Ileys Community Association
Charity 1124725
Overview
Summary
Ileys Community Association appears to operate as a neighbourhood-based bridge between recently arrived and Somali community members and mainstream public services. Its role extends beyond advice: it combines referral, advocacy, skills development, employability, community activities and volunteer participation. The available evidence suggests an organisation trying to reduce both immediate exclusion—around housing, health, benefits and education—and longer-term isolation by building confidence, participation and routes into work. Its breadth is a potential strength, though the scale and consistency of delivery are unclear.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East
Confidence: low
The organisation’s current official website presents a Birmingham contact location alongside its services and projects. However, the website does not explicitly state which services are delivered from this location, or identify the ward in which activity takes place. It also prominently identifies its Smethwick centre as the Ileys Centre.
- Ileys Community Association website — Home and Services pages ([ileyscommunity.org](https://www.ileyscommunity.org/))
The site lists “Ileys Community Association Birmingham” in Birmingham, while describing ongoing advice, employment, education, youth, health and community services.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence confirms that Ileys publicly presents a Birmingham location, but does not confirm whether this is a full service-delivery centre, an administrative/contact address, or a newer premises not yet fully described on the website.
- The clearest explicitly named service centre is Victoria Park Skills Centre in Smethwick, outside Birmingham. The website describes advice activity at that centre and repeatedly refers to clients using services “at our centre,” so Smethwick may remain the principal physical base.
- The organisation describes itself as a grassroots body working with local communities in the West Midlands and beyond, but available evidence does not demonstrate routine delivery across Birmingham as a whole; citywide coverage is therefore not supported.
- Sports4Work names several partner organisations, and the homepage identifies a Midland Metropolitan University Hospital community-ambassador role. Available evidence does not establish current delivery venues or Birmingham wards for those partnerships, so they have not been converted into additional operational areas.
Additional evidence needed
- A current timetable, booking page or programme leaflet showing which services are delivered at the Birmingham contact location and on which days.
- Confirmation from Ileys of whether the Birmingham contact location is an operational venue, and whether Victoria Park Skills Centre remains its principal service centre.
- Current project documentation identifying the locations and delivery partners for Sports4Work, the community café/soup kitchen and the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital ambassador work.
- A recent annual report or impact report with participant geography and venue-level delivery information.
Areas of work
- Disability
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
- Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity
- Other Charitable Purposes
- Overseas Aid/famine Relief
- Religious Activities
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- People With Disabilities
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Other Charitable Activities
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Other Finance
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A bridge into mainstream systems
Ileys appears to define its core role as helping people navigate and access services that already exist, rather than replacing those services. Its value may lie in trust, interpretation of systems and practical referral for people who face barriers to entry.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish Ileys from a specialist provider: it may be an important access point whose relationships with housing, health, education and employment services determine much of its local impact.
Show evidence
“The charity's objects include providing information and advice to refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers about health care, benefits, housing and education.”
Source:Charity Commission“The organisation states that it provides a comprehensive referral service and helps service users access mainstream provision in housing, health, education and other services.”
Source:Organisation
Integration is pursued through practical participation
The organisation appears to treat integration not only as cultural cohesion, but as participation in work, learning, volunteering and local decision making.
Why it matters
This suggests a longer-term strategy: immediate advice may be used as an entry point to build agency, employability and community influence rather than as a stand-alone service.
Show evidence
“Its objectives include supporting the integration of the Somali community into British society and enabling people to influence local service provision and decision making.”
Source:Organisation“The website describes employability skills training, vocational training, ESOL, volunteer opportunities and a pathway to employment.”
Source:Organisation
A broad, volunteer-led neighbourhood model
Ileys appears to combine formal advice and training with community events, healthy-living activity and anti-loneliness work, delivered largely through volunteers with paid specialist roles where needed.
Why it matters
This breadth may allow the organisation to identify needs through everyday community contact and offer wrap-around support. It may also create operational dependence on volunteer capacity and external partnerships.
Show evidence
“The organisation says it is run by volunteers and pays only for essential skills including job counselling, qualified childcare workers and qualified teachers.”
Source:Organisation“The website describes projects promoting culture, creativity, healthy living and regular events intended to reduce loneliness.”
Source:Organisation
- Whether refugees, asylum seekers and the Somali community remain the main beneficiaries in practice, or whether services now reach a wider population.
- Which mainstream agencies, employers, schools, health providers or local bodies are active referral or delivery partners.
- The scale, outcomes and sustainability of its advice, training and community activity.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or service data showing beneficiary groups, referrals, training completions and outcomes.
- Evidence of formal partnerships, funding sources and the roles of the Victoria Park and Birmingham sites.
- Participant feedback or case studies showing whether support improves access, employment, belonging or influence.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Our objectives are: To provide a comprehensive referral service for the community and to assist our service users to access mainstream service provision in Employment , health, education and other services To support the integration of the Somali community into British society and enhance community cohesion To empower and support people to influence local service provision and decision making
Charity objects
TO RELIEVE POVERTY, SICKNESS AND DISTRESS BY THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION AND ADVICE TO REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS AND ASYLUM SEEKERS IN THE UK, IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION RELATING TO FINDING HEALTH CARE, BENEFITS, HOUSING, EDUCATION AND OTHER SUCH SERVICES.