UK Enterprise 2020

240 | UK Enterprise Awards 2020 Savannah Development Foundation has a clear vision; to make positive changes. A BAME-led charity operating in Bristol and the wider Somerset regions, Savannah has established themselves as an organisation dedicated to helping young and older BAMEs in seeking employment, reaching for success in business and engaging in training and volunteering activities. After twelve successful years of serving the BAME community, Savannah is now being celebrated for its service at the UK Enterprise Awards 2020. Best BAME Enterprise & Business Development Support NPO 2020 Aug20273 Founded in July 2008, Savannah Development Foundation was set up to help and support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups (BAMEs) who are disadvantaged, deprived and lack employability and business skills. Managed by local volunteers of diverse backgrounds and expertise, Savannah offers enterprise and business development training and advice, employment access and training, access to networking, volunteering and mentoring as well as the ‘Self- Help In-Kind Volunteer Directory’. The principal purpose of the organisation is to actively identify the empowerment of older people and in return to empower the younger generation through culture, tradition and contentment in life, eliminating anti-social habits, crime and truancy. Access to skills development and empowerment programmes for both young and old BAMEs, creates an environment within the UK that is conducive to the uplifting and improvement of the wellbeing of those that are disadvantaged in business and the labour market. Their central ethos – ‘to serve the BAME community and open up opportunities’ – can be broken down into simple strategic objectives. The first, to improve and develop the skills of young people. Then, to support the establishment, development and economic viability of older people, to motivate and support training and employment initiatives for young and old people alike, whilst working closely with employers to improve access to employment and career development for disadvantaged communities within the labour market. The effects of these efforts go beyond simply increasing employability, but act to improve the quality of life for communities within these demographics. The services offered by Savannah help its clients to enjoy good health, safety, education and a sense of community, whilst being able to make positive contributions to society and influence decisions. Savannah is not just improving the job sector – it is changing lives. Operating in accordance with all relevant organisational policies and ensuring every team member recruited to Savannah follows strict adherence to the Equal Opportunity policy, Savannah offers the highest levels of conscientious care and professionalism. Whether it be within Entrepreneurship Training and Business Start- Up Support, or Connection to Local Businesses and Networking Events, Savannah is equipped with extensive knowledge that they are able to share with members of their community, whatever their ambitions. As a registered charity that generates no commercial income, Savannah relies on public support and funding. One of the main challenges faced by the organisation is securing the right funding to support their services and activities. The thousands of other charities and non-profit organisations that require similar or identical funding means the funding sector is hugely competitive. Combined with changing funding environments and shrinking grants, success in grant applications is five times more elusive. This problem has only worsened with the outbreak of Covid-19, as it coincided with a tripled demand for Savannah’s services, whilst the organisation was already suffering a shortage of funding. These requirements increased five-fold with the outbreak of Coronavirus, while funding remained limited, and Savannah has been faced with challenging times. However, the charity is not to be defeated, and great efforts are being made to secure more funding, whilst making the most of the limited but nonetheless vital access to project funding and support offered by the UK government. As a charity operating in the UK, Savannah also has access to a great deal of knowledge-based resources, as well as relevant training courses, conferences, seminars and workshops that they can utilise in the charity’s efforts to improve sustainability and maintain business activity. No doubt the journey of recovery from Covid-19 will present challenges, but the resilience of Savannah ensures continued success for the years to come. Contact: Dr Solomon Fubara MBE Company: Savannah Development Foundation Web Address: www.savannahfoundation.org IMPLEMENTATION & MANAGEMENT OF BUSINESS PLANS