About Us
Why Do We Exist?
At Ashiana, we work with the community to bridge inequality gaps. We listen, learn and work collaboratively with our community to ensure everyone understands the part they play in helping to build resilience, opportunity and personal growth. We provide greater access to resources, knowledge, support and expertise to help tackle isolation, to improve awareness of the opportunities to be taken, and lower the barriers that prevent people from seeking help or connecting more positively to the world around them.
Sparkbrook is one of the most economically deprived wards in the UK with a high percentage of BAME families originating from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and the Horn of Africa. Stifled with poor housing conditions, significant levels of overcrowding and high rates of poverty and unemployment, it has a high youth population and an unacceptable level of child poverty. In life, people are presented with different set of opportunities which are influenced by a range of social determinants, such as education, housing, income and good social links which are often indicators to good health, wealth and social mobility.
Generally, a person that has greater access to those resources will have more opportunities to perform better in life, live longer and are more likely to fulfil their potential. In contrast, someone living in an area with a high percentage of unemployment, poor housing and lower income will experience greater barriers to succeed, higher rates of mortality and less likely to reach their full potential. At Ashiana, we work to improve life chances for all. Ashiana is the Urdu word for `nest’ – a safe nurturing place for growth and development – and is indicative of the approach and atmosphere we have tried to apply through our work.
Our aim is to improve quality of life for those living in Sparkbrook, by creating opportunities for improvements to their social, physical and economic wellbeing, and supporting them to thrive and achieve their aspirations. We are incredibly proud to be a grass root community.
We build the confidence of local communities and empower them to be resilient, strong and positive. We invest in people, giving them the tools, resources and skills to take control and make a difference in their area.
Billiant!! They changed my life. I can't ever thank them enough. I have so so much gratitude. No judgement... Ever they just listened and helped. They have no idea how much they've made my life better. I'm eternally grateful.
This charity is everything you need . They helped me and saved my future.
5 stars. Lovely and helpful staff.
Thank you
My wife attends this place for various community projects. They offer a number of courses for women & men. ie. Mentoring, youth services, training, health & well being etc . They offer advice and help to those who need help & advice that don't speak English. Staff are all friendly, polite and helpful. There are also other services available there.
The staff are great they will go to the extra mile to help their customers
The staff are great they will go to the extra mile to help their customers
They are lovely here. All aspects of services here. They deal with domestic violence, benefit queries and employment and training services. Staff are really respectful, especially the well being team. ☺️☺️
It is a selfless helping organization, they are very sincere
I have known many of the staff for a number of years and they are polite, kind and helpfull people. They tend to go out of their way to help people which is a trate any human being would appreciate.
Really impressed by the calibre of volunteers that deliver assistance with finding work.
They are a credit to the staff that trained them
Really helpful. They have a drop in centre where u can get help with council/benefit letters etc.
ACP is a family and not just another organisation, serving the most vulnerable groups of people from the local community.
Great local place for supporting your welfare benefit and housing needs ..great advisory service doing a fantastic tireless job. Go see for yourself !!
Great place, services are much needed to support local residents.
Great local place for supporting your welfare benefit and housing needs ..great advisory service doing a fantastic tireless job. Go see for yourself !!
Excellent service and always welcoming.
Friendly and helpful people here. Lots of community projects going on here.
Friendly and helpful people here. Lots of community projects going on here.
Testimonials
In life people are presented with different set of opportunities which are influenced by a range of social determinants, such as education, housing, income and good social links which are often indicators to good health, wealth and social mobility Sparkbrook is still one of the most economically deprived areas in the UK and falls within the most 1% deprived areas in the country.
Moreover there continues to be a growing disparity from those living in inner-city deprivation compared to those living in affluent neighbourhoods, which can result in higher mortality rates for those living in poorer areas. “Those who live in deprived communities, where there is under-investment in the social and physical infrastructure, experience poor health, resulting in higher mortality for those of lower socio-economic class” (Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2003).
Generally, a person that has greater access to those resources will have more opportunities to perform better in life, live longer and are more likely to fulfil their potential. In contrast someone living in an area with a high percentage of unemployment, poor housing and lower income will experience greater barriers to succeed, higher rates of mortality and less likely to reach their full potential. According to the 2015 Marmot review; economic, health and education indicators represent the social determinants of health, health outcomes and social inequality.
Indicators linked to poor health are:
· Poverty
· Lack of Education
· Cultural barriers (language)
· Crime and anti-social behaviour
· Poor engagement and access
· Poor Housing
· Unemployment
· People on benefits
· Poor lifestyle
· Poor management in personal finances
Some of the poorest wards life expectancy is 8 years shorter than the more affluent wards – therefore the less affluent the person, is the worse on average their health will be. Sparkbrook (45%) and Nechells (47%) have the highest rates of poverty across the UK and with the gap of rich and poor widening more children are set to become trapped in long term poverty and disadvantage. “In a ‘collective resources model’, people in non-deprived areas have better health than people in deprived areas because there are more collective resources (including material and social resources, such as services, job opportunities, and social supports).
The ability of wealthier, more powerful individuals to attract high quality amenities and services enhances the area for all residents” Oxford University Journal Review Sparkbrook has poor housing conditions with significant levels of overcrowding and high rates of poverty. Birmingham has the highest levels of unemployment of any major city in England and Sparkbrook (having the highest young population across Birmingham) and is
one of the wards with the highest figures (6.7%, March 2017).
This greatly affects young people and perpetuates the cycle of child poverty which is highest in Sparkbrook. Ashiana Community Project supports people living in the Sparkbrook area. We understand their needs and work collaboratively with our community to ensure everyone understands the part they play in helping to build resilience, opportunity and personal growth.
Our Purpose
