RCRE projects

Working to create a fair, just and united community

RCRE has a number of projects running, some of which include:

The Uni Network

Uni Network's role is to represent the interests of the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) voluntary and community organisations in 19 local areas across South East England at regional, intra-regional and national levels. Its responsibilities include:

• Developing effective relationships and maintaining a close dialogue with regional organisations, such as GOSE and SEEDA, and other regional bodies
• Championing, supporting and monitoring the development of 19 local BME networks and the engagement of BME organisations in Local Area Agreements (LAA)
• Engaging in Government policy processes, including responding to consultations and key policy documents
• Building the capacity of frontline organisations that cater to the interests of disadvantaged BME communities
• Expanding and deepening the network to ensure that it reflects the interests of the region's BME voluntary and community sector
• Linking with BME networks in the other English regions and supporting the work of Voice4Change

For further information about the Uni Network, please visit www.theuninetwork.org.uk

Alafia

Alafia promotes action and support for the carers of minority ethnic young people and children with disabilities (0-25. It's based at the Reading Council for Racial Equality and is funded and actively supported by Reading Borough Council (Social Services and Education). Alafia works closely with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies, locally and nationally.

Alafia aims to:

• Influence policy and practice to address the health needs of black and ethnic minority communities.
• Work in partnership with health and social care service providers and other relevant practitioners in order to improve service delivery to black and minority ethnic communities.
• Provide direct support, information, advice and advocacy to black and minority ethnic families caring for children or young people aged 0-25 who have disabilities.
• Give information to families about existing services and facilities.
• Identify the needs of black and minority ethnic families and highlight them to service providers.
• Sustain the development of user groups and activities for Alafia families.

To find out more about the Alafia project, please download the flyers listed below:

• Alafia areas of work flyer (pdf)
• Alafia partners flyer (pdf)
• Alafia parent support leaflet (pdf)

Uniting Reading Project

Working across all communities to challenge extremist views, support good community relations and, promote awareness and understanding.

• Uniting Reading - Update (pdf)
• Uniting Reading - FAQs (pdf)
• Promoting women into prominent roles (pdf)

Building for Strength

We work with Voluntary and Community Sector partners to:

• To increase the capacity of under represented and harder to reach groups to develop services to meet the needs of their communities.
• To reduce isolation and marginalisation of underrepresented communities and mainstream their views.
• To improve access and capacity of VCS facilities and to provide hot desking facilities for start-up / community groups.
• To integrate and sustain infrastructure support.

• Building for Strength - background information (pdf)
• Building for Strength - milestones (pdf)

Hot Desk Provision

Building for Strength has launched Hot Desking (pdf) facilities at RCRE and RISC for small and emerging community based groups who do not have the facilities required to enable them to function effectively, grow and meet their objectives. See User Guide (pdf) and Registration Form (doc).

Further information

• The Uni Network
• About RCRE
• What RCRE do
• RCRE events