We work with, and support a network of 1,200 voluntary and community organisations. Our focus for support, are those with predominantly Black and Asian-led leadership.
We recognise that these groups and organisations face specific challenges to the way they operate. The support we provide will normally be linked to a programme or project, so you should check this website regularly and sign-up to our mailing list.
We’re always interested in working with organisations who share our values and areas of focus. Please contact jeremy@actionforraceequality.org.uk to talk to us about commissioning and collaboration.
Supporting minority-led organisations in the pandemic
As an Intermediary Technical Partner in phase I and II of Comic Relief’s Global Majority Fund, ARE issued £5,000 grants to 41 organisations across the UK led by and for communities experiencing racial inequality. The grant programme was designed with Covid-19 response efforts, allowing organisations impacted by the pandemic to keep their doors open during a time of crucial need.
I have learned a lot and definitely grown in my role since the consultancy support. I have been given practical tools which I have been able to put to use in real time, but also gained knowledge to use on a longer-term basis. I have gained in confidence as a leader and going forward, I have a clearer vision of some of the more strategic tasks that I need to undertake to help propel my organisation forward.
Participant from Centre of Change
We have helped fund activities to improve mental health and reduce social isolation, provide supplementary schooling, improve awareness and stimulate action on serious youth violence, support women experiencing domestic abuse, help vulnerable communities with food parcels etc.
We also allocated funding to provide expert consultancy and capacity building support which gave organisations the opportunity to think strategically about how they can sustain and grow.
Case study
HAMMERSMITH AND FULHAM SOMALI PARENTS ASSOCIATION (HFSPA)
HFSPA was set up by parents in the borough to help Somali parents acquire the knowledge and skills to effectively support their children to achieve their potential in life.
At the start of the March 2020 lockdown, HFSPA saw an increase in people wanting to access their services, as their children were having to be home-schooled and the parents lacked equipment for their children, with many sharing one laptop between five or six siblings all home-schooling. Parents also lacked the knowledge to support their children with schoolwork. This was at the same time as funders paused regular funding pots to divert to Covid-19 response funding.
ARE administered the grant funding to HFSPA.
What difference did the grant offer make?
The grant has built the capacity of HFSPA and enabling them to employ a part-time School Home Advocacy worker to support students and their families and to buy equipment, including an iPad and its accessories to communicate online with beneficiaries.
The additional capacity led to the improvement of services and increased communication with beneficiaries and allowed services to continue. The grant also improved collaboration with other voluntary organisations working with young people to help them improve their educational attainment and mental health well-being.
It allowed them to recruit a volunteer Maths teacher to support students struggling with knowledge of the subject and provide online classes, and to promote their services and to more local schools.
The consultancy support offer
The consultancy offer led to an improvement on how our organisation strategically could plan its fundraising strategy. We have been writing more bids and submitted many funding applications than before. Two of these funding applications submitted have been successful – to a total of around £10k, therefore we are already getting a positive result from that support. This would lead to having more resources and our organisation will become financially stable to be able to continue providing services or establishing new ones.
Feedback from the organisation
We want BTEG [now ARE] to continue their support to small organisations and continue such projects as it makes a positive impact on our community who are marginalised. The impact of Covid- 19 is huge on our community therefore a second wave of this programme would be highly needed. I have to admit that what I was expecting from the grant and what we have experienced is totally different, the way BTEG designed and delivered this grant is unique and I congratulate their team for the great work they have done. Thank you.
