Meet the organisation championing diversity in Scotland's political landscape

One group which is engaged in this essential work is the Scottish Ethnic Minority Older People Forum, and just this month they have formally relaunched their work. Hosted and supported by Age Scotland, the forum has 20 members from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Established in 2018 by Rohini Sharma Joshi, it has been described as a catalyst for change, raising the collective voice of ethnic minority older people in Scotland.

“I was a manager in a housing association before I set up the forum,” Rohini says.

“I have always believed that any work we do has to change peoples’ lives for the better.”

Rohini Sharma Joshi

It was through the housing association that Rohini first began the work of engaging with older people from various communities – helping to offer practical support and making sure they had access to support tailored to their needs, for example, in different languages.

This remains a core part of the work carried over into the forum – but crucially, beyond focusing on needs alone, the forum also facilitates a space where older ethnic minority communities exercise a collective political voice. “Ethnic minority communities – particularly older people – are often framed in terms of needs, but never in terms of what we contribute”, Rohini says.

“The forum is a platform where we all contribute – we all have so much to offer.”

Together, members learn and share experiences and knowledge to advocate for themselves and each other, and influence change in Scotland today.

The group carries out new research, engages with government representatives and policymakers and offers support and training to members and others in ethnic minority communities.

Especially crucial, forum chair Mukami McCrum emphasises, is that members are not “put into boxes”, and are encouraged to contribute their expertise to discussions around policy across all areas – inclusive of, but not limited to race.

The sense of community and political agency the forum fosters has had a transformative impact on members, Mukami continues. “It’s one of the meetings I go to, and I don’t feel like I need to wear a body armour to survive in the meeting”, she says of her own experience.

Mukami McCrum

Mukami is no stranger to political participation – like Rohini, she too has been engaged in political activity throughout her life, working especially on issues of race, gender and LGBT justice across the years.

They both tell me it is especially important for the forum to foster a space where people who might initially be hesitant to participate politically are provided with a supportive environment.

“Members start to develop confidence over time and speak out more,” says Rohini. “They feel they are with their own community who understand – they don’t feel embarrassed or think ‘can I say this or not, will I get it wrong?’. It’s a comfort.

“The issues that older ethnic minority people face can at times be different to older white communities. You know the background, discussion, culture, family, diet, how they socialise – they feel that they don’t have to explain themselves.”

Mukami agrees. “The experience around the table is huge. But society often sends us the message that you are past it – that you are no longer useful other than in a very minimal way. When you bring people together who actually now feel valued because they have something to say, you see the spark – the brightness in their faces.”

It is within spaces of transformative connection like those fostered by the forum, that political change can begin.

“You hear the fears people have, and its not that they go away by speaking about them, but you don’t feel alone or like you are going mad,” Mukami says. “That recognition is really powerful. To be recognised and to recognise others.”