Highlighting Afro-Caribbean community groups

Researcher

Shey Grant, STEAM PhD scholar and sociologist

Research aims

The research aims to examine the value and future of African and Afro-Caribbean community organisations in Britain. Led by Shey Grant, one of 50 STEAM scholars at Birmingham City University, the investigation also aims to raise awareness of the Organisation of Black Unity (OBU), highlighting its crucial place within the local community.

Method of research

Shey will spend nine months undertaking an ethnography, which will see her shadow volunteers of the OBU, helping her explore their workplace practices and culture. Founded in Birmingham in 2013, the OBU works with Black communities to support their welfare and wellbeing, while also challenging racism in today’s society.

Applications

Shey hopes that the research will help raise the profile of the OBU and similar organisations, enabling them to help overcome the challenges Black communities still face. With inequality issues still in existence in the UK, the research hopes to challenge and solve these concerns, allowing communities to share personal experiences and aid black advancement.

Benefits

The research will highlight the importance of African and Afro-Caribbean organisations, not just within the local community but throughout the UK. These organisations will then be able to continue their fight against racial inequality, while providing Black communities with the platform they need to articulate their thoughts and concerns.