Siddee Mujabah, Liver World Community Sports - Speaking at the Basis Project South East Region Conference, October 2010
I am not a professional in social enterprise, I am someone who is new to social enterprise but I will share my experience so far with you today.
We have a small community organisation called Liver World Community Sports. We organise multi-cultural football tournaments… to bring all the different ethnic communities and local people in Liverpool together. The project is owned by refugees and local people.
In the Kensington area where we are based and a lot of refugees have been settled, there was some concern and fear among the white population. We decided we wanted to take a group of young people – especially white young people – on a trip to Africa. Getting funding for such a trip was really difficult but we managed to raise about £9,000 to take 10 young people to Gambia.
When we came back it made a huge impact on the community and people were asking if we could do another trip with different young people. We said that it was difficult to raise the money and it was at this point that people started suggesting that we should form a Community Interest Company (CIC) or social enterprise.
I came up with the idea, since we are living in quite a poor community, of setting up a second-hand shop. We registered as a company limited by guarantee, to allow us to trade and got the insurance and opened the second-hand shop.
We started off thinking of it as a social enterprise but some people told us that we should register as a charity, because it is easier for people and firms to donate if you have a charity number. And someone else said that being a charity means that you are properly set-up with all the right paperwork.
So we thought that if it was the best way to get more funding we would pay for someone to come in and help us set up as a charity. We are already calling ourselves a ‘charity shop’ so that it’s easy for people to know what we are doing. We have found that people aren’t too sure what a social enterprise is, so that’s another reason why we are going to register as a charity.
We have been lucky in that our landlord has let us pay less than the full rent and we are trying to recruit as many volunteers as possible.
At an event on social enterprise I learned the importance of modelling costs and revenues, and at the moment we are starting to see some profits.
The other thing that we were advised to do was to spend money that we raised before the end of the financial year, to minimise tax.
A presntation by Jane Houben, Grants and Investments Manager at Bristol City Council. Presentation recorded at the Basis Project South West Region Conference, September 2010.
You can also
view the Powerpoint that was used with this presentation.
On 29 September 2010 the Basis Project South West region conference brought together refugee community organisations (RCOs), funders and second tier organisations to share learning and experiences on income generation. The primary objective was to provide RCOs with an overview of the different means of raising income.
Video highlights from the day are below. Two more videos from the conference - in which Jane Houben, Grants and Investments Manager at Bristol City Council, provides an introduction to commissioning - are also available.
Nuwa Serunjogi – Organisational Development Officer, the Basis Project
Today’s seminar is entitled ‘Capacity building for refugee community organisations (RCOs) to generate income’. This theme is important for me because I currently work with 11 or 12 RCOs in the South West – in Bristol, Swindon and Plymouth – and across the board there is one common challenge and that is to try and find sufficient income to run their operations and fulfil their missions.
Helen Todd – Projects Initiatives Manager, the Basis Project
What’s really important about the Basis Project is that we’re supporting RCOs and, at the end of the day, that’s supporting refugees such as many of the people in this room, to look at the needs of their communities and to develop, manage and run fantastic projects that can have a fantastic impact not only on the communities for whom they are run but also on the wider community.
Olivia Gore – Big Lottery Fund
We call ourselves an outcomes funder, so we’re interested in the difference that will be brought about by the project you want us to fund. Before you start planning you need to consider three questions: what difficulties do the people in your community face, why do they face these difficulties, and what needs to change in order to address that issue. People might be in need because of where they live or situations they face, but once you understand that need you can work out what you need to do to help them change things.
Don’t assume that the people reading your application know about your area. The grants officers are based in Birmingham and Newcastle and they won’t necessarily know about your local area – you need to spell it out and make it really clear for them.
Jean Marie-Nsana - African House Community, Plymouth
Our organisation tries to help refugees and asylum seekers in our community and to help them integrate. Lots of people get isolated and we try to find a way to help them to get involved and participate in the community.
I think social enterprise will be interesting for us. It’s difficult having to wait for funding, or getting funding that runs out, so that’s why running a social enterprise could be good.
Marina David – Barrow Cadbury Trust
It’s important for groups to try and keep abreast of what’s happening by going to local neighbourhood office and ward meetings and seeing how you can get together with like-minded organisations and get your voices heard. It’s also a good idea to look at what different sorts of support you can get and not just relying on grant funding. Look at generating your own income by setting up a community interest company – it can make your organisation more sustainable since you won’t be reliant on grant funding.
Tamdour Saliem – Refugee Women of Bristol
The main challenge for women in accessing information and opportunities is [not speaking the English] language and having low levels of education and skills. As an organisation the main challenge we face is funding. The local authority shifted from giving three-year funding to one-year funding and from grants to commissioning, which make it harder a small organisation like us to secure money. The competition for funds has also increased. As a small organisation we really need long-term funds; we can’t sustain, develop and improve as an organisation when we are funded year-by-year.
Alice Meason – Quartet Community Foundation
I can’t tell you the once secret about applying to Community Foundations whereby you’ll get our money, other than saying be clear about what you do and what you want to do with the money and how – be quite specific. The best thing to do is contact the Community Foundation in your area and talk to them and find out what they do. Because we give out smaller sums of money we try to keep the application process quite simple.
Christian Kayembe and he is the Chair for the Betwabu Association
I found this workshop interesting because I have learned a lot from other people and from funders, as well.
Liban Obsiye – Amana Education Trust
When I first started I was asked why I wanted to work at Amana and I said the reason I wanted to work with them was that they didn’t want to play political games, they were really serious about integration and really cared about Somali people’s ability to engage with and contribute to society.
One of the challenges that face us is that we are facing competition from bigger providers who have greater resources and can meet the financial criteria. They have reserves and buildings, which we don’t have. All we have is our volunteers and our passion, and you can’t put a price on that. But what we are being asked to do is to put a price on that passion – it’s a passion that will ensure that the people who need support will get support and will continue on their path to become successful citizens. Most of the refugees are very successful before they get here, but when they get here their qualifications are almost worthwhile and there’s a lack of support for them. The support they want is not in big offices in the centre of Bristol it’s from small organisations and local people in their community who were once refugees themselves and have a real understanding and an urge to help these new arrivals.
Refugee Council SCORES Project Conference 25 November 2010, 10am - 4.30pm, the Resource Centre, London, FREE
The Refugee Council’s Development Team is hosting the SCORES project London Conference on the role of sport and physical activity and how sport can be used as a framework for social change. A series of panels and participatory workshops will cover a broad range of topics and participants will have the opportunity to network with colleagues and talk to funders face to face. Funded by the Football Foundation, the Supporting Community Organisations Refugees Engage in Sports (SCORES) project is a three-year project, which aims to increase participation of refugees in sports. For more information email Ezechias.ngendahayo@refugeecouncil.org.uk
News
Leading refugee charities publish report criticising payment card for asylum seekers
The Refugee Council, the Scottish Refugee Council, the Welsh Refugee Council, and the North of England Refugee Service (NERS) have published a new report looking at the Azure card, which was introduced at the end of 2009 to replace the use of supermarket vouchers for refused asylum seekers unable to return to their country. Your inflexible friend: the cost of living without cash highlights a range of problems caused by having to use the card, including families being unable to buy enough food to feed themselves. To read the full report visit www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/news/archive/press/2010/november/051110_press_release_Azure_card
Refugee Council welcomes questioning of security firm after the death of Angolan refugee
Following the death of Jimmy Mubenga during a deportation flight in October, the Home Affairs Select Committee have questioned security firm G4S. Jonathan Ellis, Director of Policy and Development at the Refugee Council, said “We are deeply troubled by the recent growing quantity of reports about the inappropriate use of force by immigration and security officials, during deportations and also in detention in the UK.” To read the full response visit www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/news/archive/press/2010/november/20101102-Home-Affairs-Select-Commitee-Jimmy-Mubenga
Mental health charity Mind launches Care in Crisis campaign
Mind is calling for evidence to be submitted to its independent inquiry investigating the state of mental health services. Mind will use this evidence to campaign for improved care and are particularly keen to include the perspectives of refugee, asylum and migrant communities. If you have experience of any aspect of mental health care, including service users, staff, providers, advisers and advocates, please complete the online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/V2GJCBY or for more information email action@mind.org.uk.
Voices of Courage Awards 2011 - “Urban Refugees”
Each year the Women’s Refugee Commission honours individual refugee, internally displaced and asylum-seeking women and young people who are working on behalf of their peers. Candidates should be developing or leading programmes that benefit displaced or asylum-seeking people living in urban areas. Successful candidates will receive a $5,000 grant from the Women’s Refugee Commission. For more information visit www.womensrefugeecommission.org/component/content/article/1065-call-for-nominations
The Clothworkers’ Foundation small grants programme is open to UK registered charities with an annual turnover under £250,000 who are applying for a grant of between £500 and £10,000 for capital costs. Applications must fall under one of the following areas: encouragement of young people, social inclusion, the elderly, people with disabilities. For more information visit www.clothworkers.co.uk/Grant-Making/Overview.aspx
Refugee Council: Business Start up 24 November 2010 – Birmingham FREE (travel expenses and child care costs reimbursed and lunch provided)
This Financial Literacy Project training will provide an introduction to setting up in business and to becoming self-employed for refugees and asylum seekers. The training will be delivered by Angela McLean, highly successful and experienced entrepreneur and trainer. For more information or to book a place email karla.mclaren@refugeecouncil.org.uk
Refugee Council: Social Enterprise for Communities 26 November 2010 – Birmingham FREE (travel expenses and child care costs reimbursed and lunch provided)
This Financial Literacy Project training will provide practical information for individuals and refugee community organisations interested in setting up a social enterprise, in particular: organisational models; sources of revenue; planning and setting up a social enterprise. This training will be delivered by Social Enterprise London. For more information or to book a place email karla.mclaren@refugeecouncil.org.uk
Welcome to Birmingham website
This website is a great resource for people who are new to the West Midlands. It offers information about life in the UK and about local areas specifically. Information can be searched by topic or by locality. For more information visit www.welcometobirmingham.org.uk/
FREE support for organisations using volunteers
Experts in Volunteering are working in partnership with Volunteer Centres across London to provide an increased level of support around volunteer management. Organisations can sign up to the London Volunteer Management Charter, and will have the opportunity to access one to one support, training, resources, and action learning sets all for FREE. To find out more visit www.expertsinvolunteering.org.uk/web/charter, or contact your local Development Worker: www.expertsinvolunteering.org.uk/web/contact.
Can your RCO offer catering and/or training room?
Refugee Council’s Basis project is planning a series of events and training in London between January and September 2011. We would like to make the most of RCOs’ facilities and ensure money can come back into the sector where possible. If you are an RCO and can provide catering for events and training, or have a room that could be used for training, please contact carol.barker@refugeecouncil.org.uk indicating whether you can offer catering or a training venue, or both.
FREE tools for organisational development
NAVCA have produced various tools to support small organisations to develop. Examples include: agreeing a mission, recruiting workers, improving governance. For more information visit www.navca.org.uk/services/learningopps/skild/tools/list.htm
Events
Islington Refugee Forum meeting 9 November 2010, 10am – 12pm
The theme of this meeting is Sustainability and Income Generation, and includes speakers from the London rebuilding society and the European Council on refugees and Exiles (ENCRE). Additionally Gaynor Humphreys will discuss London funders and funding opportunities for refugee organisations. For more information visit www.islingtonrefugeeforum.org or email info@islingtonrefugeeforum.org
Ipswich: Starting a Social Enterprise 10 November 2010, 10am – 4pm
This one-day training, provided by the Basis project, will give practical knowledge of the issues involved for community groups while starting a social enterprise. This session is aimed at community organisations and will include looking at: common characteristics of social enterprises; the differences between a social enterprise and a charity; popular legal structures for social enterprises – and much more! For more information and to book a place please email shpetim.alimeta@refugeecouncil.org.uk
Birmingham: Meeting with Lloyds TSB Foundation’s Grant Manager 11 November 2010, 11am – 1pm
Peter Cunnison, Grant Manager for the Lloyds TSB Foundation, will be visiting the NISHCAM Centre (attached to the Sikh Temple), giving refugee community organisations the opportunity to find out the criteria for making funding applications to Lloyds TSB Foundation. Questions can be asked directly to the Grants Manager who deals with applications. If you would like to attend please contact, by 9 November 2010, david.hirst@refugeecouncil.org.uk or Dennis Minnis at dennis@newcommunities.org.uk
APPG meeting on Refugees 15 November 2010, 5pm – 6pm
The Refugee Council welcomes participation by RCOs at the next All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meeting on Refugees that will focus on the Asylum Improvement Project - an opportunity for you to influence politicians. Speakers include Emma Churchill, Head of Asylum, UK Border Agency and Donna Covey, Chief Executive, Refugee Council. The event will be chaired by Julian Huppert MP. Due to high demand the location of the meeting has changed and it will now take place in the Grand Committee Room (off Westminster Hall), Palace of Westminster. Please RSVP to parliamentary@refugeecouncil.org.uk
Eide celebrations 18 November 2010, 3.30pm – 7.30pm
This Afghanistan and Central Asian Association event will celebrate Eid, an important festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It will be a good opportunity to come together and share knowledge, views and opinion and discuss the best way to contribute to society. For more information contact Dr Nooralhaq Nasimi on info@afghanistan-asian.org.uk or visit www.afghanistan-central-asian.org.uk
Nottingham: The role of faith communities and faith based organisations to refugees and sanctuary seekers 20 November 2010, 9.45am – 4pm, FREE (lunch provided)
This event aims to facilitate dialogue that explores the role of faith in the asylum system; and how faith communities and organisations can offer refugees and asylum seekers support. This event will also showcase the work of African Women Empowerment International (AWEI), working with African women and children living with HIV. For more information visit www.awef.org.uk/cms/
Newcastle: Reclaiming the Domestic Violence Agenda 27 and 28 November 2010, Northumbria University, Newcastle £50 voluntary sector, £100 public / private sector, FREE limited places for activists / small voluntary organisations
An international conference for all who are responsible and committed to addressing issues faced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic survivors of domestic violence. This will be a unique opportunity to hear world renowned activists. For more information visit www.angelou-centre.org.uk
Asylum Support Appeals Project AGM and destitution awareness day 8 December 2010, 1pm – 5pm, FREE (lunch provided)
This event will focus on support for refused asylum seekers. It will highlight new ASAP research on the high number of asylum seekers wrongly denied support by the UK Border Agency on the grounds that they are not destitute; examine key issues for the future of section 4 support in the light of the Asylum Improvement Project; provide a first hand account on the first year of the full time Duty Scheme by barristers and solicitors working pro bono for ASAP at the asylum sup-port tribunal. For more information email oliver@asaproject.org.uk
Vacancies
Basis Project Organisational Development Officer £27,945, maternity cover (up to 1 year)
Through this Basis Project role you will work closely with RCOs in the South East. An excellent communicator with experience of delivering training, you have a proactive analytical approach and an understanding of Refugee Communities. For more information visit www.refugee-action.org/jobs or call 020 7832 1682, quoting reference RA606.
Closing date for applications: 15 November 2010
Refugee Home School Support Project (RHSSP) Bilingual Project Worker (Pashto & Dari or Somali) £27,945 pro rata (incl. ILW), 12 hours per week
RHSSP is a successful project which has been working with children and families from refugee backgrounds since 2004. RHSSP would like to employ a project worker who speaks either Pashto and Farsi or Somali. The successful applicant will be based in a local secondary school working with children in years 10 and 11 over three days of the week. For more details about the role please email refugeeproject@klsettlement.org.uk
Deadline for applications: 16 November 2010
Help on Your Doorstep part-time Advice Worker £12,250 per annum (17.5 hours per week)
This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated candidate with experience in advice and guidance or community outreach work to work on a project that can make real improvements to the lives of local people in the Canonbury area of Islington. You will have excellent verbal communication skills and be confident in working with local residents and a wide range of partner agencies. To apply email admin@helponyourdoorstep.com
Deadline for applications: 22 November 2010
Help on Your Doorstep Team Leader £30,000 pa, maternity cover
The post holder will be responsible for the line management of four Connect Advisers and will oversee service delivery in two Connect areas. As well as having excellent verbal communication skills and being confident working with local residents and a wide range of partner agencies, you will have the ability to lead and support teams. To apply email admin@helponyourdoorstep.com
Deadline for applications: 22 November 2010
About Us
The Basis Project Run in partnership by the Refugee Council and Refugee Action, the Basis Project is working with Refugee Community Organisations across England. Read more on our website. Contact us.
