Break the barrier

Project  information 

The organization was established in response to the growing number of East African refugees settling in Birmingham after the year 2000. Many of these individuals, fleeing civil wars in their home countries, had never had the opportunity to receive an education or attend school. As a result, they faced significant challenges due to a lack of English language proficiency and IT skills. After witnessing the struggles of my East African community in adapting to normal life in the UK, I founded Universal Equality and Diversity. The goal of this organization is to break down these barriers and facilitate the integration of our community with others, helping them to build better lives.

The East African community is struggling with applying for Universal Credit, housing benefits,GP registration forms  and paying or applying  Council Tax discount, as well as preparing CVs, completing school admission forms, paying utility bills online, and searching for jobs."

what it does and how ?

 Universal Equality and Diversity (UEAD) provides support to clients with tasks such as Universal Credit claims, housing benefits, Council Tax queries, CV preparation, GP registration forms, job searches, school admissions, and utility bill payments. Additionally, we aim to overcome the language and IT barriers that many of our clients face, helping them better integrate and navigate daily life. 

 what research I have done, consultation with the Community?

Over the last five years, I have been actively involved as a member of Street Watch in areas where the East African community resides.

 I volunteered to walk around daily, engaging with thousands of community members. Through these conversations, I identified the key areas where our community needs the most support. The overwhelming consensus was a need for assistance with language barriers and IT skills, especially as more services and tasks have moved online. Many community members asked if anything could be done to help them in these areas, which highlighted the urgency of addressing these challenges

Languages East African Communities Speak Tigrinya, Amharic, Oromo, Arabic and Somali

 what funding you are seeking and for what purposes?

 We are seeking funding to cover rent for our office space, running costs for daily operations, the purchase of necessary equipment, Salary and assistance with paying bills. This support will enable us to provide critical services to the East African community.

BID TO AWARDS FOR ALL 

What would you like to do?

We would like to respond to growing demand from our local community in East Birmingham, offering information, advice and guidance service for vulnerable adults and in particularly refugees and people of East African heritage, who have moved to our local area and are desperately in need of support. Currently, we offer volunteer support to help. 

With the IAG sessions, we will employ Support worker 4 hours per week over the 2 year He/she this time will be more effective and reach more by offering group sessions (as many faces similar issues) dealing with universal credit claims, housing benefit, council tax, Fuel poverty, debt management, Food poverty, housing conditions, passport enquiries and visa’s, registering with GP. 

We will also employ someone to help with an employability programme, offering 4 hours per week. We are also keen to offer group and one to one session to help people look for employment, accessing the internet, making applications, preparing for and attending interviews. 

We have an established community facility. In recent months we have spoken to 500+ community. A lot have language issues – not understanding English, Languages used include East African Communities Speak Tigrinya, Amharic, Oromo, Arabic and Somali) and so often we also translate and interpret for them.  Many have spoken of the problems they have in understanding claims for benefits and in general dealing with utility companies, landlords, and getting appointments as well as managing the very limited income they are receiving. Many are struggling to heat their home as well as eat a well-balanced diet. 

We are also including some funding for 2 coach trips – enabling the community/ families  to come together and enjoy a day at the seaside or theme park – things that they would not otherwise afford to do. 

 How does your project meet our funding priorities?

We provide a community advice centre which has become a focal hub for the whole community enabling people to come along and receive some help from our skilled volunteer team. It is in the heart of the area where local people shop and use the cafes and resteraunts or are working in those industries. Our organisation is led by community members and has volunteer leaders with lived experience of local issues. We are consulting and involving the community and want people to get involved and help each other and tackle the growing problems for the community, but in a way which also help them to make new friends and contacts and build their personal skills and confidence going forward. 

How does your project involve your community?

Our committee members and volunteers are from the local community and have real and ‘lived’ experience of the issues therein. We consult the wider community regularly to get their thoughts and opinions and have established our local centre to offer help and support and we get daily visitors needing help. We are keen to expand in the future and offer a wider range of education, training, personal; health, and classes but must start with the basics and priorities the community need initial help with which includes maximising benefits and finding employment and building confidence and skills. We are intending to recruit and train more volunteers to help with delivery.  

Project costs

List the costs you would like us to fund

Two Community Support Worker 2 x 4 hours per week @£15   x 2 years.   Total £12,480

Premises – Maintenance, Cleaning Utilities, £25 a week   £2600

Recruitment Advert: £350

Marketing / Publicity/ Translation materials =£1000

Activity costs -   £2000 (2 trips)

Training for volunteers:   =£500

Volunteers Expenses 10 x 100 = £1000

Total: £ 19930

Tell us the total cost of your project

£  19930