Baars, currently NUS LGBT officer, is standing for NUS vice president union development.

Rachel Wenstone, running to be on the NUS national executive council and a postgraduate student.

Peter Mercer, hoping to be elected NUS vice-president (welfare)

Thomas Alexander Hollick, running for vice president of union development.

A full list of the candidates can be viewed on the NUS election site.

The conference, which runs from 24 to 26 April, will see around 800 delegates, representing their student unions, vote in next year’s officers - who will be responsible for setting the union’s policy.

Source

On April 20th, the first ever Scotland ACS Debate Competition was held at Aberdeen University

Quotes

ELEVATION NETWORKS LAUNCHES FIRST RESEARCH REPORT

A major report launched today in Parliament by youth employment charity, Elevation Networks, and published by centre-right think tank, the Bow Group, finds that Black undergraduates believe there is deep rooted institutional racism in both Politics and major professions. This perception has contributed to lower employment outcomes among recent Black graduates than their White counterparts.

With a foreword by Simon Hughes MP, Race to the Top: the Experiences of Black Students in Higher Education,the first in a series of reports, produced by Elevation Networks, looks at the experiences of particular groups from non-traditional backgrounds within Higher Education and the challenges faced by those groups in gaining employment. This first report focuses on the experiences of Black students from African & Caribbean backgrounds and is the result of a nationwide consultation, conducted over a 2 year period and engaging over 2500 students. The report was funded by professional services firm Deloitte LLP.

Black graduates are three times more likely to be unemployed than White graduates within 6 months of graduation and, should they find employment, they can expect to earn up to 9% less for the same work as a White graduate over five years.

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Unemployment fall “raises hope”

For the first time in almost a year, unemployment in the UK falls by 0.1%. ONS [Office for National Statistics] claims unemployment fell off by 35,000 for the first time in the last three months of 2012 since May 2011, where the rate was 8.3%.

Although the number of people claiming benefits continue to rise, IHS Global Insight’s Howard Archer declares: “the latest jobs data are relatively encouraging” stating that the “modest growth” may be of hope to the economy.

Official statistics are to be released on Wednesday where it will be revealed whether or not the economy has in fact expanded.

ONS also provides a 9,000 decline in youth unemployment which leaves a total of 1.03 million 16-24-year-olds still jobless.

On the other hand, the number of young people aged 18-24 unemployed for some time rose up from 49,500 to 54,700 last month, highlighting the grip on living standards in numerous households, as the standard pay across the economy only rose by 1.1%.

The Government Is A Racist Employer, Say Half Of Black Students

Around half of black students in the UK feel the government is a racist employer, according to a think tank report published on Thursday.

Many black undergraduates feel there is deep rooted institutional racism in both government jobs and major professions such as legal services and financial jobs.

Black graduates are three times more likely to be unemployed than their white peers within six months of graduating, according to the Bow Group, who published the report. Should they find employment, they can expect to earn up to 9% less for the same work as a white graduate over a five year span.

More than a third (38%) of black students believe they would face considerable discrimination from the legal profession, while 32% feel the same about the media, while 31% feel the same way about financial service industries..

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The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World around Them

Based on actual events, Freedom Writers [the film, 2007] is an astounding true story “of strength, courage, and achievement in the face of adversity.” The book, The Freedom Writers Diary was penned by American teacher Erin Gruwell who, alongside her students, depicted both her years in Room 203 as an English teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, Long Beach, California from 1994-1996, as well as their individual struggle with race inequality [which appeared to have been largely influenced by the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest/Riots] and what Erin Gruwell described to be “the harsh realities of the lives of my students.”

Gruwell whose students had come from violent neighbourhoods/homes and were a blend of African-American, Caucasian, Latino and the like, were hailed by those in the authority as “unteachable” teenagers with no hope for a brighter future let alone high school diplomas. They also made it clear how much they hated each other for the simple fact that one had to defend his/her own irrespective of right and wrong. Further research of the story provided great similarities with the August, 2011 Riots.

It seemed everyone had someone to blame for the decisions they as individuals made and the way in which they portrayed their anger. Just like Erin Gruwell’s students [in the beginning of the film], those who were involved in the August unrest pointed a finger at those running the country; the obvious lack of care for young people, deficiency in jobs, attention, the reasons are endless. Whilst it is agreeable that youth in the UK are in fact dealing with ghastly matters, nobody really wants to take responsibility for the fact that the riot itself was a selfish act carried out by teenagers who seemed to have had no concerns for those placed in jeopardy so long as they revenged.

The difference between the Freedom Writers and those in our current societies is that Gruwell’s students came to a solemn decision [individually] to be the change they wanted to see in the world. They came to an understanding that it was not to be handed on a silver platter; they had to make it happen. As a generation we have become incredibly lazy; we admittedly require everything to be quick, handed over, and we do not always want to scrape beneath the surface for what we claim to be ours. If there is anything the film reinforced is the reality that violence has never solved anything. The August Riots only led youths to prison, placed the UK in further debts and jobs are still scarce.

Change, as much as it is a world issue, it is more importantly a personal decision. “Voices can be heard, change is possible, and words have the power to affect people throughout the world.”

The Tayo Situ Foundation: Recognising exceptional young people!

The Tayo Situ Foundation (TSF), established in memory of the late Mayor of Southwark, is inviting nominations of exceptional young people for its inaugural awards scheme. The scheme seeks to recognise achievements by young men and women (aged 16 to 25) in a variety of fields including (but not confined to) academic, sporting, and active citizenship or volunteering.

In keeping with the vision of the late Tayo Situ, we are most keen to foster leadership skills in whatever capacity they are currently exercised by the young, and we are hoping that you will help us in this endeavour by proposing a young person from your organisation whom you feel are deserving of public recognition at this level. Please either email michaelsitu@hotmail.com or send a letter (to 12 Lyndhurst Way, SE15 5AT) setting out, in not more than 250 words, why you have nominated the individual(s) for the award.

All nominations will be carefully considered by the Foundation and the winners will be announced at a Gala Awards Ceremony on Friday 11 May 2012 in Southwark Council’s Tooley Street headquarters.

The closing date for your submissions is Friday 20 April 2012.

For further information about the Tayo Situ Foundation please visit our website: www.tayositufoundation.com, where you will also find details of our Patrons, Councillor Peter John (Leader of Southwark Council), The Right Rev Christopher Chessun (Bishop of Southwark), The Right Hon Harriet Harman MP, and Prem Goyal (Entrepreneur and Community Champion). See attached leaflet for forthcoming activities of the Foundation.