The Black and Minoritised Communities Enterprise Development Programme

BMCEDP will contribute to one of the key delivery objectives within The Ubele Initiative’s new three-year strategic plan. As part of this plan, we will establish the first ever National Strategic Alliance, the aim of which is to support Community Wealth Building within Black and Minoritised communities. The BMEDP will be led by Ubele and hosted within the National Strategic Alliance. The Strategic Alliance is still at an early stage of development. However, once established and fully operational it will consist of up to 12 Black and Minoritised regional infrastructure alongside key local anchor organisations across England, with the South West, London and Yorkshire and Humber already confirmed.

We have an exciting mix of people and projects from Bristol, Plymouth, Torbay, Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Manchester and London. The Black and Minoritised communities represented are building businesses in areas such as community cafes, health services, youth enterprise, facilities hire, education and consultancy.

We are looking forward to hosting these organisations, facilitating their growth and development as traders and share their inspiring work with you.

Docklands Community Centre, Bristol

Docklands Community Centre, one of the 12 BMCEDP participants, is a charitable company and aspiring community anchor organisation based in St Pauls, Bristol. It supports the needs of the local families, residents and community members and the wider black and minority ethnic communities across the city.

“We believe in the power of community. Through supporting our young people, residents and other community organisations in Bristol, we believe we can create a fairer and more equal city that provides opportunities for all its people.” 

The Docklands building has a long history in the area originally built in 1927. It is more popularly known as the city’s first black community centre with deep roots in the Afro Caribbean culture through the 70s. 80s and 90s. It was the founding home of the St Pauls Carnival and one of the main venues of the city’s legendary sound system culture.

In 2015, two local youth organsations stepped up to take on the building from the local council in a Community Asset Transfer. This was Full Circle and Aspiration Creation Elevation CIC. Since then, the organisations have been developing its facilities and services to respond to the area’s wider needs.

Learn more about Docklands Community Centre

Adhar

The Adhar Project is made up of a growing team of caring people who are all dedicated to ensuring the betterment of people’s mental health in Leicester.

“We come from different backgrounds, communities, and faiths, and work collectively to come up with new ways to improve and increase awareness of mental health issues, and the support that is available to those who suffer from them. As a team, we help people to understand their individual problems and offer support where needed.” 

The Adhar Project empowers people between 18 and 65 to manage their own mental health difficulties by addressing all factors related to the issue and delivering services in a culturally relevant and personalised way. Their vision for the future is to build a society where all those who are experiencing mental health difficulties live happy, healthy, and fulfilled lives.

Adhar offers a variety of services such as therapeutic support using arts, social and cultural activities delivered as individual support and group sessions. They provide advice, information and signposting to additional services according to a person’s need. A large part of Adhar’s work is to increase awareness around mental health issues and so we run educational campaigns to challenge stigma and encourage people to seek early intervention.

Learn more about Adhar

Cherry Groce Foundation

Cherry Groce Foundation was founded by Lee Lawrence in 2016 and is a Brixton based charity with community at its core.

Cherry Groce was a 37-year-old innocent mother when she was wrongfully shot by the Metropolitan Police leaving her paralysed from the waist down, sparking the 1985 Brixton Uprisings.

Cherry Groce Foundation create a number of grass-root initiatives to raise awareness; design education and training programmes; and offer trauma support services especially for disadvantaged and underrepresented BME people who have fallen victim to bad policing.

The Foundation shares the knowledge and is a living example of what restorative justice means, what it looks like and who it benefits, bridging the gap between an ‘us and them’ scenario. The team made a significant contribution to the Lambeth TCT induction training of new police recruits, going into our local community, working alongside high-ranking inspectors, community officers, councillors and youth advisors.

“Difficult and uncomfortable conversations needed to be had if we are to amplify the voices of the powerless. History informs the present and the education in that statement is the opportunity for those in authority to identify and learn from their mistakes while taking ownership and accountability of past and present wrongdoings, highlighting the sensitivity and deep-rooted distrust of the police. We instead offer ways to inspire and encourage better relations.” 

Find out more about Cherry Groce Foundation 

Somali Development Services CIC

Somali Development Services CIC was set up to support Leicester’s growing Somali community and other new arrivals to participate in the city’s economic, social and community life.

“Our vision is that they are respected and healthy and that they have choices and equal opportunities. We do this by safeguarding their well-being and human rights through education, advocacy, advice, guidance, empowerment and support. Our most frequent users are of Somali, Slavic, Asian and Arabian heritage as well as refugees and asylum seekers.” 

Somali Development Services CIC provides a range of services to support their community. This includes advice, information and guidance; employment and training; workshops on social and cultural issues; adult learning services; family support; interpreting and translation. It also runs an in-house nursery called Rahma Childcare.

“As an organisation, we strive to make an impact on behalf of those we serve by recording the outcome of every intervention and how our support helped our service users by using Data Collection. Our vision for the future is to become a Digital Centre and to set up Alternative Education provision for ethnic minority children struggling with their education. Our aim is to continue to expand by supplying our childcare, interpretation and Alternative Education services to those who need our help.” 

Find out more about Somali Development Services CIC