The SBC Citizen Engagement Team includes 3 Community Development Officers (CDOs) who work with Swindon’s BME communities.

The BME CDO team support local BME communities in their development and raise the awareness of service providers about the needs of these communities

CDOs do this by:

• Helping develop the capacity of community organisations  
• Encouraging individuals and groups to identify the needs of their communities
• Promoting mental health and well-being
• Providing informal learning
• Encouraging interaction between all BME groups, contributing towards community cohesion
• Supporting equality and diversity in Swindon
• Monitoring progress and achievement

BME CDOs offer support to community organisations:

• To develop project plans
• To identify annual work priorities
• To identify training needs
• To undertake formal & informal learning
• To fundraise for activities

BME CDO offer support to individual BME community members through:

• Listening
• Initial advocacy and support
• Referral to colleagues / external agencies
• Feedback loop

BME CDO’s  offer colleagues :

• Pathways into local Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities
• Cultural understanding of BME communities
• Trust and communication with particular groups and organisations
• Support for individual adults who need help to understand their current situation

What BME CDOs request from colleagues:

• A face-to-face meeting or invitation to case conference prior to first support visit
• Background information about the individual including agencies already involved & referrals already made
• Final report on outcomes

BME CDOs do not offer:

• Language interpretation or written translation services
• Long-term advocacy
• Counselling
• Work with whole families

For more information on our work as the BME Community Development Officers, please contact:

Mohamoud Ibrahim
BME Community Development Officer
Office:  01793 466374
Mobile:  07766 368347
mibrahim@swindon.gov.uk

Joanne Laing
Caribbean Community Development Officer
Office:  01793 463708
Mobile:  07766 368255
jlaing@swindon.gov.uk

or write to us at: