The UKNFS at pan-Dorset level has been working strongly to support our local Nepali and Nepali-Gurkha communities in regard to general and specific challenges the Covid 19 pandemic has provided that have accentuated underlying substantial support needs.

In addition to race-related ASB (that happily has been less of an issue than in some other parts of England with larger Nepali and Nepali-Gurkha communities), and health support information regarding Covid 19 impacts, the pandemic has highlighted substantive deeper support needs on having a credible, detailed profile of the community, its unique characteristics, and particular challenges regarding integration, rights and responsibilities.

Without this effective direct community engagement can only have minimal impact, and especially in regard to planning and effectively delivering supportive services by local authorities and public service organisations. With all of the latter having such community profile information as the UKNFS has developed in the links below, coordinated support is made much easier, as often there are significant overlaps between such organisations on the services they provide and their personnel don’t have to go through a disconnected from each other learning curve.

Link: http://nepaliculturalheritage.com/integration-and-related/

Link: http://nepaliculturalheritage.com/the-uk-nepali-diaspora-peoples-society-culture-communication/

Link: http://nepaliculturalheritage.com/uk-nepali-sub-populations-and-minorities-of-significance/

You can read formal best wishes and supportive dedications concerning the need for and unique value of the information resource (these include from the Prime Minister of Nepal, and the President of The Royal British Legion [national level TRBL: official Patron HM Queen Elizabeth]: http://nepaliculturalheritage.com/supportive-good-wishes-dedications/

Pan-Dorset organisations that have received the community profile links above to support their engagement and support activities and, in some cases, obligations where the pan-Dorset Nepali community is concerned:

Dorset Council

BCP Council

Dorset Police

Dorset Community Action (DCA)

Community Action Network (CAN)

Dorset County Hospital (DCH)

United Hospitals Dorset (UHD)

Dorset Healthcare (DHC)

Dorset CCG

Dorset Race Equality Council

In all of the above the UKNFS because of the content and multi agency distribution it will also mean that in regard to the Census data on the pan-Dorset Nepali community, it will be much easier to note issues where services planning is concerned.

Knowing about processes and rights and responsibilities is always a major challenge for effective integration where largely first generation communities are concerned, which is why in the past two months in particular the UKNFS has been especially active inside and out of the local community on supporting maximum understanding about and data provision where the Census is concerned.

In terms of reporting discrimination, hate crime, exploitation which first generation communities are all particularly vulnerable too, we have also been very active on support for the ‘Junkiri’ (Nepali word for ‘glow worm’) Nepali language classes support (crucial for preserving culture, and for integration support). Receiving the news from Mr Tamang (Blandford Town Nepali community lead) that the UKNFS support hard work had been successful — praising the UKNFS for all of our effort which is greatly appreciated by the community — and that the British Army are now fully funding these important classes, which take place on the Blandford Camp and are also open to non-Nepalis!

It is very exciting to share that in regard to the core community profile links above, that Dorset and BCP are the first areas in the country for local authorities and public service organisations to receive. These will be across April also disseminated in a number of other locations where there are major Nepali communities (Kent, Nth Hants, Wiltshire, London, etc.) to local authorities, public service organisations, community and voluntary sector CVS organisations, and Citizens Advice, as well as national government agencies and NHS organisations. In this way it will be valuable to see how the resources are used across these different locations, especially in conjunction with the fresh data that the Census will be providing from around the end of the year.

The UKNFS, with the Nepali community is excited about the benefits these factors will bring on integration, transcultural learning (other sections of the resources are being provided to museums and heritage centres to assist the latter), swifter counteraction of race or culture related ASB and occasionally (this is particularly a not unknown but unpleasant experience where some members of first generation communities, with minimal English language skills are concerned), exploitation in some workplace and other settings. Community profile information of the thematic, structured kind provided therefore has multiple benefits.

And in concluding we are delighted to share that we have been receiving very clear and enthusiastic feedback on these information resources value and benefit from relevant senior level officers in one of our Armed Forces, that echo the outstanding and deeply appreciated words concerning the resource, kindly provided by the President of The Royal British Legion, Lt General Bashall CB CBE that is included in the relevant link above.