Scottish Government

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE: LESSONS IN MAINSTREAMING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

APPENDIX 1

Learning from experience: Lessons in Mainstreaming Equal Opportunities

Basic question schedule.

• What definition of mainstreaming was used?
• What were the aims of introducing a mainstreaming strategy?
• How was mainstreaming put into operation?

  Could you please give details about:

• • which department or section was involved?
  • which particular policy areas was mainstreaming applied?
  • why were these areas chosen?
  • the type and duration of project (for instance are they ongoing/open-ended or time limited, if so how long?)
  • How was the mainstreaming strategy co-ordinated? Who held responsibility?
  • who was involved on a day to day level with mainstreaming?
  • would these people have been involved in equal opportunities policy previously?
  • were experts brought in from outside the department? If so, where did they come from?
• Did mainstreaming change the way people thought about their work?
• Did mainstreaming change the policy-making process? If so, in what ways? (for example has mainstreaming involved cross-departmental working, tackling cross-cutting issues, consultation with external organisations etc?)
• What are the key differences between the mainstreaming strategy and previous equalities strategies?
• What are the main strengths of the mainstreaming approach?
• What problems have been encountered? (for example, has it been made possible for those who previously had not worked with or had experience of equality issues to define relevant questions (problems and to know who to consult?)
• What needs were experienced in terms of training? How were these met?
• How has mainstreaming been monitored and evaluated. Did this depend on the specific project?
• Where has support for implementing a mainstreaming strategy come from? (e.g. ministers, officials, elected officials etc.)
• Does the Parliament have an Equal Opportunities Committee or other equivalent?
• What role does the Parliament / Parliamentary Committee play in Mainstreaming?
• What resistance, if any, was encountered?

Have you any other comments?