Interview: Celebrating with Suberbos
For us Small Charities Week is not just about about charities it's about all the small local non-profit organisations supporting children & young people. Today we're celebrating Suberbos, a CIC who are doing great things in the borough.
1.Tell us about your organisation and why the work you are doing is so important?
Suberbos Community uses the power of football and fitness to positively engage with our diverse and ‘hard to reach’ communities, as well as those living in poverty stricken areas across the borough of Barnet. Our aim is to keep our young community engaged in positive activities in order to break down barriers between young people themselves, as well as young people and authorities, creating a safer, more cohesive community.
The reason our work is so important is because we're able to offer our young people the platform to do something else, something positive, something so many are so passionate about, especially in todays climate with stabbings, shootings and anti-social behaviour generally on the rise, we offer a place in which young people can come to to hopefully keep themselves away from certain negativities, somewhere where they’ll be guided, encouraged and motivated to hopefully make right choices in life, whilst being able to positively express themselves in a safe, fun and friendly environment.
2. What are your biggest challenges currently?
Being a small organisation that’s still reasonably new and with limited experience in business management, we still experience many challenges. I believe our main challenge however comes down to funding.
With limited experience in bid/application writing, we struggle to bring in the necessary funding required to put together the right team that would help with the growth of our organisation. With this being the case, it’s proven difficult to grow and improve on the great work that we do.
3. If you could change one thing what would it be?
If I could change anything, it would be staffing. It would be good to have a dedicated and motivated member of our team that’s willing to learn and help with the growth of the organisation that is also genuinely interested in the development of their local community.
4. Let us know something cool or beneficial of being a YBF member?
The team at YBF are always and have always been very supportive of the work we do and the great work that various other organisations are doing on behalf of our community, the passion and dedication they all have to create change within our community, especially for our young people is amazing and are highly respected for their work.
Being a member of YBF is like being part of a small family, they offer great advice and guidance, as well as a good lecturing when it’s needed (in the best of ways of course), but one thing you will always come away from a YBF conversation with is a clearer view, a better understanding and often a renewed passion for your work, as well as a great cup of tea or coffee.
5. How can people reading this interview get more involved with your organisation and help you make even more of a difference?
People can get more involved with Suberbos by coming along to some of our sessions and having a look at what we do. We run many great sessions across the borough that could use some fresh faces, whether that be as participants or helping hands.
With the view to expand our team and our work being of high importance to us, we are actively looking for dedicated volunteers to come on board and assist us with the delivery of our sessions, with the view to become a fully qualified (if not already qualified) member of our team, so if there is anyone out there that would like to take up a community coaching opportunity, please get in touch.
