Gambian Islamic Community Centre
Charity 1174827
Overview
Summary
The Gambian Islamic Community Centre appears to be a faith-rooted, place-based organisation using the mosque and associated facilities as a platform for wider community inclusion. Its stated role extends beyond prayer into education, employment support, recreation, advice and community development, with particular relevance to people facing social or economic exclusion. The available evidence suggests an organisation whose civic value may lie in combining trusted cultural and religious space with practical support and opportunities for participation.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence confirms that the charity self-reports operating in Birmingham City, alongside Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton, but does not identify any Birmingham venue, ward, neighbourhood, project or service location.
- The organisation's only evidenced physical operating base is in Smethwick.
- The official website describes the centre as a local Muslim community centre in Smethwick and locates its Madrasah and life-event services in Smethwick. This reasonably suggests that its day-to-day operational identity is primarily neighbourhood-based around Smethwick, despite the broader local-authority coverage reported to the Charity Commission.
- The website says the organisation works with trusted external providers for marriage, aqeeqah, baby-naming and funeral services, but names neither those providers nor their locations. No partnership can therefore be treated as materially extending the organisation's reach into a specific Birmingham area.
- No current evidence identifies whether Birmingham beneficiaries are served in person, through outreach, online activity, referral arrangements or travel to the Smethwick centre.
Additional evidence needed
- A current programme, timetable, event listing or annual report naming Birmingham delivery venues, neighbourhoods or wards.
- Confirmation from the organisation of the Birmingham-based services it currently delivers, including whether delivery is venue-based, outreach-based, online or through referrals.
- Names and locations of the external providers used for life-event services, and confirmation of whether these arrangements constitute ongoing delivery partnerships.
- Current beneficiary or service-use data showing the geographic reach of the organisation's activities within Birmingham.
Areas of work
- Disability
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
- Recreation
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A mosque functioning as civic infrastructure
The evidence suggests the Centre’s religious role is also its operating base for broader neighbourhood support. Prayer meetings appear to sit alongside facilities, advice, training and recreation rather than being separate from them.
Why it matters
This helps explain the organisation as more than a provider of religious observance: it may be a trusted access point through which residents encounter practical support, learning and community life.
Show evidence
“The charity advances the Islamic faith through the holding of prayer meetings.”
Source:Charity Commission“Activities take place at the mosque and include education and training, economic development/employment, community development and recreation.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity provides buildings, facilities, open space, services, advocacy, advice and information.”
Source:Charity Commission
Social inclusion is framed as practical participation
The Centre appears to understand inclusion not only as belonging, but as access to skills, employment-related support, advice and shared recreational activity.
Why it matters
This indicates a potentially preventative role: support may reduce isolation by connecting people to economic, educational and social opportunities rather than addressing a single need in isolation.
Show evidence
“The charity promotes social inclusion for people from socially and economically deprived communities.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity carries out education/training and economic/community development/employment activities.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity helps children and young people, older people, people with disabilities and people of a particular ethnic or racial origin.”
Source:Charity Commission
Potential convening role remains unverified
Its objects suggest the Centre may be intended to bring residents, local authorities and voluntary organisations together around local wellbeing, but the evidence does not confirm that such partnerships are active.
Why it matters
If this convening role is active, the Centre could be an important bridge between culturally specific community networks and wider local services.
Show evidence
“The charity aims to associate residents, local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity provides advocacy, advice and information.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which services are currently delivered, how often and to how many people.
- Whether the Centre has active partnerships with local authorities, voluntary organisations or employment providers.
- Whether support is primarily used by Gambian residents, Muslim communities or a wider local population.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports, service descriptions or activity timetables.
- Evidence of current partnerships, referral routes and community outcomes.
- Beneficiary feedback and information on who uses each service.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
There are many activities that take place at the mosque in the form of education and training, support in regards to economic development/employment, community development and recreation. These activities are facilitated through the provision of a building/buildings/facilities/open space, providing the required services and equipment and through the provision of advocacy and advice
Charity objects
1. TO ADVANCE THE ISLAMIC FAITH IN THE WEST MIDLANDS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE HOLDING OF PRAYER MEETINGS. 2. TO FURTHER OR BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF WEST MIDLANDS AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE OR OF POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR OTHER OPINIONS BY ASSOCIATING TOGETHER THE SAID RESIDENTS AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES, VOLUNTARY AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN A COMMON EFFORT TO ADVANCE EDUCATION AND TO PROVIDE FACILITIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION AND LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS. 3. TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INCLUSION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM BECOMING SOCIALLY EXCLUDED, RELIEVING THE NEEDS OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SOCIALLY EXCLUDED AND ASSISTING THEM TO INTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CLAUSE ‘SOCIALLY EXCLUDED’ MEANS BEING EXCLUDED FROM SOCIETY, OR PART OF SOCIETY, AS A RESULT OF BEING A MEMBER OF A SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DEPRIVED COMMUNITY.