East Birmingham Community Forum Ltd EBCF is a not for profit company limited by guarantee established in 1992. It is a local umbrella organisation that undertakes economic and social regeneration initiatives in partnership with other agencies to address poverty and disadvantage in the area. Clients include local community voluntary organisations and the diverse multicultural community we serve via our one-stop-shop community resource centre.
The company was established:
To strive for the relief of poverty, unemployment, low level of communication skills and isolation experienced by people living in the City of Birmingham especially in the Nechells, Washwood Heath and Small Heath wards.
To advance job creation, job retention and economic regeneration through the promotion of economic activity, local enterprise and business activities, and in particular to promote and facilitate the establishment of community and co-operative enterprises; and to encourage employers to recruit from within the area.
To promote and establish projects and facilities for the advancement of good health, independent living, family values and good parenting and for the provision of leisure and recreational activities.
To provide educational, training, advisory, counselling, administrative, professional and technological support for the furtherance of the objectives of the company.
EBCF manages the “JET Shop” a local one-stop-shop community resource centre that is situated on the main shopping street in a deprived inner city area of Birmingham. At the one-stop-shop EBCF offer free advice on Jobs, Enterprise and Training opportunities. The JET Shop is home to a variety of organisations / projects including the only Learndirect Centre provision catering for the people of East Birmingham funded by Ufi and Birmingham & Solihull Learning & Skills Council, Nextstep Service providing information, advice and guidance to people accessing employment and training opportunities, Family Learning Centre project funding by the Parenting Fund, Community Capacity Building Project employing 2 Community Facilitators funded by Government Office for the West Midlands via Birmingham Settlement and Practical Care Project etc. These resources are made available on a ‘drop in’ basis to the local populace and the premises include 2 suites of computers with internet connectivity, a large training room, wheel chair access, a large conference/training room, dedicated counselling and guidance rooms, a large open plan employment resource provision with training and employment opportunities displayed prominently in the foyer.
EBCF has a Personal Advisor seconded to the organisation by Birmingham & Solihull Connexions and we are the designated ‘Information Access Point’ for the young people of East Birmingham. The resource centre runs a number of training initiatives for residents who are seeking employment or accessing vocational or pre-vocational training. The organisation has considerable experience of working with ethnic minority communities who regularly frequent our premises for advice guidance and counselling. EBCF are an Investor in People (IIP) award holder, accredited ‘matrix’ guidance quality mark holder and members of Birmingham & Solihull Information Advice & Guidance Network. This enables us to offer a client centred support that is responsive to the needs of the ethnic minority community (e.g. multi-lingual staff, culturally sensitive environment, etc.). A number of advice surgeries are held at our premises on a regular basis by organisations such as the Pensions Service, Business Link, and PALS etc. to engage clients within the community setting.
