DMU’s Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) will look at supplier diversity, new migrant communities and procurement readiness in ethnic enterprises.

The studies will be led by Professor Monder Ram, a leading authority on small businesses and ethnic minority enterprise, and will build on CREME’s reputation as an international centre of excellence for research and practice in this area.

The studies are:

- ‘Facilitating Supplier Diversity: A Collaborative approach to Engaging Underrepresented Suppliers and Large Firms.’

Researchers will assess what works and how, develop ‘hubs’ for specific supply chain sectors and produce a handbook of good practice. Seminar events will help businesses share experience and promote supplier diversity in the UK and Europe. The project is funded by £128,000 from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Supplier Diversity Europe.

- ‘Facilitating Entrepreneurship in New Migrant Communities.’

The study will identify concentrations of new migrant business owners including Afghanis, Iraqis, Somalis and people from Central and Eastern Europe. It will work with them and their intermediaries to develop awareness of business support and produce an engagement strategy. It is supported by £70,000 funding from the ESRC and EMB Ltd, the main provider of Business Link services in the East Midlands.

- ‘Promoting Procurement Readiness Amongst Black Business Association Members.’

Researchers will work with Birmingham’s Black Business Association to enhance their capacity to supply large public and private organisations. The project will build on previous CREME research on supplier diversity and the use of ICT and is funded by £27,000 from the ESRC.

Professor Ram, CREME Director at DMU, said: “Entrepreneurs from ethnic minorities are renowned contributors to many UK and European cities, yet they don’t engage with large corporate and public sector organisations to the same extent as other businesses.

“Policymakers and support agencies need to better understand why this is and what they can do to help develop and support supplier diversity in order to maximise the potential for economic growth. Our research aims to provide the knowledge and practical tools to facilitate this.”

All studies begin this summer and are due to be completed in one year. Four new research staff will be recruited to work on the projects.

CREME recently completed a project in the West Midlands which worked with two groups of ethnic businesses to successfully create a new model of business support.

For more about the Centre see www.creme-dmu.org.uk

From 10am to 3pm, there are many different activities including:

• climbing wall
• urban rebounding
• reaction wall
• water slide
• den making
• book bus
• boat building
• fishing in the fountain

plus much more on the day

Young people will be engaged as journalists for the day to report back on the event itself.

Come along and join in the fun.

The Playday has been organised by Leicester City Council and is open to the public.

For further details please contact Ray Tunks on 0116 252 6022.

Contact email address: ray.tunks@leicester.gov.uk

Thousands of pounds of lottery money will pay for schemes to tackle obesity and encourage more volunteering in Leicester.  The City’s Local Sports Alliance has been awarded over £86,000 after a successful bid to Sport England for the cash, which is designed to encourage healthier lifestyles.  Steve White, Chairman of the Local Sports Alliance said: ‘This lottery award is a timely boost for Leicester citizens.  It will promote healthy lifestyles through participation in sport and physical activity.  It also taps into the volunteering community using the focus of the Special Olympics Leicester 2009 as a means of getting involved in
sport’.  For further details go to http://www.leicester.gov.uk/newssite/index01.asp?pgid=8618&months=ord&ms=Recent%20News:

Diary of a Special Ambassador

Lee Penfold from Hinckley has been selected to be an Ambassador for the Special Olympics 2009 in Leicester. Over the next 12 months in the run up to the big event, he’ll be writing a diary… Lee Penfold was part of Team Great Britain for the Special Olympics in Shanghai in 2007.  He played for the basketball team and brought back a Silver medal for his country.

Now Lee has been chosen to be an Ambassador for the Special Olympics 2009, which are being held in Leicester.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/content/articles/2008/05/13/lee_penfold_special_olympics_2009_diary_feature.shtml

Hockey International Boosts Olympics Fund

Belgrave: Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Manjula Sood, was guest of honour at Ramgarhia Hall, Ulverscroft Road.  It was held to mark Father’s Day and also her appointment as the first female Asian Lord Mayor in the UK.  It raised money for Councillor Sood’s chosen charity, the Special Olympics, which are to be held in Leicester in 2009.

Making Streets Blooming Lovely

A sea of pink geraniums was planted in Town Hall Square  in preparation for the visit of the Britain in Bloom judges in July.  The orange and white flowers were the colours of the Special Olympics, which are being held in Leicester next year.

Raising Disability Awareness

A Councillor has put himself in the shoes of a blind person to help him understand disability.  The Leicester Freeman Ward Councillor decided to find out more about disability after being made a Special Olympics Ambassador.

Special Olympics Summer 2008 Newsletter

A copy of the Special Olympics Leicester Summer 2008 newsletter is available upon request from the Games Office by emailing
info@sol2009.com should anyone have been missed out on the first circulation.  Alternatively a copy will be available to view on the SOL website www.sol2009.com when it becomes live next week - Friday, 25th July 2008.

Regards

Steve Humphries
Games Director
Special Olympics Leicester 2009

T: 0116 238 5000
F: 0116 252 8501
W: www.sol2009.com

Supersonic is a festival for everyone and a bargain to boot.

Saturday 16 August is a family music extravaganza with local live bands and a wonderous wurlitzer of workshops. Why not make your own musical instrument from junk? Or try your hand at tabla (the talking drum) or African drumming? Or create a masterpiece from clay? Why not have your face painted as your favourite pop star? Or partake in a steel pan workshop? It’s all free once you get in…. food and fun also available.

Also, from 5pm on 16th is the Blaby district heat of Battle of the Bands - if you’re in a band and under 21 and live in the Blaby district you can enter - or come along and support your local guitar heroes.

Sunday 17 Aug is the Leicestershire Battle of the Bands County final - bands from all over the county will come to Countesthorpe to compete for the grand title and brilliant prizes.

Tickets are available from Glebe Garden Centre 01162771570 and are priced as follows: Adults £4 under 18s £2.50 family ticket £10 Sunday only £2.50 Buy tickets for Saturday and get in on Sunday free!

See supersonicbotb.co.uk for more details

4.00 -6.00 pm at Lord Mayor’s room, New Walk Museum, Leicester.

‘Recovery’ has taken the project around Leicestershire and Rutland to libraries, museums and hospitals in Oakham, Hinckley, Melton Mowbray, Oadby, the Bradgate Unit and Brandon Unit (psychiatric units that serve Leicester, the counties and Rutland) and Charnwood Museum in Loughborough.

They will be inviting to the evaluation talk all the visitors to the ‘Progress in Our Age’ exhibition, especially those who bought books , members and the wider public to discuss how the project has helped to improve attitudes towards mental health and the way  they should work with Leicestershire Partnership to improve treatment and assist recovery.

For further information please contact Lizzie Maitland, Heritage Mental Health Project Leader at Recovery Resources Charity

14, Brambling Way, Leicester, LE2 5PA.

recovery@rutlandmentalhealth.org

Mob: 07932433148

http://www.rutlandmentalhealth.org/ 

We are looking for a skilled and experienced community worker to develop an exciting new resident led project. Funded through the New Deal for Communities, this project forms part of the “Feeling Good” programme – a partnership of local agencies working together to promote positive wellbeing in Braunstone.

The project aims to improve the wellbeing of residents by training local volunteer peer mentors in positive wellbeing strategies, including stress reduction and anxiety management. With a minimum of one year community development experience, the successful candidate will also be a confident outreach worker and skilled trainer. Ideally they will also have experience of delivering accredited training and have a sound understanding of stress reduction techniques and the promotion of wellbeing.

For further information contact the centre on 0116 282 6918 or email: admin@tpwomen.org.uk

Closing date for application forms is Tuesday 5th August 08 at 4pm and interviews will take place week beginning Monday 18th August 08

Company No. 2898859 Reg Charity No. 1034869

Single mother Kerry, 39, from Belgrave in Leicester, received her degree after balancing six years of part-time study at De Montfort University (DMU) with a full-time job and raising her 11-year-old son Connor.

Kerry works at the National Youth Agency (NYA), a Leicester-based organisation supporting work with young people.

This week she graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) in Public Policy, Government and Management and won the prize for Best Public Policy, Government and Management Student at DMU, sponsored by KPMG.

Kerry hopes her achievements will provide inspiration for her son Connor.

She said: “At the age of 32 I decided I wanted to improve my standard of education and expand my career opportunities.  My little boy was just starting full-time school so I anticipated having more time on my hands and was conscious that a better education for me would also help give him a better start in life.

“My employer provided lots of encouragement and support and I decided to get back into learning by undertaking an A Level in Sociology at night school. This gave me the confidence to continue into higher education.

“With DMU being local I was able to continue to work at the NYA and juggle responsibilities outside work, although I have to say none of it would have been possible without the support of my close family and work colleagues.”

Kerry’s studies have led to a promotion at the NYA where she plans to continue her career.

She said: “The NYA plays a major part in influencing policy affecting young people so my degree really helps me put the work we do in context. While I was studying, my employer offered me the chance to take up a new post as Information Officer focusing on youth volunteering, which means I have been able to apply much of my learning.

“I wouldn’t have been able to take on my new role without the skills and knowledge I’ve gained from my degree.

“I’m delighted to be graduating and to win the award. I’m proud of my achievements and would encourage anyone thinking of returning to education as a mature student to do so - it’s never too late to learn.”

On the 14th of July 2008, the first national independent Muslim youth work organisation, Muslim Youth Skills, was launched at the ‘Islam Expo’ event, Hammersmith, London.

“The main concerns for young Muslims, according to research, are the mundane ones; drugs, alcohol, relationships, getting a job, not extremism. We are at a crucial juncture, rich in potential to make every Muslim child; enjoy and achieve; make a positive contribution; stay safe; be healthy and achieve economic well-being. Every young Muslim has the potential to contribute to the vibrancy and success of any city.” said the Managing Director of Muslim Youth Skills.

Muslim Youth Skills has over a decade of experience in youth and community work and importantly, an understanding of the Islamic faith, making it unique in the field of work with young Muslims. It aims to change the way we work with young Muslims by advocating faith and culturally sensitive practice, thereby making services more accessible.

“There is a general fear that by targeting Muslim youth it would be seen as giving preferential treatment to one group of people over another. However, Youth Matters - Next Steps, states that every teenager should receive services and support tailored to their needs. The needs of young Muslims are not being fully met; making services faith and culturally sensitive will be a step towards the Every Child Matters agenda.”

The event also saw the launch of Connect, showcasing national Muslim youth work projects. The aim of connect is to be a platform where grass roots Muslim youth work is seen, celebrated, shared and even explored.

“Connect aims to bring the Muslim youth work community together; those very organisations that have been working at a local level for many years. Connect will create networking opportunities, inspire and become a catalyst for change within our neighbourhoods.” said the Managing Director of Muslim Youth Skills.

For further information please contact Tafazal Mohammad, Managing Director

Mobile: +44 (0) 7861 698132
Email: tafazal@muslimyouthskills.co.uk
Website: www.muslimyouthskills.co.uk

An essential course for anyone who needs a thorough and up-to-date introduction to drug use and related issues.

Date: Wednesday 23nd July 2008
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Venue: Voluntary Action Leicester
Cost: £140

This course will increase your confidence in understanding more about drugs and the impacts they have on our local communities.

Introduction to drug and alcohol awareness

Contact Reno Xavier, Training Consultant for more details and a booking form on:
T. 0116 257 5024
E. reno@voluntaryactionleicester.org.uk

www.activities4u.org

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