Investing in the Future of London’s Black Community.

Increased support for physical and mental wellbeing is a vitally important part of increasing the overall health of Black communities, however, it is most important to understand the levers of inequality that result in poor wellbeing. From lack of equity in the housing crisis to ongoing discrimination in work spaces, alienation of self-identification, and racism in the criminal justice system, it is our sincere belief that current support systems for mental health and wellbeing will continue indefinitely if these (and other) core issues are not addressed. 

We work to fully understand the lived experience of our community, assess quality data, and apply our learnings through calls for action and change within local government and the charity sector. We believe this is best achieved through a collaboratively defined racial justice lens that shifts power to the community leaders and changemakers well versed in the local issues and how those issues systematically disadvantage Black people.

Entrepreneurs are significantly more likely to maintain and grow their businesses and organisations if they have access to key connections, trusted individuals who have run businesses, and a network that shares information. Black-owned start-ups have various setbacks compared to their counterparts, on average making much less profit and enjoying far lower productivity.

It is our long-held belief that increased connectivity through open discussion, knowledge sharing, and introductions, is one of the most effective ways to ensure organisational sustainability and ease of operations. Our interest in networking and communities is built into how we run our platforms and programmes.

We are on a mission to increase Black leadership across London’s local communities. We build our training and learning development methodologies with the staunch belief in the authentic leadership capacity that lives in everyone that has been on the receiving end of discrimination, and being othered in shared spaces. We see the world differently; our compassion for those in need is increased and our willingness to be the change we want to see is heightened.  

More work must be done to improve diversity across key committees, governances, boards, and other decision-making spaces to ensure an equal perspective is brought to the table when key decisions are made. Importantly, decisions require data.  We exist to ensure relevant data is more readily available to existing leaders and advocates by co-producing with them evidence that they can use to influence systems of power, and supply communities with the information and language needed to effect change.  

Funders and organisations must evolve traditional support patterns to a contemporary, adaptive, participatory and non-exploitative approach that allows an overall rise in the success of lived experience-led organisations. We believe this is now best achieved through a long-term strategy of increasing the number of Black community leaders that are effective change makers within their local communities. 

To increase funding to Black leaders, a concerted effort must be made by all who provide funding to practise inclusion in their mechanisms. This means that funding opportunities need to be more inclusive in their design and offering. Through our delivery of participatory funding models local leaders will be at the forefront of grant investment, giving them the power and influence they need to increase community wealth and community cohesion in more appropriate and culturally sensitive ways.