The Federation, with support from Ubuntu, the national network for Black and minority ethnic community development practitioners, and TWICS (Training for Work in Communities), was funded through Capacitybuilders as part of their Improving Reach programme.

The work included community development practice around developing people's skills and roles within community groups or networks, developing strategic relationships with community organisations and within partnerships or promoting ways of working collectively. Within this pilot project supporting groups to identify their own needs was the main starting point to our work.

Nationally FCDL led work taking place in Yorkshire and Humberside, the North West and the South West regions. TWICS led the project's work in the South East region. Research conducted by FCDL highlighted the need for action to meet the identified needs of BME groups, organisations and networks for appropriate, accessible, relevant community development learning and support opportunities. Work within this initiative included:

• Practical and appropriate training, which meets the needs in terms of what and how it is delivered.
• Programmes built around the needs identified by groups in terms of appropriateness.
• Training and support opportunities to isolated Black and minority ethnic (BME) and other excluded community workers.
• Developing a confident and skilled network of trainers reflecting BME and other excluded communities who are able to deliver to BME groups and networks.
• Opportunities to share skills and experiences of organising in order to access and or strengthen local, sub regional and regional networks for BME and other excluded groups.
• Explore practical ways to influence mainstream organisations to develop their ability and commitment to work in more inclusive ways with BME and excluded communities and community groups.
  

Improving Reach programme

FCDL is currently running free courses for unpaid activists and paid workers who are themselves from and/ or are involved with groups and networks led by Black minority ethnic and other marginalised and excluded community groups.

The courses are part of our final year contract of the Improving Reach Programme funded by capacitybuilders.

In the new year we will have case studies available on the work in of the final year.

Refugee Perspectives on Community Empowerment

Three interviews carried out with ethnic minority community activists in Manchester exploring the implications of community empowerment in their specific context. This was part of a National Empowerment Partnership project on behalf of FCDL. Download the document [PDF]

Reports [May 2008]

• Download the Summary Report "Addressing the community development learning needs of Black and minority ethnic and other excluded community groups" here... [Word doc]
• Download the full "Improving Reach project report" from the SW Foundation here... [Word doc] The South West was 1 of the 4 Improving Reach regions.
• The full final report will be available during Summer 2008.

Our new BME research report is launched: Training and learning needs of Black and minority ethnic workers employed in local infrastructure organisations (voluntary and community sectors)

Further information

New resource now available:How to set up a Refugee Community Organisation - find out more.

If you are a Black and minority ethnic or other excluded group based in the South Yorkshire, North West or South West regions of England and would like to talk to our Training Development Worker, Susi Miller, about this project, please email susi@fcdl.org.uk or contact FCDL.

If you are a BME group based in the South East Region and would like to know more about this initiative, please contact Ranthir at TWICS: 284 Burgess Road, Swaythling, Southampton SO16 3BE. Tel: 023 8067 1111 or email info@twics.org.uk. Read more about the work in South East in two leaflets produced by TWICS: download flyer 1 and flyer 2.

Events

Reports from the following events are also available to download:
Beautiful MInds BME and Mental Health conference, 28 February 2008, Wakefield
Gatekeepers, Hopes and Opportunities, Uncovering the Lessons for BME Community Development, 13 March 2008, Huddersfield