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soulunique
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Posted: Thursday November 9th, 2006 11:29 |
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i've been thinking about setting up a voluntary agency for some time now. i am thinking of setting up an agency that works with african families to help them with self emopowerment on various issues and to basically bring them together as well as working with african children separately by promoting their cultural identity through education, peer support and also providing them with the opportunity to voice their opinions to society and also to their parents.
i wanted to know if anyone was involved with an african voluntary organization or if any one had any thoughts on what they would like to see such an organization do that will actually benefit the community and get us to start doing for ourselves as mentioned by Garvey.
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Conscious Kassy
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Posted: Wednesday December 20th, 2006 12:27 |
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Hi Unique
I know this was posted a while ago but i'm in the same boat as you. I thought you may be interested in a link to the Local Government and Communities website. They have funding for communities effected by slavery... Have a look any way. as for volunteers - register a charity with companies house and start looking for some help!
http://www.cdf.org.uk/POOLED/articles/bf_techart/view.asp?Q=bf_techart_227328
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FredB
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Posted: Wednesday December 20th, 2006 13:12 |
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@Soul Unique...You need to make your objectives far more precise than they presenty are. You also need to objectively provide evidence of the problem in question. For example where is the objective evidence which would support the project you seek to establish. For example if the young men are suffering problems what are they and what is the evidence to back it. Same way if it is with women.
I might be able to be of assistance. Just finishing a commissioned piece on West African families in Britain and the social problems they experience with an empthasis on the criminological dimension. But I can help you with directing you to the evidence you will need to establish your proposal given without academic evidence to back it you are dead before you hit the water.
Let me tell you now there is not much research on West Africans in Britian and I am one of the few engaged in it. So you need to be clever how you handle the data which exists to beef up your proposal.
I may also be of use to you on the issue of effective voluntary organisations given I have been involved with them for a very long time and my Phd was on leadership and strategy effectiveness in addressing a range of social problems (eg crime related) within various black and non black ethnic communities.
One quick observation the issue of maintaining African identity may not fly or sound sexy to funders if you want to rely predominantly on that route. I personally never recommend it but as long as you know what the pros and cons are.
Peace.
FB
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SoulRebel
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Posted: Wednesday December 20th, 2006 13:50 |
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Little to add to FredB's comments.......clarity of purpose is all-important. Once you're clear about what you want to achieve, the form of organisation you need will also become clear. The charitable route is an obvious one, but not the only one and by no means the best one....plenty of pros and cons, depending on what you want to do.
A mistake I've seen too many make is that they set up the organisation and then search for a purpose, which can be a frustrating and expensive process. If you have a small nucleus of people committed to 'doing'and in the same place intellectually/emotionally, go with that for the time being - that's what will bring results, much more than the particular structure you adopt.
Have experience running vol orgs both as a manager and a trustee, so happy to put in my two cents as required (or not). 
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Life_Voyager
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Posted: Wednesday December 20th, 2006 22:13 |
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Hi there
I'm in the process of doing something similar but at the VERY early research stages. My thoughts are pretty similar to what previous posters have said in that there are so many different angles an org like this can come from that you need to be able to scale it down - esp for funding purposes. There is a tendancy to want to do so much to help our community we do a little of everything and not very well (esp in the early stages).
There is funding out there although I dont have experience of how easy/difficult it is to access http://www.governmentfunding.org.uk.
One route that I'm considering is setting up as a Social Enterprise. Its the buzz word of the moment and is likely to have more money thrown at it than if you decided to set up as a charity. You may find this useful to get started http://www.forthsector.org.uk/docs/social_enterprise_business_planning_guide.pdf.
Having sat in a room full of about 250 Higher Education staff members from across the UK who are in jobs that aim to help (amongst others) young 'ethnic minority' people and being one of two black people there (both of us women)....I strongly believe that we need more orgs like this and need to share knowledge and support each other to set them up.
Bless and good luck!
Last edited on Wednesday December 20th, 2006 22:35 by Life_Voyager
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Life_Voyager
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Posted: Wednesday December 20th, 2006 22:13 |
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| Double post Last edited on Wednesday December 20th, 2006 22:14 by Life_Voyager
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soulunique
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Posted: Thursday December 21st, 2006 10:45 |
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@ all,
I did not think i was going to get any replies. Thanks for all your replies. i have looked on each of those sites mentioned.
I am now in the process of actually come up with an objective and why another agency needs to be set up.
to those that are thinking of doing the same thing, please Pm me and tell me what ideas you have, if it is the same then maybe we coudl join forces.
Soul
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