Fatheritage

FINAL OUTPUT REPORT

Project Aim

The Fatheritage project set out to document the early fatherhood experiences of African men living in Newcastle, UK. It explored their journey from boyhood to manhood and examined how migration and globalisation have shaped their roles, identities, and efforts to preserve cultural heritage in a new socio-cultural landscape. The project was a collaborative partnership between the National Heritage Fund and BEST Initiatives.

Key Lessons Learned

•Cultural Adaptation: Adjusting to life abroad is an ongoing process of understandingand adopting new norms and behaviours.
•Cultural and Family Preservation: Participants expressed a strong desire to maintaincultural traditions and family values despite living in a different cultural setting.
•Financial Challenges: Balancing responsibilities in the UK with obligations back inAfrica highlighted the need for sound financial planning.
•Multiculturalism: Newcastle’s diverse population enriches community life and fosterscultural exchange.
•Communication Skills: Language proficiency and effective communication are criticalfor successful integration.
•Respect for Differences: Openness and respect for other cultures are essential inbuilding inclusive communities.

These findings reflect the importance of resilience, adaptability, and cultural pride, and underscore the value of supportive networks in helping immigrants thrive.

Policy Recommendations

To foster better integration and support for immigrants, the following are recommended:

•Comprehensive cultural integration programmes
•Strong anti-discrimination policies
•Recognition of foreign qualifications and skills
•Family support and financial education services
•Religious and cultural accommodation
•Community-building initiatives and cultural exchange programmes
•Access to affordable housing and integration centres
•Language access services and mental health support inclusive community policing andpublic awareness campaigns

These measures will promote inclusivity, well-being, and a stronger sense of belonging for immigrant communities across the UK.

Bridging the Digital Divide

Opening Doors to Employment Through Access to Technology

Funded in partnership with: Rothley Trust — Equipment Grant

About the Project

Bridging the Digital Divide was a targeted initiative to expand BEST Initiatives' digital capacity and, in doing so, transform the employment prospects of some of Newcastle and Gateshead's most disadvantaged residents. With support from the Rothley Trust, the project procured essential computer equipment and accessories to power two of the organisation's flagship programmes: an employment support service for adults and an after-school homework programme for children and young people.

Why It Mattered

In today's world, access to digital technology is not a luxury — it is a necessity. For adults from Black and minority ethnic communities seeking work, the inability to conduct online job searches, complete digital applications, or practise interview skills presents a significant and often invisible barrier. For children from these same households, the lack of a computer at home can mean falling behind at school, missing out on educational support, and losing confidence at a critical stage of development. This project tackled both challenges head-on.

What We Did

The new equipment was immediately put to work across BEST Initiatives' core service delivery. In the employment support programme, adult participants from BME backgrounds — many of them long-term unemployed — gained supported access to computers for online job searching, CV writing guidance, and interview simulation exercises. Skilled facilitators guided participants through every step, helping them build digital confidence alongside employment-ready skills. Meanwhile, in the after-school programme, children and young people aged 9 to 16 used the equipment for guided homework support, giving them the tools to succeed academically and the encouragement to reach their full potential.

What We Achieved

The project directly benefited dozens of adults and young people, many of whom had little or no previous access to digital devices. Adults left sessions with improved employability skills, greater confidence, and a clearer pathway into work. Children arrived after school uncertain and struggled; they left with completed homework, a sense of achievement, and — crucially — the knowledge that someone believed in them. The programme helped to break a cycle of disadvantage that too often passes from one generation to the next.

Legacy

This project was a reminder that sometimes the most transformative investments are the simplest. By providing the right tools in the right hands, BEST Initiatives helped to level a playing field that has long been tilted against the communities it serves.

Active Together: Sport for Inclusion

Tackling Inequality Through the Power of Physical Activity

Funded in partnership with Voice4Change England & Sport England — Tackling Inequalities Fund

Project Overview

Active Together was a dynamic sports and physical activity programme delivereby BEST Initiatives, funded by Voice4Change England on behalf of the Sport England Tackling Inequalities Fund. It aimed to address barriers that Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities face in accessing sport and physical activity.

Through a varied programme of regular sessions, the project brought people of all ages together to take part in inclusive, community-led activities across multiple disciplines.

The Need for Change

Physical inactivity is often shaped by social exclusion, financial barriers, and a lack of culturally relevant opportunities. For many people from BME communities in Newcastle and Gateshead, sport has not always felt accessible or welcoming.

Active Together responded by creating inclusive environments where everyone—regardless of background, fitness level, or age—felt encouraged to take part, connect, and build confidence.

Programme Delivery

A weekly timetable of activities engaged children, young people, and adults in:

Fitness training
Walking and running groups
Swimming
Football and tennis
Combat sports

Sessions were designed to be accessible and enjoyable, led by facilitators who understood participants’ cultural contexts. Volunteers played a key role in ensuring sessions felt safe, welcoming, and community-driven.

Outcomes and Impact

Hundreds of individuals took part in regular physical activity, many for the first time in years.

Participants reported improvements in:

Physical health
Mental wellbeing
Social confidence

The programme also strengthened connections across age groups and cultures, using sport as a shared language. Young people especially benefited, gaining structure, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

Lasting Impact

Active Together demonstrated the power of sport to drive social change. By removing barriers and putting people first, the project showed that all communities deserve access to inclusive opportunities for health and wellbeing.

Its legacy is clear: when sport is accessible and welcoming, it can transform lives and bring communities together.

Come Dine Together: The Jubilee Community Feast

Celebrating a Nation, Strengthening Community — One Meal at a Time

Funded in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund Platinum Jubilee Fund

Project Overview
Come Dine Together was an intergenerational, food-led programme created to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Delivered with support from The National Lottery Community Fund, it brought young people and older residents together to share meals, stories, and experiences across Gateshead.

Community Need and Rationale
The pandemic intensified loneliness and social disconnection, especially among older people and young people from diverse backgrounds. Isolation can quietly weaken the everyday moments that build connection, including cooking, eating, and talking together.

The programme was shaped by community consultation, which showed a strong demand for meaningful contact, shared learning, and a renewed sense of belonging.

Activities and Delivery
Each week, young participants led in the kitchen, preparing meals while learning traditional recipes from older community members. These sessions encouraged cultural exchange, skill-building, and creativity.

Older participants acted as guests and mentors, sharing recipes, stories, and lived experience. The programme also included gardening, sustainability workshops, healthy eating discussions, games, chair-based exercise, and day trips.
The project launched with a large park celebration attended by over 150 people, bringing music, food, and community spirit together.

Community Impact
Come Dine Together built lasting relationships between generations who might not otherwise have met.

Young people gained practical skills in cooking, gardening, and sustainable living, alongside empathy, patience, and cultural awareness. Older participants gained renewed purpose and saw their knowledge valued.

As a result:
• Social isolation was reduced.
• Intergenerational understanding increased.
• Community cohesion was strengthened.

The project created a positive space for pride, celebration, and connection.

Lasting Legacy
The legacy of Come Dine Together continues beyond the project itself. Friendships were formed, traditions were shared, and a stronger sense of community took root.
Many participants continued meeting after the programme ended, showing the lasting value of shared meals and simple togetherness.
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Standing Firm: Emergency Support During the Cost of Living Crisis

Protecting Vulnerable Communities When They Needed It Most

Funded in partnership with: The Phoenix Fund — Children and Youth Emergency Round

About the Project

Standing Firm was BEST Initiatives' emergency community response to the devastating impact of the cost of living crisis on Black and minority ethnic families in Newcastle and Gateshead. Supported by The Phoenix Fund's Children and Youth Emergency Round, the project worked to sustain and extend critical services at a time when demand was rising sharply and resources were stretched to their limits. At its heart, it was a project about survival, resilience, and the refusal to leave a community behind.

Why It Mattered

As energy bills soared and food costs climbed, the communities BEST Initiatives serves were hit hardest. Families already managing on low incomes, precarious employment, and limited support networks faced impossible choices. For children and young people, the knock-on effects — stress at home, difficulty concentrating at school, increased vulnerability to peer pressure and violence — were deeply concerning. BEST Initiatives saw this unfolding in real time and knew that waiting was not an option.

What We Did

The emergency funding enabled the organisation to stabilise and expand its front-line services at precisely the moment they were most needed. Support was extended to more families, with a particular focus on children and young people aged 5 to 18 who were at risk of being drawn into harmful situations. The project reinforced BEST Initiatives' employment support programme, its after-school homework and mentoring offer, its childcare support for single parents, and its broader community wellbeing activities. The organisation's community-led model — built on trust, cultural sensitivity, and deep local knowledge — meant that help reached people who would never have sought it from statutory services.

What We Achieved

Hundreds of individuals across the BME community received direct support, with young people benefiting from continued access to safe, structured, and enriching activities that kept them connected, focused, and away from harm. Families in crisis found a stable point of contact in BEST Initiatives — a place where they were known, respected, and helped without judgement. The project's holistic approach, combining practical support with emotional care, youth violence prevention, and community-building, ensured that the organisation's impact went far beyond emergency relief.

Legacy

Standing Firm demonstrated what community organisations do that no statutory system can fully replicate: they show up, with compassion and without conditions, for the people who have been left furthest behind. In its darkest hour, BEST Initiatives' community stood firm — together.