News from the Digbeth, Cheapside and Highgate Network Meeting

Chinese Community Centre – Birmingham
The Chinese Community Centre, which will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2016, is developing a business strand to its services, especially to support trade with China through language and cultural understanding.

Further information: Chinese Community Centre – Birmingham

Disruptive Lemonade | Pioneers in Action | Climate-KIC
Disruptive Lemonade, based at Innovation Campus Birmingham, describes itself as ‘specialising in Lean Innovation through systems thinking, design thinking and customer development’.  It is currently working with two students on an international exchange project called Pioneers in Action managed by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). Pioneers in Action is an educational program relating to the Knowledge and Innovation Community Climate (Climate-KIC). They are looking for opportunities to innovate and drive forward change in the Digbeth area.

Further information: Disruptive Lemonade | Pioneers in Action | Climate-KIC

Edible Eastside
A garden project and cookery school, which has been going for four years.  Currently looking for alternative land in Digbeth for their allotment.  They may have to move from their current site next year. Any ideas?

Further information: Edible Eastside

Project Asper
Working to develop a product for the public sector, designed by people with Aspergers for people with Aspergers – enabling them to be better understood and supported in the workplace. Looking for workspace and funding. Interested in helping?

Contact them through us: info@digbethsocentquarter.co.uk

Sport4Life 
Aims to create a better future for disadvantaged young people (aged 12 – 25) by improving their employability and key life skills.  Particularly interested in helping them to re-engage with education and training.  The Sport4Life Smoothie Bike – which you pedal to blend a health smoothie from the ingredients you choose – is available to hire and creates an eye-catching focal point at events!

Further information: Sport4LIfe

Sifa Fireside
Works to improve health and inclusion for homeless people.  Sifa has a vintage clothing shop online and has recently set up a wood recycling business, which now has its first beautiful products for sale.

Further information: Sifa Fireside Out of the Woodwork

Birmingham Youth Empowerment Project | Birmingham Community Development Scheme
Aiming to inspire, motivate and empower children and young people in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Through mentoring, education and intervention programmes the Birmingham Youth Empowerment Project works to lay the foundations for a healthy transition into adulthood.

The Birmingham Community Development Scheme (BCDS) offers a free mentoring and befriending service aimed at serving young offenders, inmates and ex-offenders who are looking for some additional support.

Currently building a trading offer, they have 140 people registered who can undertake practical jobs around the house and garden for people in the Digbeth area.  They have also introduced a free accountancy service.

Further information: Birmingham Youth Empowerment Project | Birmingham Community Development Scheme

The Pinks N Blues
Offers 1-2-1 and group support to anyone who has experienced a loss of their baby in the 1st and/or 2nd trimester of pregnancy.  The only service of its kind in the West Midlands, which started trading as a CIC this year.  Looking for commissions and referrals and assistance with becoming firmly established and self-sustaining.

Further information: The Pinks N Blues

 A Way Forward
Offers counselling services to support individuals in their domestic and working lives, aimed particularly at getting offenders back into the community.

Currently running a course called Man in the Mirror to help rehabilitate ex perpetrators of crime and domestic violence.  Referrals welcome.

Also a Stop and Think programme designed for schools related to knife crime, gangs, drugs and mental health.  Any help with getting into schools, to reach more young people, would be welcome.

Further information: A Way Forward Foundation

Spot On Marketing & Communications
Offers a wide range of PR and Marketing services designed to be flexible, affordable and accessible for charities and social enterprises. Works with iSE and Citizen Click on communications related to Digbeth Social Enterprise Quarter. Need some support?

Further information: Spot On Marketing and Communications

iSE
A social enterprise development organisation providing social enterprise start-up and growth support together with research and consultancy services. Also the driving force behind the start up and development of Digbeth Social Enterprise Quarter.  Looking to start up or grow a social enterprise, diversify into a new market or find partners to work with?  iSE can help!

Further information: iSE

Cleaning Up Digbeth
Cleaning up (and brightening up) the Digbeth, Cheapside and Highgate area, to make it a better place in which to live and work, has been an objective of the Digbeth Social Enterprise Quarter since the outset.  The Highgate Neighbourhood Forum has also discussed the need to do something.

Sifa Fireside and Birmingham Community Development Scheme are currently running clean up campaigns in parts of Digbeth and would welcome partners to help them extend the initiative. Sponsors – to provide hi viz branded jackets to enable us to raise the profile of the work going on and encourage more people to participate in keeping their local environment healthy and looking good – would also be most welcome!

Interested?  Email us: info@digbethsocentquarter.co.uk