Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access at African Activities CIC

Why we exist
At African Activities, inclusion is not an add-on — it’s our founding purpose.
We exist to celebrate African and Caribbean cultures, challenge stereotypes, and create joyful, authentic spaces where everyone can belong and flourish.

Who we serve
We work across schools, communities, and care settings to serve people of African and Caribbean heritage — and everyone open to exploring these rich cultures.

Our programmes centre families navigating SEND needs, adults with deep cultural skills but few formal pathways, children and young people growing up amid racism and bias, people living in rural isolation, and those whose gender or sexuality journeys often go unseen.

Whether in busy city schools or small village halls, we create spaces where all of these stories can be held with care, joy and respect.

How we live these values

  • We pay everyone at least the Real Living Wage and never ask people to work for free.

  • We cover DBS checks and safer recruitment costs.

  • We ensure our venues are wheelchair accessible, can provide accessible transport, and build flexible session plans to meet a wide range of needs.

  • We design our sessions around culturally safe, creative practices — from family storytelling circles to emoji feedback tools — so everyone can shape their own experience.

  • We train our team to understand the intersecting realities of disability, gender identity, and sexuality, while acknowledging that as communities still healing from colonial impacts, we are all on a journey of learning.

Creating truly safe spaces
We recognise a profound truth: many people in our communities are still navigating ideas around gender and sexuality. At the same time, others may urgently need spaces that are explicitly safe for LGBTQIA+ identities.

That’s why we build safety in multiple ways.
We offer one-to-one and small group sessions that can adapt to individual comfort levels, needs around disability, or space to explore identity without pressure.
In all our work, we have clear, positive safeguarding expectations: everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and we do not tolerate harassment or exclusion.
We use gentle, culturally rooted approaches to open conversations — but never force them.

This means our spaces can be welcoming both for families who are new to these ideas, and for individuals seeking environments where they know their identities will be respected.

What we’re building next

  • Continuing to work in schools, tackling bias early and opening world views.

  • Creating funded programmes that reach those most in need, not just those who can pay.

  • Developing an Afrocentric training pathway, turning community-held knowledge into recognised qualifications and meaningful careers.

  • Building youth boards and peer networks, starting in the New Forest, and using these to influence how we work nationally.

Always learning
We check in regularly with families, trainees and partners. Their insights help us grow, adapt, and keep inclusion from becoming a box to tick — instead, it’s at the heart of how we do everything.

Printed and Signed Off By

 

Kwame Bakoji-Hume 2025

Our website address is: https://africanactivities.org.uk.

African Activities CIC

Company Number 11416278