ABSTRACT
The term ethnic minorities, euphemistically used by government and some other agencies to describe black people, was still very much in vogue despite being detested by many. This was the compromise agreed on to ensure that all Asian as well as Afro-Caribbean groups would be entitled to and want to seek affiliation. The black self-help programmes and the Consortium’s overviewing thrusts are providing individuals with the confidence, skills and expertise to develop an awareness of ‘the system’ in order to get access to it and to manipulate it accordingly. The Inner City Consultative Group is all-embracing in its work within the voluntary sector and has on several occasions been engaged in joint action involving the Consortium of Ethnic Minority Groups. In fact, the Consultative Group which operates in close liaison with both the LUG and the CRC would probably have developed even closer links with the Consortium had it had the credentials of a black self-help group.
