Why we are called SAVI

We originally formed as a group (Smethwick Anti-Violence Initiative) to prevent violence in Smethwick as a pilot initiative funded by the West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit (WMVRU).

However, we keep the name, SAVI, as its meaning remains pertinent to our aims and values. We are here to help Residents (Urdu name meaning), and to be about common-sense information and know-how regarding the disadvantaged and marginalised communities we reach, engage, and serve.
SAVVY – shrewd and knowledgeable; having common sense and good judgment.

Our Strategy
We focus our work where there is a concentration of disadvantaged, marginalized and excluded communities. Typically these are areas of super-diversity, where the population has a high proportion of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, who may have recently arrived in the region with the intention of settling in the area, and who need help to navigate their way into services and support, according to their human rights and the law.

We recognise this requires us to be place-based and locally available and accessible to local people.
However, we are not confined by local geography, recognising our target communities are spread around the region and that they welcome virtual connection, support and services as well as face to face.

• We recognise that language and cultural factors are significant barriers to access to services and support, and will always aim to increase access by communicating in relevant languages and cultures.
• We have knowledge and understanding about communities that needs to be shared with others.
• We have connections with people that can enable us to help them access services
• We will seek funding that focuses on meeting needs. In practice funding applications and projects will involve only those partners with the skills, capacity and experience to deliver the required outcomes. i.e. Not all partners will be included in every application/project
• We have a unique and distinctive offer to providers in helping them reach and engage communities that they find difficult to reach, especially in relation to key public health messages, prevention and early help

Our aim is to build the capacity of the member groups in the alliance to help them fulfill their aims, objectives, and goals, focusing on shared goals of all member organisations, as listed in our priorities for action. We will work to support our target communities by:
addressing health inequalities, combatting discrimination and tackling prejudice; taking action to prevent and reduce hate crime and violence helping people navigate, settle and integrate into their new homes and neighbourhoods addressing and breaking barriers to access to service and opportunities.

Our unique and distinctive offer:

• We are already engaged with individuals, families and communities that need the help of provider agencies but who are not being reached by providers.
• We have good community networks and reach thousands of people through social media, our local centres and our extensive networks
• We speak as our first languages the languages of newer migrants, that services are keen to reach and engage.
• We work with other agencies that engage with migrants, asylum seekers and refugees
• We are all established not for profit organisations
• We have a strong network of active and committed volunteers.
• Engaging with authorities

We are a new alliance and not yet well known to all authorities. We need to develop our influence at a strategic level through lobbying within the council, police, NHS, and local strategic partnership groups.

Our work comprises, but is not exhaustive: