Why we exist

Why 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.