Building Trust and Cultural Competency: Supporting Black Communities

Building Trust and Cultural Competency: Supporting Black Communities is a workshop for professionals working with, or aiming to better reach, Black service users. The session focuses on helping local services understand cultural context, lived experiences, and barriers that affect engagement with African and Caribbean communities in the UK.

What is the workshop about?

This workshop highlights why many people from African and Caribbean backgrounds may not engage with support services and what professionals can do differently.

The session draws on community insight and research supported by the NHS and Reading University, alongside real-life examples from frontline service delivery.

Date: Tuesday, 19th May, 2026

Time: 10:00am – 11:30am

Location: Via Zoom

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is suitable for professionals working in or alongside local services, including:

– Local authority teams

– Voluntary and community organisations

– Housing associations

– Family hubs

– Food banks

– Public health and wellbeing teams

It is particularly useful for organisations looking to improve engagement with Black communities.

What will the session cover?

The session will cover:

– An overview of the Black experience in the UK

– Cultural context and common financial pressures within African and Caribbean communities

– Why many Black service users do not access local support

– Practical steps to make services more culturally relevant and accessible

– Real examples of how small changes can improve engagement

– A Q&A and shared discussion space