Promoting Social Inclusion by Enabling Individuals and Developing Communities
What is our overall purpose and aim?
Exeter Community Initiatives (ECI) is a registered charity and limited company
that was set up in 1993 as a partnership between the churches and the wider
community, in order to promote social inclusion through community development.
We aim to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the Exeter area in order to increase their self-esteem, confidence and skills through:
a) managing and delivering community projects which provide practical and emotional support to disadvantaged individuals and groups;
b) identifying, developing and implementing new projects in response to unmet need;
c) promoting, enabling and undertaking community development work;
d) challenging and addressing the causes of social exclusion.
How do we achieve these aims?
We achieve these aims through managing community and development projects
such as:
a) [ Flying Start Children's Centre ] works closely with local groups and agencies to ensure that a full range of support services are available to children 0-5 across St David's, St James, Newtown and Duryard.
b)The [ CARD ] [ PORCH ] project - effective hosuing and mentoring support to promote resettlement and reduce re-offending.
c) [ Supporting Community Development in Exeter ] (SCDE) which supports community groups in disadvantaged areas of the city.
d) [ Ujima Project ] which supports BME communities in Exeter.
We act as a development agency setting up new projects, working with them to develop efficient and effective systems, and then housing them within the charity until they are ready to become independent e.g. Turntable Furniture Project (a furniture recycling project), and St Petrock’s Centre (a resource centre for homeless people) both became independent from ECI on 1st April 2002. St Sidwells centre (a community centre and cafe) which became independant on 1st April 2008.
We also support projects in development that are totally independent from the start e.g. Exeter Credit Union. We currently support about 80 community projects and groups benefiting some 2500 people each year.
