QED-UK - helping to improve the circumstances of disadvantaged South Asian communities in the UK

Narrowing The Gap

Yorkshire Region has almost half a million people of ethnic minority background. Compared with the general population there are large numbers of people amongst some groups, for example, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, who are unemployed or not working for some other reason. We want them to reach their potential.

QED-UK - helping to improve the circumstances of disadvantaged South Asian communities in the UK Narrowing the Gap is a three-year (2005-2008) development project aims to address the employment gap (30%) between the South Asian Community and the general population by getting 2,000 British Pakistani and Bangladeshi people engaged in learning activity and 500 economically-inactive Bangladeshi and British Pakistani adults into work. It will achieve this by engaging with 1,000 employers and with Job Centres in Yorkshire and the Humber and increasing their understanding of faith and culture in Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities.

We offer a range of services including:

A friendly and supportive centre to look for jobs.
Assessment of your qualifications and experience.
Training in English and IT skills.
Help and advice in setting up businesses.
Volunteering opportunities.
Guidance in preparing job applications, CVs and interviews.

To find out more, why not watch our three videos.

The first, "World of Work", brings together employers, industry experts and men and women from the British Pakistani and Bangladeshi community who have successfully made the move into employment.

The second, "It Makes Good Business Sense", offers advice and guidance to employers on how to harness the best available talent from our multicultural population and explains how several companies have improved their turnover, staff relationships and standing in their community by diversifying their workforce.

The third, "Just the Beginning", reviews the pilot scheme and the excellent start it has made in addressing and dealing with the issues with which it is concerned.

World of Work

Just the Beginning

It Makes Good Business Sense

Our centres are located in inner city areas of Bradford, Keighley, Leeds, Sheffield and Rotherham:

	Mohammed Naheem, Q4Jobs Quest House, 243 Manningham Lane Bradford BD8 7ER m.naheem@qed-uk.org 01274 483267
	Nahid Rasool Shantona Womens Centre Bangladeshi Community Centre Roundhay Road Leeds LS8 5AN nahidrasool@shantona.co.uk 0113 2497120
	Mrs Parveen Qureshi United Multicultural Centre 59-63 Carlisle Street Rotherham S65 1HA pqureshi@umcc.org.uk 01709 360036
	Dr Abdul Rob, PMC Woodbourn Road Sheffield S9 3LQ abdulrob@pmcuk.org 0114 2436091
	Mohammed Amin, Sangat Centre Marlborough Street Keighley BD21 3HU sangat1uk@yahoo.com 01535 610263

The Narrowing the Gap initiative is being funded by HM Treasury through its Invest to Save Budget and is supported by the Department of Work and Pensions.

HM Treasury Invest to Save Budget