Summary of Best

Overview

BEST (Black and Ethnic Minority Support Team) is funded through the Communities Directorate, Welsh Assembly Government.

The project has been granted in-principle approval for funding up to March 2007. Thereafter, funding could be extended for a further 3 years, pending the outcome of the review & assessment by the Communities Directorate.

The project aims to support Black and Ethnic communities and groups across Communities First areas in Wales .

This page outlines the composition of the partnership, and the work that BEST does.

Who is involved in BEST?

BEST is a partnership of four organisations, the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA), Black Voluntary Sector Network Wales (BVSNW), Minority Ethnic Women’s Network (MEWN Cymru) and The Scarman Trust. All of these partners have a track record of working with the BME sector, and with disadvantaged communities.

What Do We Do?

We identify and work with local BME community groups in Communities First areas across Wales . The type of work that we do varies with the needs of the group but we provide support in the following areas:

• Writing Constitutions

• Developing Business Plans

• Preparing funding applications

• Offering Management Committee Skills training

• And lots more…….

Alternatively, if you have an idea for a new community group which needs support to develop, BEST is available to provide the necessary advice.

Other Work Includes:

• Mapping existing BME community involvement and research

• Developing a website - www.best-cymru.org - to seek views and provide information

• Encouraging links with policy makers and mainstream organisations.

• Developing the capacity of Communities First Co-ordinators on BME issues

• Working with Communities First Partnership Boards

Main Sponsors