ANNUAL REPORT 2012-2013
CONTENTS
Welcome from Chairman & Chief Executive
3
About Community Foundation
4
Our Staff and Volunteers
5
Our Key activities and Services
6
Youth and Community Development
7
Education & Training
9
Community Reassurance
10
Community Services
12
Staff & Trustee
14
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WELCOME FROM CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE It is with great pleasure that we introduce Community Foundation’s Annual Report for 2012/13, which sets out for our partners, well wishers and the general public what we have achieved in the past twelve months, and our plans for the future. It has been a very busy year for us. Much progress has been made in establishing our work in the community. The economic environment continues to be difficult, so it is particularly encouraging that our income and project expenditure have held up quite well for a relatively new organisation. The organisation’s key achievements are highlighted on pages 8 to13, covering our core areas of work on youth and community development, training and development, community reassurance and community services. We would like to highlight here three particular areas of work that we have developed that demonstrate the range and quality of what we do:
Our volunteer and apprenticeship work programme has been highly successful. Since starting the programme with just the one admin apprentice in Feb 2012, we have made a significant contribution to helping young people get real work experience. Those on the apprenticeship programme also got a salary and training with a recognised qualification. To date we have supported 13 young people with apprenticeship roles at Community Foundation and gave 8 volunteers specific and meaningful roles to help us out with. Our community estate action campaigns to get local people to take pride in their neighbourhood by identifying areas that are not well maintained and then getting involved in cleaning and making the area look tidier has been well received from all section of the community across Birmingham. We have run 7 successful campaigns involving groups of adults as well as young people, supported by Birmingham City Council, Midland Hearts Housing Association and West Midlands Police. Our training and development programmes have made valuable changes to the lives of the participants, who without our support may not have gained the confidence and motivation to take steps to develop themselves and acquire skills to go onto to do other things later. Around 60 people between the ages of 18 - 40 years old were registered onto our training programmes.
More details of these and other projects can be found in subsequent pages. We have come a long way and we now move forward with increased confidence and an unshakeable commitment to our partners and the people we work with. None of our achievements would have been possible without our loyal and generous donors, funders and partners. Finally, we would like to thank our staff, trainees, our excellent volunteers and the trustees for their continuing hard work and dedication.
Abdullah Ismail
Nozmul Hussain
Chairman
Chief Executive
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ABOUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OurMission Mission Our Ourmission missionisistotoimprove improvethe thequality qualityofoflife lifeofofmarginalised marginalisedand andhard hardtotoreach reachcommunities communitiesliving in Our livingofinmultiple areas ofdeprivation multiple deprivation up initiatives and supporting areas by settingby upsetting initiatives and supporting projects toprojects developto develop communities to help themselves. communities to help themselves. Theconcept conceptofofhelping helpingothers otherstotohelp helpthemselves themselvesisisfar farfrom fromnew. new.ItItwas wasexemplified exemplifiedininancient The ancient times in theproverb: Chinese “Give proverb: “Give a man fish and will eat for a day. himfish and times in the Chinese a man a fish andahe will eathefor a day. Teach himTeach how to how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” Ancient it may be, but it is as true today as ever. he will eat for a lifetime.” Ancient it may be, but it is as true today as ever. Paramounttotoour ourapproach approachisistotoaddress addressthe thebarriers barrierstotogood goodquality qualityofoflifelife-unemployment, worklessness, social Paramount social exclusion, ill and health, and educational underachievement. exclusion, ill health, educational underachievement.
Our Work Work Streams Streams Our encourage civic participation of marginalised and hard to reach communities & provide encourage civic participation of marginalised and hard to reach communities & provide education and training to build capacity of individuals and organisations to improve education and training to build capacity of individuals and organisations to improve themselves, their organisation and their community. themselves, their organisation and their community. develop projects and services to address underlining issues of social exclusion, develop projects and services to address underlining issues of social exclusion, homelessness, homelessness, health inequality, unemployment and under achievement. health inequality, unemployment and under achievement. develop targeted provisions to improve community safety, prevent anti social behaviour, develop targeted provisions to improve community safety, prevent anti social behaviour, domestic violence, drug/alcohol abuse and improve community cohesion and tolerance domestic violence, drug/alcohol abuse and improve community cohesion and tolerance within within marginalised and hard to reach communities. marginalised and hard to reach communities. Provide a range of social, education and recreational services for hard to reach Provide a range of social, education and recreational services for hard to reach communities. communities.
Our Values Our Values Community Foundation management, staff and volunteers are united by a common set of Community Foundation management, staff and volunteers are united by a common set of values. values. Community CommunityOutreach: Outreach:We Weengage engagewith withour ourcommunities. communities.We Wedo donot notwork workininisolation. isolation.We practice our problem-solving abilities, shareshare our knowledge, and give ouroftime and resources We practice our problem-solving abilities, our knowledge, and of give our time and toresources make concrete positive contributions to our communities. to make concrete positive contributions to our communities. Empowerment: Empowerment:We Wechoose choosetotoempower. empower.Instead Insteadofofsimply simplyproviding providingresources, resources,our ourwork workfocuses on developing in individuals the capacity confidence they needthey to change own situations focuses on developing in individuals the and capacity and confidence need totheir change and assist communities. their owntheir situations and assist their communities. Cooperation & Partnership: Cooperation & Partnership:We Wevalue valuethe theopportunity opportunitytotowork worktogether togetheron oncommon commongoals goalsand toward a common purpose. We recognise and value the strengths and expertise of others and toward a common purpose. We recognise and value the strengths and expertise of and seek to work withtothem improve all in ourfor community. others and seek worktowith themoutcomes to improveforoutcomes all in our community. Achievement: We value and recognise when people accomplish Achievement: We value and recognise when people accomplishsomething somethingthey theyhave haveset setout to do through their skills, practice, perseverance or exertion. We value completing what we out to do through their skills, practice, perseverance or exertion. We value completing set out towhat do, adding value making a tangible difference to our community we set out to to do,and adding value to and making a tangible difference toand ourwork. community Creativity: We value dreaming of what’s possible! We value and look for innovative and different and work. to do our effectively. Wepossible! value imagination, experimentation, and fun ways Creativity: Wework valuemore dreaming of what’s We value and look for innovative andin serving our community. different ways to do our work more effectively. We value imagination, experimentation,
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OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS We continue to value and develop our staff and volunteers so that they can deliver ever better services to the community. Volunteers are genuinely part of communities and are therefore very well placed to understand and engage with local people. We held a series of focus groups with our volunteers so that we can better understand their needs, aspirations and concerns. Our volunteers, and those who are potential future volunteers, are the cornerstone of our work and we need to make sure that we have the right recruitment and development processes to help them in their work. As part of this process we have introduced a new volunteer agreement that outlines the expectations we have of our volunteers and what they can expect from us. We have also invested in all our staff with monthly development training to enhance their expertise, skills and knowledge to better understand and the engage the community in address key community concerns. All our staff are on various NVQ programmes provided by local training providers. Both of these learning opportunities support and enable our staff to play a more effective role in carrying out their duties. Our trainees are central to the work we do and continue to outnumber our regular staff. We fundamentally believe that trainees bring unique value through their energy and freshness to the workplace.
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OUR ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES DURING 2012-13
• Apprenticeship Programme • Youth Development Programme • Community Social Enterprise Scheme • Youth Connection • Youth Mentoring • Young Women Empowerment Programme • Young Person Achievement Awards • Youth Residential
• Community Question Time • Clean Estate Action Campaign • Community Walkabouts • Kidz Clean Streets Campaign • Tackling Extremism & Islamophobia • Know Your Neighbour
• Community Services Directory • Community Needs Survey • Organisational Development, Training & Consultancy • Community Engagement & Consultation
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YOUTH & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Youth Connection Youth Connection (YC) was launched on the 23 February 2013, with the aim of creating a platform for young people to come together to develop, discuss and come up with ideas to better respond to their collective concerns and issues. YC is open to all young people between the age of 16-25 years old, living, studying and or working in the West Midlands. Youth Connection offers young people a platform to get involved, have fun- go places, try out something new and meet people of power, locally nationally and internationally, learn new skills and gain valuable knowledge and expertise and make a difference in their life and the lives of others. Youth Mentoring Programme We have successfully launched a Youth Mentoring Scheme with West Midlands Police providing a number of police officers as mentors to support and encourage a young person to make the right choices to manage their own future direction. We provided the mentors with a half day mentoring induction training programme. The scheme will help young people to maximise their potential, develop their confidence, improve themselves and become the person they want to be. Mentees can be between the ages of 13-21 years old and be studying, working, training or unemployed. We are now recruiting mentors from other professional background.
Student Achievement Award Community Foundation hosted a Student Achievement Award ceremony to recognise and award students who have achieved a number of ‘A’ star grades in their GCSE and ‘A’ level examinations. The event was held on 11th October 2012 at the Royal Suite Banqueting Palace in Perry Barr. Farooq Murad the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain was the chief guest speaker at the event. Black and minority ethnic Students across the West Midlands achieved excellent GCSE and A level results. In the West Midlands alone, pupils passed 69.4 per cent of GCSEs at grades A* to C; and for A levels in total, 26.6 per cent of students achieved A or A* grade. Next year, we plan to expand the achievement award to recognise all type of achievements by young people, including academic excellence, career progression, and community contribution.
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YOUTH & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Youth Camp In August 2012, we took a group of 25 young people from Birmingham inner cities Estates to Great Hucklow, Derbyshire for a week to enjoy the British countryside and work on identifying and exploring ways to address issues of importance to them as young people. The opportunity was very unique for all the children, who had previously never visited the countryside. During the day, young people took part in challenging activities such as abseiling, rock climbing, archery, shooting, skiing. Cross country walks during the day and night walks added to the adventure. Various workshops were held every evening which all the young people eagerly participated in the discussion and presentations.
Skate in the Park We secured some funds from West Midlands Police to run skateboarding session in Georges Park, which had a purpose built skating area, but was not being used by local young people. Majority of the youths in the area did not know how to skate nor own a skateboard, and often just congregated in the park with little to do. Community Foundation used skating as a route into involving and engaging young people in the area to get more active and participate in other beneficial activities.
Women’s Enterprise Programme Community Foundation supported one very talented local women to explore setting up her own social enterprise using the skills she had acquired over the years. Following discussion with our regular users, we worked with her to plan and organise a 10 weeks sewing class, which was so successful that a waiting list had to be created to register interest from other women.
Young Women Empowerment Project We supported a group of young women make an application to the Prince’s Trust, to setup a programme for Asian young women between the ages of 16-25 years living in Lozells. We worked with the group of young women to develop the project, which was aimed at benefitting them with a range of professional and personal development, including acquiring skills around assertiveness training, motivation, networking, speaking with confidence and critical thinking. 8|Page
EDUCATION & TRAINING Stepping Stones into Work Following our successful Building Bridges Project, we secured additional funds from ESF to run another training initiative to help people find work. Participants benefited from: Personalised information advice and guidance to help them make the right choices Engaging in the Job Shop Club, designed to help them find work The opportunity to improve their existing skills - Participants gained transferable skills to take into future employment. Explored opportunities for volunteer and work experience placements. Building Bridges We were successful in our application for ESF funding to run a personal and career development support training programme for men and women over the age of 19 years old. Over 25 people benefitted from the programme, which offered advice, info and guidance, confidence building, presentation skills, interview skills, CV writing careers advice and help with job applications. Apprenticeship Programme Apprenticeships in Youth and Community Work and Business Administration were offered to 13 people who were employed with us and worked alongside experienced staff to gain job specific skills. They also undertook NVQ level 3 qualification related to their job role. All participants moved on to other jobs or took up further training after undertaking their apprenticeship with us. From next year we are planning to also offer apprenticeships in Health & Social Care as well as IT. Youth Development Programme Community Foundation has been running a training programmes for 16-24 years old. The programme enables participants to: provide an environment for participants to explore their assumptions, ideas and deepen their values and ethical framework. deepen self-awareness, self development, reflective practice and emotional intelligence. increase participants’ political intelligence – their abilities to understand others, their operational environments and to work effectively with complex systems. develop participants’ understanding of the diversity and dynamics of the community. increase participants’ interpersonal, political and strategic skills. Participants have attended a number of training sessions to improve their listening skills, presentation skills, communication skills and confidence. They have covered how to organise effective campaigns and lobbying and how to influence those with power. 9|Page
COMMUNITY REASSURANCE Sahara: Women’s Supported Housing Scheme We were approached by a number of people from the community who raised the need for the provision of good quality accommodation for Muslim women with varying multiple needs, in a culturally sensitive, supportive, and safe environment and to offer them the opportunity to develop the skills and confidence necessary to live successfully in their own independent accommodation. Community Foundation developed the Sahara project in response and were in discussion with a landlord to lease out their property which was ideal for this purpose. Unfortunately the landlord pulled back and we have not yet been able to secure any further premises. We are in discussions with Birmingham City Council and Midland Heart Housing Association for their support.
Community Question Time Community Foundation organised a Community Question Time on the 8th October 2012, with prospective Police and Crime Commissioners from West Midlands. The event was attended by Bob Jones, Ayoub Khan, Matt Bennett, Cath Hannon, Mike Rumble and Derek Webley. Over 200 People from the local community came to pose questions at the candidates. The event concluded with the candidates being asked to agree and sign a Community Pledge. Bob Jones who won the election to become West Midlands first Police and Crime Commissioner gave his support to the community pledge. Prior to the Question Time event, we organised a number of community meeting and workshops to raise awareness about the new role of the PCC and what people needed to do to engage in the process.
Kidz Clean Street Campaign Community Foundation worked with local schools, youth centres and the police to organise a number of workshops and litter pick events for young people. Young people were briefed on the importance of keeping the environment clean and the important role they played in maintaining a safe and clean neighbourhood. In partnership with Sparkbrook Neighbourhood Forum we also took part in the Medina Estate Clean up on 2 March. More than a dozen young people took part in picking up litter from Coventry Road, Wadsworth Road, Golden Hillock Road and Lloyd Street. The youths managed to fill 15 black bags of rubbish. Al-Miraj Banqueting Suite provided the youths with Tandoori Chicken and kebabs for their hard work in cleaning up the area.
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COMMUNITY REASSURANCE Clean Estate Action Campaign Community Foundation organised a number of very successful clean estate action campaigns in Perry Bar District and Hodge Hill District with local residents who worked in partnership with Birmingham City Council Neighbourhood Team to clear up rubbish from the streets, tidy up a disused children play area and maintained a communal garden used by residents from an elderly residential home. We provide volunteers with gloves, litter picks and black bags, along with a safety briefing before they start and finish off with refreshments after a hard day’s work. Our Estate Clean up initiative in Lozells, which was done as part of My Neighbours Week was featured in ITV Central News. During the heavy snow in January, we organised a street snow clean up. Residents, volunteers, local mosque representatives as well as the local councillor, Waseem Zaffar, joined in to remove snow in Berners Street and Gerrard Street. Most of the snow had turned into ice, creating a danger to children and elderly residents. Local residents living in the area were well pleased and thanked the group for their help.
Joint Community Walkabouts We organised community walkabouts in a number of problematic areas with local residents, police, housing office, environment team and other local voluntary organisations. Residents were armed with a camera to take pictures of unsightly scenes and area assessment form on a clipboard to note down their observations and concerns. Tackling Extremism and Islamophobia During the 2011 nationwide riots following the death of the three young men in Winson Green, Community Foundation played a significant role in Birmingham to improve community relations and ease tension. Due to our work and appeal with local residents, police, young people, politicians and the media, we became well established and recognised by the community and by public bodies alike. There have been many high level terrorist activities and racist/ Islamophobic incidents in the West Midlands, for which the police and the city council called up Community Foundation seeking our advice and support. Over the year we have been in a number of high profile meetings with senior officers to discuss way forward and ease community tensions. 11 | P a g e
COMMUNITY SERVICES Community Services Directory We took the initiative to develop an A5 sized full colour directory of community services across West Midlands. The directory provided easy to access information about service providers and services, ranging from council services, health services, legal/advice services, youth/education facilities and services, recreational services, employment services, and housing services.
Organisational Support As part of our community capacity building work, we have provided advice, support, training and free consultancy to a number of organisations across England, including the following:
England Cricket Board: Community Foundation was approach by the ECB, to support them with delivery of their new diversity programme to encourage participation of BAME community into cricket. Citizens UK Birmingham: We have been working with Citizens UK Birmingham to support them in their Listening Campaign with staff from Community Foundation attending workshops and training to carry out the work. Community Connect Foundation: We facilitated and supported Community Connect Foundation run a Lifeskills Diploma course for local residents in Lozells. Ipswich Inter Faith Forum: We ran a 2 day cultural and diversity training programme for the forum members, which included representative from the Ipswich council and Suffolk police. Amirah Foundation: Community Foundation provided advice to assist Amirah Foundation in developing its work and support to secure resources and funding to continue providing essential services.
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COMMUNITY SERVICES
Independent Police Complaint Commission: Community Foundation was asked to give evidence for the investigation that lead to the acquittal of the perpetrators accused of the killing of the three young men during the Birmingham riots in 2011. London East Academy: We provided two teacher training sessions on project management and Time Management to the staff at London East Academy. Midlands Ulama Association: Community Foundation provided training to Imams and madrasa teachers on safeguarding and child protection matters. Engage: Community Foundation hosted and took part in a number of introductory meeting to support Engage establish a professional network in Birmingham. Hera Education Trust (Loughborough): The group wanted us to support them with constituting themselves and further developing their education provisions for the local community. UK Coalition of Civic Organisations: We are approached by members of the local community to help set this group up to address issues affecting the Bangladeshi community. Osmani Centre (London): Community Foundation was approached to partner with the Osmani Centre to pilot a youth development initiative. Oldham Muslim Centre: Staff from Community Foundation visited OMC to carry out a feasibility study for establishing a elderly person residential home. Muslim Student Academy: Community Foundation provided advice and guidance to assist the group in securing sponsors and donors and establishing the level of financial support offered to students. Sri Lankan Islamic Forum: We were approached to run a workshop on the role of a management committee and effective governance at the forum’s AGM held at the Marksfield Conference Centre in Leicester. Nuremberg University: Community Foundation were invited to a talk to a delegation of Social Science students from Nuremberg, Germany, about the works and services provided by the organisation.
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STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
Community Foundation staff and full time volunteers during 2012-13 Staff
Mr. Nozmul Hussain Mr. Bashir Ahmed Mr. Mohammed Saleem Mr. Raihan Hussain Ms. Mazedda Khan Ms. Taibha Khalil Ms. Zaida Bi Mr. James Knight Ms. Majada Miah Ms. Marium Bi Mr. Mohammed Waqar Mr. Faisal Ibrahim Ms. Asha Nyei Ms. Nayab Shahid Ms. Moshoume Akhtar Mr. Nassar Mohammed Mr. Marium Khalil Ms. Neelam Parvaiz
Chief Executive Community Projects Manager Policy and Finance Manager Project Development Co-ordinator Business Administration Personal Assistant Admin Assistant Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work Youth and Community Work
Volunteers
Mrs. Rahima Islam Mrs. Rahala Khanom Ms. Abida Ali Mrs. Misba Khalid Mrs. Tamanna Fatima Mr. Mohammed Choudhury Ms. Haleema Jabber
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Residential Support Residential Support Design & PR Support Women’s Enterprise Scheme Young Women Empowerment Project Design & PR Support Residential Support
FUNDERS AND SPONSOR
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TRUSTEES
Charity name: Community Foundation Company registration number: 7199617 Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England Registered and Principal office: The Union Building 148 Gerrard Street Birmingham B19 2DR Company Secretary: Nozmul Hussain Trustees: Mr Abdullah Ismail (Chair) Mr Gaus Uddin (Treasurer) Mrs Irmana Parvin (Asst Treasurer) Mr Abdul Latif Mr Farhan Hussain Mrs Samina Parvin Mr Bashir Ahmed Ms Haleema Jabbar
Independent Examiner: Redwood Accountants & Tax Consultants 317a Burbury Street Lozells Birmingham B19 1TT Bank: Lloyds TSB Cape Hill Branch 63-65 Cape Hill Smethwick West Midlands B66 4SF
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Community Foundation welcomes any support and donations to help us to continue and develop our work to promote and facilitate community involvement to help tackle social, health and economic inequalities in our communities.
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