Welcome to our annual report covering the April 2020 – March 2021 period. Like everyone who is reading this, April 2020 to March 2021 was a very different year to any previous years through our 50-year history. We adapted accordingly with staff working from the office and from home. We thought it was important, for the sector in East, that we at least provided some sort of normal functioning as an organisation and continued to try and deliver, as best we could, for the community sector in East Belfast.
This is the first year of reporting on our 5-year strategy “People Build Communities”. This report is a slightly different format to other years, as we are reporting all of our work under our three themes agreed in the strategy 2020-2025, these are:
Theme 1 – Community Support & Capacity Building:
To assess the needs of the community sector and work with other key organisations to:
- To assess the needs of the community sector and work with other key organisations
- recognise the principles and values of adopting a community development approach
- draw up support programmes that develop the community sector
- plan projects that lead to more collaborative working
- develop plans and strategies that build capacity
- advocate on behalf of and with communities
- seek to influence the policies of community, voluntary, government and statutory agencies.
Theme 2 – Community Resource & Finance Services:
To manage our human and physical resources and promote good financial management practicin the community sector by:
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offering financial management advice and guidance
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providing financial training and support services
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providing a payroll and community accountancy service
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managing and maintaining East Belfast Network Centre
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ensuring the sector is up to date in charity compliance.
Theme 3 – Community Health Development:
To encourage, support and facilitate the provision of community health programmes and projects that:
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seek to influence the health policies of community, voluntary, government and statutory agencies
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promote and provide opportunities for health education and training
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support the community sector to recognise the value of adopting a community development health approach in their work
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builds the capacity of the communities in East Belfast to develop collective solutions to their health problems
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plan and deliver health projects that lead to more collaborative working.
Mission
East Belfast Community Development Agency
exists to provide resources, support and capacity
building programmes for community groups that
are based on partnership, equal opportunities and sustainable outcomes.
Theory of Change
EBCDA’s job is to add value to the activity undertaken by groups in local areas and to work with key organisations to ensure the continued development of a community sector in East Belfast that is recognised, valued and effective.
We seek to support successful community development, encourage reflective practice and promote cooperation and locally based solutions.
Thanks
We are grateful to our staff team and Board of Directors for their time, effort and commitment to EBCDA. Thanks also to our funders, Department for Communities (DfC) Belfast City Council (BCC), the Public Health Agency (PHA), The Executive Office and the Community Empowerment Directorate (CED). Thank you also to our members for their support and working closely with us to build towards achieving our strategy for 2020-2025 “People Build Communities”
Karen Purdy, Chair
Michael Briggs, Executive Director
Annual Report Sections