About Us

Who We Are

We Are Leading Minority Ethnic Communities Organisation

Next Step Initiative (NSI) is a community-led organisation rooted in Scotland’s Afro-Caribbean and Global Majority communities. Our work is shaped by lived experience and by the priorities identified by the communities we serve.

Over the past decade we have built a trusted network of more than 250 community organisations and leaders across Scotland. We support grassroots groups through capacity building, partnership development and collaboration, helping strengthen the wider ecosystem of organisations advancing racial justice and community empowerment.

NSI has experience managing intermediary (Comic Relief) funding programmes, distributing approximately £700,000 to grassroots organisations. This work has strengthened our relationships with community groups and enabled us to develop participatory approaches that centre community leadership and shared decision-making.

Collaboration is central to our approach. We work closely with community organisations, leaders and partner networks to ensure community voices shape priorities and solutions. This initiative builds on those relationships and our lived experience leadership to strengthen the collective capacity and influence of Afro-Caribbean civil society across Scotland.

Strategic Focus

Strategic Focus Our strategic focus includes poverty alleviation, racial justice & equality, social and financial inclusion, reduction in domestic violence, employment & entrepreneurship, reduction of inequality gaps across gender, and capacity building, harness economic potential thereby reducing reliance on social welfare and entrepreneurship with the overarching goal of promoting inclusive growth in these communities. NSI adopts participatory approach and has partnered with over 200 third sector organisations to share resources (human & material), uproot multigenerational deprivation and inequalities within the Afro-Caribbean communities through community participation and empowerment as stipulated in the Scottish Community Empowerment Act(2015). This affords individuals from these community groups the opportunity to make decisions and exercise greater degree of control over decisions that affect their lived experiences and an increased sense of shared ownership.

Our Pride

Next Step Initiative has championed several projects for over 17 years. All these projects are geared towards empowering the African & Caribbean/minoritised communities across Scotland.

Strong, Strategic Networks

Strong Strategic Network We have a network of over 250 organisations. NSI has partnered and successfully supported and enhanced the capacity and sustainability of 975 community organisations and social enterprises from the most disadvantaged and deprived African and Caribbean/minoritised communities across Scotland. Furthermore, we have worked with external agencies including the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, Edinburgh City Council, National Trust Scotland, Glasgow Life, Museums Galleries Edinburgh, Scottish Maritime Museums, Archaeology Scotland, University of West of Scotland, Built Environment Forum Scotland, Wheatley Group/GHA, Learning Link Scotland and over 20 private sector partners in the delivery of several projects including employability. NSI also facilitated the establishment of Scottish African & Caribbean Social Enterprise and Engagement Network (SACSEN) in the bid to ensure a unified front for leaders of African and Caribbean/minoritised third sector organisations.