Supporting a Community Group in developing problem solving capabilities

The Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA) has grown exponentially since it was first founded as the West Indian Association in 1955. The organisation provides over 300 people in the local community with support each week. Services and activities include an education programme, domiciliary care, a lunch club for the elderly, a Saturday school and an advice service. More recently SADACCA has launched a business mentorship scheme, offering advice and an affordable office space for those in the community who are starting out on their entrepreneurial journey.

Key motivations and benefits

Olivier Tsemo is Chief Executive Officer of SADACCA and is committed to providing the best possible support for the community. He believes developing his knowledge and skills as well of those of the wider team are key to achieving the ambitions of the organisation. With this in mind, Olivier decided to enrol on the STEM programme, understanding how important numerical skills are within a business environment. Although Olivier already had a background in mathematics, he was keen to develop his problem-solving skills so that he could apply these to his day-to-day activities.

“The course was really powerful and practical. It helped me to refresh my numeracy skills whilst teaching me how to apply mathematical concepts to solve workplace problems. I believe everyone in business would benefit from learning these skills, whether they have extensive knowledge of maths or are totally new to the subject. The course meets you where you are.”

A supportive Learning Environment

Olivier really enjoyed his experience of the course and found the content extremely valuable. “As CEO I use numerical skills every day, especially when working on areas such as finance. The course challenged me to develop these skills even further. Ovidiou, the tutor for the course was excellent, giving clear instructions and providing a supportive learning environment. I’d like other members of our team to participate in the programme because I think it will be of real benefit to our organisation.”

The STEM project is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and part-funded by the University of Debry meaning there is no cost to the participant. If you are interested in participating in the STEM programme and discussing working in partnership with us, please contact our Business Enquiry team on +44 (0)800 001 5500 or businessgateway@derby.ac.uk.