Our Strategic aims
The Leeds African Communities Charitable Trust is striving to achieve the following:
To provide a dynamic, supportive and innovative service for the wellbeing of our African communities:
- Work with community leaders to identify areas of concern for members, understand their pervasiveness and relevance.
- Identify priorities and prepare targeted action plans with respect to these priorities.
- Offer training and support as required in response to community needs.
- Identify relevant services and increase uptake of targeted initiatives through strategic promotion, networking and collaboration.
- Work in collaboration to find holistic solutions to issues facing African communities in Leeds.
Be a catalyst for community cohesion and development:
- Seek opportunities to maintain and develop intra and inter community interaction.
- Engage with existing strategic networks for collaborative networking and develop new ones where appropriate.
- Promote and share best practice with relevant community, voluntary and statutory sectors.
To become the African voice – providing a larger and stronger participation and representation of all things African:
- Utilising our vast grassroots membership base to ensure that relevant issues are effectively tabled and heard by authorities on behalf of our members.
- Making sure the views and concerns of our members are adequately presented and catered for in key political, legislative, social and economic
decisions. - Raising awareness of and engage with local and national policy matters affecting the African continent and work in collaboration to inform these where necessary.
To promote good citizenship and make a positive contribution to society:
- Encourage members to participate in relevant local and national debates.
- Support members to integrate and build meaningful relationships with others in what is becoming an increasingly multicultural society.
- Contribute to local and national initiatives, working with other communities to engender positive and sustainable change for all.
- Educate and train members on their rights and responsibilities and encourage meaningful engagement with and contribute to relevant issues of local and
national interest.
Draw attention to contributions made by the African diaspora, leveraging these for the empowerment of members and their communities:
- Hold awareness campaigns aimed at promoting member activities and contributions in the UK and abroad.
- Design, host and participate in events that honour member contributions in various fields including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), theatre and the arts, business and commerce, academia, public service, sports, tourism, etc.
- Promote a view of Africa that goes beyond ‘tribal’ cultures, natural resources and catastrophes.
- Empower members to work together to provide a more meaningful contribution to various fields through collaborative work practices, networking, mentorship programmes, scholarships, and funding of shared initiatives.
To grow a strong and sustainable organisation in service to all members:
- Build sustainable revenues through a variety of income streams and use these for the benefit of members and the wide community.
- Develop and embed a research-based framework for the identification, prioritisation and actioning of issues and initiatives.
- Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation tools and systems for impact measurement.
- Ensure sound governance through an appropriately skilled executive team and advisory board, promoting accountability through appropriate reporting
structures. - Recognise staff and volunteer expertise and provide opportunities for continued professional development.
- Maximise organisational effectiveness through actively seeking collaborative working opportunities.