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Leeds, 14th March 2026
Afrikindness is proud to announce that it has received an additional £19,800 from The National Lottery Community Fund to expand its Parenting and Safeguarding Training Programme for African and ethnic minority families in Leeds and Bradford.
Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will strengthen Afrikindness’ ongoing work supporting parents, community leaders, and families navigating challenges linked to parenting, safeguarding, neurodiversity, mental health, and cultural barriers. The programme aims to empower families with practical tools, knowledge, and culturally relevant support to create safer and more nurturing environments for children and young people.
The funding will support a range of activities, including safeguarding workshops, purposeful parenting training, community leadership sessions, awareness campaigns, and specialist support for neurodiverse families. It will also include a full-day parenting conference in Leeds, an online global parent summit and exhibition. It will also help Afrikindness train community ambassadors and faith leaders who will champion safeguarding and family wellbeing within churches, community groups, and ethnic minority communities across Leeds.
The curriculum will cover topics tailored to our community’s cultural contexts, including the impact of cultural values on parenting styles, mental health, emotional intelligence, behavior management, safeguarding, social services, and self-care. This programme aims to enhance family dynamics within cultural contexts,
Speaking about the funding, Bunmi Owolabi, CEO of Afrikindness, said:
“ We are delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised and invested further in our work. This funding will allow us to deepen our support for parents and community leaders, particularly in areas where there are gaps in awareness around safeguarding, neurodiversity, and family support. We believe empowered parents and informed community leaders create stronger and safer communities for children to thrive.”
The initiative will also strengthen partnerships with faith institutions, schools, voluntary organisations, and community groups to ensure safeguarding and parenting support are delivered in culturally responsive ways that reflect the lived experiences of ethnic minority communities.
Afrikindness’ Parenting with Purpose programme has already engaged thousands of parents through webinars, workshops, conferences, and support sessions. The additional funding will now allow the organisation to expand its reach, increase community engagement, and provide more targeted interventions for families with complex needs.
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players to support communities and people to thrive across the UK.
Find out more about Afrikindness Parenting with Purpose training programme here:- https://afrikindness.org/parenting-with-purpose-6-week-training/
Find out more about community empowerment programme here:- https://afrikindness.org/our-services/community-empowerment/
Are you a community leader interested in bespoke training for your community? Contact us at parents@afrikindness.org
Media enquiries:
Contact ceo@afrikindness.org
