Quest for training is key to success

3:50am Monday 11th August 2008

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Probably not even Dr Mohammed Ali, who founded QED-UK in 1990, could have imagined the impact it would be having both locally and nationally nearly 20 years on.

Quest for Economic Development, to give it its full title, is a Manningham-based charity well known in the corridors of power, with Cabinet ministers beating a path to its door and major companies supporting its work.

It even had a hand in the selection of former Pakistan cricket captain-turned politician Imran Khan as Chancellor of Bradford University.

QED-UK is described as an ethnic minority-focused community economic development agency. That might be a bit of a mouthful, but it reflects its wide-ranging and expanding operations.

From its early days of running English courses for speakers of other languages to authorship of authoritative official reports; from arranging local soccer matches to overcome ethnic diversity to sharing platforms with leading politicians and business figures, QED-UK has become firmly established as a “mover and shaker.”

Influential figures such as Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC, have visited the city to speak at QED events and Peter Hain visited the Manningham Lane offices when he was Works and Pensions Secretary after hearing about its work.

At the core of its work are projects such as the First Step programme which delivers courses in Bradford, Keighley, Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Halifax, designed to help people get into jobs so that they can attain their full potential.

These provide help in preparing job applications, CVs and interviews and support for people seeking jobs. They also include assessment of qualifications and experience, training in English and IT skills, help and advice in setting up businesses and volunteering opportunities.

The English language course has also been extended to include citizenship courses to meet the needs of people worried about getting indefinite leave to remain in the UK or applying for British Citizenship. More than 300 people have already attended these with over 95 per cent passing the exams.

Two of QED-UK’s latest key projects are finding ways to encourage more people from ethnic minorities to enter the professions and building links between mainstream schools and Madrassas, the supplementary schools that Muslim youngsters attend for up to ten hours a week for religious education.

Dr Ali feels the latter is particularly vital in the current climate of terrorism by Islamic extremists that has led to misunderstanding and suspicion.

It aims to build stronger links between 45 Madrassas and 145 primary schools in Yorkshire, the North West and East Midlands.

Through visits and regular contact within local networks, QED is aiming to develop lasting relationships between Madrassas and schools to create a better understanding.

The scheme has also been devised to improve literacy levels and overall educational attainment.

Dr Ali said: “We believe there is a need for more contact between schools and Madrassas and that this can only help to overcome any misconceptions that may exist between different sectors of society.

“It is important the faith-based Madrassas improve their capacity to contribute to the aims and objectives of mainstream education.

“Equally, it is essential that mainstream schools, their governors and staff better understand and work with Madrassas to improve the educational attainment.”

QED has obtained funding for the project from the Department for Children, Schools and Families to build bridges and foster understanding, and is playing a key role in opening up the professions to graduates from different backgrounds. It carried out research for a Government study into the experiences of people from ethnic minorities entering the professions and Dr Ali and his deputy Adeeba Malik co-authored the final report, Striving for Success, published in March.

QED has built up a strong reputation for helping 500 disadvantaged people a year in West Yorkshire to become more employable, through a range of training and support.

Dr Ali says the focus is on encouraging businesses to play their part in overcoming the employment rate gap which sees a below-average number of people from ethnic minorities finding work.

Dr Ali said: “It is equally important for QED to play its part in tackling the demand side of employment through closer involvement with businesses.

They need to better understand the issues facing different sectors of society in order to overcome their skills needs. “We are training senior managers from public and private sector companies on how to do businesses with the ethnic communities to the benefit of both parties.”

Mohammed Ali came to the UK in 1969 and attended Bradford University. He worked in the private and public sectors before setting up QED, and sits on the boards of many bodies, including the Prescriptions Pricing Authority, National Consumer Council Advisory Group, Bradford University Council, and the Yorkshire regional Institute of Directors. He was awarded an OBE in 2001.

Adeeba Malik, who joined QED in 1992, was born in Bradford and was previously a teacher. She has served on a wide range of bodies, including the board of Yorkshire Forward, British Waterways, the Women and Work Commission and the National Clinical Assessment Authority. She received an MBE in 2004.

It was Dr Ali who persuaded Imran Khan to become Chancellor of Bradford University. He said: “Imran Khan was on the list of potential candidates and I happened to be sitting next to a close contact of his at a business dinner in Manchester who gave me his mobile number.

“After several calls and much deliberation he agreed to accept the post, which I think was an inspired move by the university.”