Celebrating the Global Majority-Led Organisations Building What Comes Next in Southwark

At Do it Now Now, we know that Global Majority-led social enterprises, charities and community organisations are often doing some of the most vital work in our communities while facing some of the steepest barriers to growth.

They are trusted locally. They understand lived experience. They often respond first, adapt fastest, and hold communities through moments of pressure and change. Yet too often, they are asked to deliver more impact with less infrastructure, less flexible funding, and fewer opportunities to step back, strengthen their foundations and plan for the future.

That is why programmes like Starting Up, Starting Out, delivered through Southwark Local Access Partnership, matter.

Across Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 4, the programme has supported Global Majority-led social enterprises and charities in Southwark to grow their confidence, strengthen their operations, and build more sustainable futures. Through hands-on training, expert mentorship, practical tools and financial support, the programme was designed to meet organisations where they are and help them move forward with clarity.

But this work is not only about organisational development. It is about recognising the courage, creativity and leadership that already exists in communities, and creating the conditions for that leadership to thrive.

Building confidence, capability and community

One of the strongest themes from participants was the value of having a consistent space to learn, reflect and keep moving.

For Simon Ly, the programme offered both structure and momentum:

“It’s been lovely. Really great to get a good grounding of how to grow and run a small business. As ever, it’s really important to keep momentum going and the consistent schedule has helped me make progress week on week, month on month. It’s been really nice working alongside peers too who are facing similar struggles but can provide a different perspective on how to overcome them.”

This is what capacity building should feel like. Not a one-off workshop. Not a generic checklist. But a rhythm of support that helps people build confidence over time, test ideas, return with questions, and learn alongside others who understand the realities of the journey.

For many organisations, peer learning is just as important as expert input. It reminds leaders that they are not alone. It creates space for honesty, shared problem-solving and collective ambition.

Practical support that meets real organisational needs

The programme covered the core areas that help organisations become more resilient: management, collaboration, safeguarding, wellbeing, human resources, strategic planning, financial management, income diversification, advocacy and navigating systems.

For Lydia Teklue, the experience strengthened both personal leadership and organisational capability:

“Throughout the programme, I gained valuable knowledge in effective management practices, collaboration with partners, and the importance of safeguarding and wellbeing. I also developed a deeper understanding of human resources, strategic planning, and managing organisations during critical and high-pressure situations. The programme enhanced my ability to engage with others, advocate effectively, and navigate systems and structures.”

That combination matters. Global Majority-led organisations are not only asking for funding. They are asking for the infrastructure, tools and support that help them make the best use of funding, protect their teams, serve their communities well, and plan beyond survival.

This is especially important for lived experience-led organisations. Many are founded because someone has seen a gap, experienced harm, or witnessed unmet need up close. That closeness is powerful, but it can also mean leaders are carrying emotional, operational and financial weight at the same time.

Programmes like Starting Up, Starting Out help leaders step out of constant delivery mode and into a more strategic space: What are we building? What do we need to sustain it? What structures will protect the mission as we grow?

Learning that still lands after years of experience

One of the most powerful reflections came from Hanna Heissenbuettel, who has been running her charity for 18 years. Her words remind us that capacity building is not only for new organisations. Even experienced leaders need time, space and expert support to keep strengthening their work.

“This has been a serious learning curve with all aspects of running our charity covered. I thought the experts giving the workshops had deep and thorough knowledge of their various subjects, but it also linked up across all areas. It was very useful to do a workshop, then work on the material and come back with reflections and questions in the office hours. After running our charity 18 years and having done this and that training, there were areas where I was surprised how much more I discovered.”

This speaks to the quality of support that community organisations deserve. Too often, capacity building is treated as a light-touch add-on. But when done well, it becomes a serious development journey. It connects the dots between governance, leadership, income, wellbeing, risk, operations and impact.

It also gives leaders practical ideas they can use immediately.

As Hanna put it, what stood out most was “the very practical ideas to kickstart our journey of becoming more efficient and sustainable.”

That is the goal: not abstract learning, but usable change.

Creating space for voice, courage and transformation

The reflections from participants also show that the programme was about more than systems and structures. It was about identity, confidence and self-belief.

Gage Arneaud described the journey as one of creativity, courage and belonging:

“Creativity and courage often grow side by side. Through every challenge, whether on a board, a stage, or behind a lens, I’ve learned that taking risks isn’t just about adrenaline. It’s about finding your voice and trusting it. Being part of a space that values both self-expression and community has helped me see that everyone has a story worth sharing, and a talent worth nurturing.”

That reflection captures something central to Do it Now Now’s work. We do not believe community leadership begins when an organisation receives funding. It begins much earlier: in lived experience, in creative practice, in care, in frustration, in imagination, and in the decision to do something about what is not working.

Our role is to help turn that leadership into something stronger, more sustainable and better supported.

Gage continued:

“What I’ll carry forward is not just the skills, but the lived experiences I’ve gained from my own story and from others. The confidence to explore, to fall and get back up, and to support others in doing the same. This journey has been more than just activities, it’s been about belonging, growth, and discovering that creativity can shape who we are and where we’re going.”

That is the deeper impact. Skills matter. Funding matters. Business models matter. But so does belonging. So does having a space where people feel seen, where their ideas are taken seriously, and where their ambitions are treated as possible.

The beginning of what comes next

For Ana Ramos, the programme created space for reflection, renewal and forward movement:

“Starting Up, Starting Out reminded me that transformation doesn’t wait for the perfect moment, it begins the moment you choose yourself. This programme gave me space to pause, to unlearn, to rebuild, and to step forward with intention. I leave with a clearer voice, a stronger sense of purpose, and a deeper belief that my story is still unfolding. I’m grateful for the tools, the community, and the courage it helped me uncover. This isn’t an ending, it’s the beginning of everything I’m ready to claim.”

That sense of beginning is important.

Post-programme reflections are often treated as the end of a journey. For us, they are evidence of what becomes possible when Global Majority-led organisations are properly supported. They show leaders leaving with more clarity, stronger foundations, deeper confidence and a renewed belief in what they can build.

Why this work matters

Do it Now Now exists because we believe Global Majority-led organisations deserve more than short-term interventions and one-size-fits-all support. They deserve infrastructure. They deserve patient investment. They deserve practical tools, trusted relationships and development spaces that understand both the brilliance and the burden of lived experience-led work.

Starting Up, Starting Out has been a powerful example of that approach in action.

It has supported leaders to strengthen their organisations, sharpen their thinking, build peer relationships, and imagine more sustainable futures. It has shown that when support is practical, culturally grounded and relational, it does more than improve organisational systems. It helps people stand taller in their purpose.

We are proud of the organisations and leaders who have taken part across Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 4. We are proud of the honesty, courage and commitment they brought into the room. And we are proud to continue building the kind of support that helps Global Majority-led social enterprises and charities not only survive, but shape what comes next.

Because the work they are doing in Southwark is not small.

It is community infrastructure. It is leadership. It is legacy. And it deserves to be celebrated.