SACF was established on 18th January 1993 to promote self-help, community development and empowerment of the African Caribbean Community for the following core reasons in the Sandwell area:

• A lack of political representation
• A lack of adequate resourcing to meet community need
• Poor levels of educational attainment
• A lack of job opprotunities and prospects
• Poor community mental health status
• Poor housing conditions for those starting out in life and potential homelessness for the young.

The above remain as true today as they have been in the past. In tackling these issues, with other African Caribbean community based projects, SACF has emerged as a development agency based within the community that approaches its task from a "holistic" philosophy.

In 1997 SACF successfully applied to SRB 2 for the establishment of a "Young African Caribbean Housing Project". SACF's aim was to establish a base and resource for young African Caribbean's housing needs, as a catalyst to meeting both their social and economic needs. To this end SACF has worked for the last 5 years with Sandwell Housing Department and Focus Housing to establish The Sandwell African Caribbean Housing Project at Rolfe Street, Smethwick.

Some of the activitties that we will be undertaking include:

• Enhancement of the opportunities created and available to young African Caribbean people
• Make available opportunities for young African Caribbean people to participate in wider community life and thereby engender a community environment where young people are respected
• To provide for personal development opportunities for young African caribbean people by firstly meeting their housing needs.

The Sandwell African Caribbean Forum Housing Project is the first step towards the establishment of wider African Caribbean Housing Services within Sandwell. We hope you will continue to contribute to and share in making our dreams become a reality.

If you would like to find out more about this project please contact us using the details below.

Contact Details:

Focus Housing: Sandwell Youth Services
Rolfe House - 69 Rolfe Street
Smethwick
B66 2AR

Telephone: 0121 558 5739
Fax: 0121 555 8119