Projects                 for projects in progress please click here

JCP

The project seeks to develop the future sustainability of a new (not for profit) community business, so that it is less reliant on grant aid. This has been achieved by taking on two amateurs, a Marketing Officer and a Business Development Officer, who has developed new markets for the T-Shirt printing part of the business. He has also researched and developed new business ideas, to increase business income so that core staff cost can be covered beyond the present funding cycle and new beneficiary placements can be taken on. A budget was also included to cover advertising and publicity of ht project and it products, as well as the purchase of new equipment and accessories required as the community business developed. The JCP-Community Business helps long term unemployed (2+ years) people who have another labour market disadvantage, by offering them a programme of work experience, vocational training, basic skills and employment skills training, personal development and mentoring support, as part of Birmingham's developing Intermediate Labour Market (ILM).

People first

The aim of this project is to promote the capacity of the People First steering group, in terms of skills and support, to become a management committee able to run an independent self advocacy project. The People First management committee aims to be linked to a group of disabled people who will act as a support circle, which can be called upon by the management committee. The projects aims to deliver a conference and training pack to guide other self advocacy projects on how to develop a project through linking with a support circle. This training will be available to new groups being set up by people with learning difficulties both within Birmingham and nationwide.

Community tutor volunteer programme

The programme aims to improve the basic skills of the volunteers: literacy, numeracy and IT when possible. By increasing the volunteers’ confidence in their skills, the project will identify progression routes and encourage participation in courses in the community.

NETWERC Birmingham, Employment Resource Centre Network Ltd

The project objective is to maximise the impact of the activity of 25 voluntary community organisations known as Employment Resource Centres by developing a more strategic, co-ordinated approach to networking and service delivery. The core activity of each organisation is the provision of advice, support and guidance to unemployed and low paid workers. The project aims are: to build the internal capacity of the network in order to provide support to its members; to assist partners to network more efficiently with each other; to build individual organisation's capacity to enable them to form local networks and partnerships and to improve the effectiveness of service delivery to target groups. The project will achieve this by facilitating networking, sharing information and resources and exchanging experiences. It will carry out an analysis of the training needs of employees, volunteers and management committees and facilitate appropriate training. It will develop quality standards and share best practise to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation. It will develop a marketing strategy which will reach its target group and raise the profile of the network within the statutory and private sectors. increased inter-agency working will create more choices and opportunities of pathways into raining and employment for service users.

Kingstanding

The project will be an integral part of a regeneration process of the area, increasing local participation in local decision making. The project will benefit people with debt/benefits issues, and drugs or alcohol problems. The project is also aimed at helping people form excluded groups, single parents, people form ethnic minorities, young adults and school leavers as well as unemployed tenants and residents.

Law, Leisure and Learning

The aim of this project is to facilitate the professional development of the organisation into its second phase. Since 1997 it has had three major goals: to secure the desperately needed space and facilities within which socially excluded young and adult black people could begin the process of positive re-integration through sport and learning; to develop and sustain effective partnerships with other organisations in the area to maximise the benefits we could bring to our specific clients. Thirdly, to secure the finances to support he activities of our clients.
The organisation has recently appointed a voluntary professional business development, and fund-raising has secured a major ESF project, as well as an in principle ERDF approval to establish a Social Firm within the Centre. Law, Leisure and Learning now aim to focus on internal organisational development. From August 2, a new board of management will be in place, which will aim to develop a 3 year Strategic Plan and to support its full implementation by all staff, clients and partners. The organisation aims to develop a major programme of professional support for both the Board and the staff in order to convert the benefits of these funded projects into sustainable services of the local community.

Young People and Social Action

To help young people to develop the skills to set their own agendas, manage their own affairs and the relationships, thus facilitating a sense of ownership. To focus on outreach workers making contact with young disaffected people in the following areas of the city. Aston, Handsworth, Lozells, Soho, Perry Barr and Ladywood. Having regular daytime meetings, drop in access for IT purposes, recreational games, advice and information. To focus on the training needs of service users to enhance their ability to fully participate in the projects programmes.

Allens Croft Project

The project was set up to increase the capacity of the Allens Croft Project to deliver community, youth and economic development activities which contributed to the regeneration of the local neighbourhood. The project sought to engage local residents to bring about change and focused on issues of housing, employment, isolation and disaffection.

Birmingham Voluntary Sector Drugs Forum

By the end of the project it is anticipated that voluntary sector organisations in Birmingham will be actively participating in local action plans more effectively, and are in a position to influence some planning and delivery. Other outcomes likely to be secured would include enhanced community participation, community improvement and increased volunteer recruitment. In addition, the BVSDF would work to secure a more inclusive approach which would result in improved equality for excluded groups, enabling organisations to gain mainstream funding, create and secure employment opportunities, and have a greater influence in community safety initiatives and urban regeneration programmes. For statutory sector providers, the BVSDF will ensure that there are established consultation and communication mechanisms in place, resulting in enhanced participation and improved service delivery. The emphasis on effective partnership for both sides will enable the wider community to be better informed and involved in drug prevention, education and community safety issues. By enhancing the capacity of both voluntary and statutory sector providers, the work of the BVSDF will enable those needing to access drug services to gain appropriate support and interventions.

LEAP

The purpose of this project is initially to assist and support unemployed members of the Irish community to access training and education. Where the current provision unsuitable, LEAP aims to assist in the development of provision that meets the needs of the community. The organisation also aims to help members of the community to improve their skills in order that they may become independently economically active. The longer term aim of the project is to equip members of the community with the necessary skills to assist both themselves and their peers in accessing training or education, with the resultant increase in their chances of success within the labour market. LEAP also aims to assist those groups or organisations who currently offer support, by offering them the opportunity to access training or education so that they might provide a better service.

Birmingham Youth Engagement in Action Research on Decision Making (B:YEARD Project)

To identify examples of models of engaging your people in democratic processes; support young people to undertake action research amongst their peer groups, develop a clearer understanding of ways to ensure the needs and aspirations of young people are heard and valued.

CABBIO

A consortium of 7 organisations working together to build their capacity and share good practise so they are able to provide capacity building services to VCOs targeting socially excluded groups and individuals throughout Birmingham.

Learning and Skills Development Programme (LSDP)

Service Providers Network was contracted by SRB4 to build the capacity of its seven member organisations. The project set about gathering information on needs and gaps within the voluntary sector and increase awareness of local and national initiatives and training opportunities. The project has tried to shift away from traditional forms of data collection by employing a community development approach. The aim of the project was to build upon the outreach and community development expertise of the organisations. Most of the organisations are relatively small, some lacking a built infrastructure but instrumental in reflecting and responding to the needs of local residents.