Our projects
There’s something for all ages
We organise a wide range of activities, projects and courses for the local community. Go to our “What’s On” page to see the events calendar and sign up.
adults
ESOL classes
We offer accredited ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses designed to enhance participants’ English proficiency, conversation skills and overall confidence. Delivered at ESOL Levels 1 and 2, these classes provide a supportive and encouraging environment for language learning, empowering individuals to communicate effectively and confidently in their new community. This project is proudly funded by the South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF).
young people
Healthy Holidays Club
For the past three years, we have organised seasonal clubs for children aged 8-16 during the school holidays (Easter, Summer and Winter) as part of the Rotherham Borough Council ‘Healthy Holidays’ initiative.
These clubs cater to children and young people who are eligible for free school meals, offering a variety of creative activities, recreational games, and exciting outings to places like Jump Inc. Rotherham, Gulliver’s Valley Theme Park, and The Deep. Each session includes a complementary hot meal alongside engaging lessons on healthy eating and nutrition. The initiative has been met with enthusiastic feedback with children and young people expressing how much they enjoy the activities and the memorable experiences these holidays provide.
Young people
Today’s Child is Tomorrow’s Future
We have been a member of the Children, Young People and Families Consortium since it was established in 2003. We believe every child is capable of achieving success. We organised a variety of projects around different themes:
1. Staying healthy – we organised a HAF School Holidays Club, which was run by community coaches. This included football and Zumba, as well as advice about healthy eating and lifestyle.
2. Enjoying and achieving – we ran various trips and outings, Easter/summer/Christmas clubs, creative/expressive art, study support, after-school club and family learning.
3. Making a positive contribution – we did fundraising (for food parcels during COVID-19) and sessions about cultural awareness, respect for all religions, the environment, recycling and wildlife. We organised a Children and Young People’s Steering Group.
4. Staying safe – we organised various sessions about road safety, fire safety, safety in the home, drug awareness, emergency life support, stranger danger, and emotional wellbeing and bereavement workshops.
We received a grant from the South Yorkshire Community Foundation, which enabled us to assist young people, mainly from migrant communities, in acquiring entrepreneurial skills through a structured program.
We delivered the Community First project, training young people on how to make videos, including both production and post-production techniques, and explored the theme of living in Eastwood. We documented local communities’ likes and dislikes and the things they wanted to see change. We then assisted them in making those changes happen. The Community Development Foundation funded this project through Rotherham MBC.
Funded by the Home Office, we organised citizenship courses for 15 young people. It entailed three major aspects, firstly. a residential with outdoor activities, a second residential focusing on increasing skills and a third to undertake a project within the local community. UMCC worked in partnership with the YMCA for the project.
In 2010-2012, we organised the ‘Aiming High for Disabled Children’ project twice a week for 10 people per session, on a six-week cycle. It provided fun activities for children and young people with disabilities in Rotherham. It offered a range of activities, including music, arts and crafts, computer games, digital art, board games, air hockey and pool, weekly Horse Riding for children and young people with disabilities and SEND.
Adults
Women’s group physiotherapy and relaxation classes
Since 2022, we have hosted weekly group seated physiotherapy classes for women over 45, promoting physical activity, mobility and overall wellbeing. Led by a Chartered Physiotherapist from Village Physio, who specialises in caring for older adults, these sessions focus on keeping participants ‘fit for life’.
This year, the programme has been enhanced with meditation sound baths and deep relaxation classes guided by a Kundalini Yoga teacher, offering additional support for mental and physical balance. Initially funded by Voluntary Action Rotherham (VAR) through the Mental Health Support Grant and Capacity Building Funding, the project is now supported by the South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF).
Young people
After School Homework Club
Since 2020, we run an after-school club for secondary school students during term time. Led by experienced teachers, the club follows the school curriculum, providing guidance and support to help students achieve academic success. The sessions focus on building confidence in Maths, English, and Science, addressing learning gaps, and nurturing a genuine love for learning.
Beyond academics, the club offers a welcoming environment where students can build meaningful friendships and combat isolation. Participants have expressed feeling valued and included, while also benefiting from opportunities to interact with peers from diverse backgrounds, enhancing their cultural awareness. This project is currently funded by the South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF), and was previously supported by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT).
Families
Food Parcel Project
From 2020 to 2023, we ran a food parcel project in response to community feedback highlighting challenges in affording culturally appropriate food. The initiative support asylum seekers, low-income families, and single parents who faced barriers accessing food banks that did not cater to their cultural dietary needs. The project was made possible through funding from Voluntary Action Rotherham (VAR) and previously from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT).
Adults
Multiply Programme
In 2023, we offered numeracy and mathematics sessions for adults, aimed at building participants’ confidence with numbers and equipping them with practical skills for everyday life and the workplace. This project was funded by The Multiply Programme through the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combine Authority, with allocations provided by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC).
Adults
Open Arms project
In 2023, we provided a warm space, fun activities and a free regular hot meal for local residents. Sessions were two hours per week over 12 weeks. They included advice and practical support with the cost of living, such as how to read gas/electric bills. We also organised a rag rugging workshop. Voluntary Action Rotherham funded this project.
Adults
Census project
The Good Things Foundation gave the United Multicultural Centre funding to deliver the Census Programme to inform local community members about the importance and purpose of the 2021 census. We trained four staff to support residents in completing the forms and the importance of the census.
adults
Drama group
In 2018, we held a drama group for 30 young adults from a range of nationalities, mainly Asylum Seekers from the local area. It involved drama practice, building confidence and connections, having fun and making drama accessible for all. The South Yorkshire Community Foundation funded this project.
adults
COVID-19 project
During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, we provided online ESOL classes, which included a mixture of live Zoom sessions, YouTube videos and a Whatsapp group. We provided tablets for participants. The South Yorkshire Community Foundation funded this project.
adults
Employability and computer skills
In 2019, with funding from the Humber Learning Consortium in association with the European Funding Agency, we have offered:
• ESOL Skills for Life accredited by Trinity College London
• IT classes
• Assisted job search and CV creation
• Understanding the job market
• Identifying and understanding how to get a job
• Volunteering for work
• Succeeding in interviews
Over 25 learners developed the skills necessary to enter the workplace. We also offered a number of foundation learning programmes leading to City & Guilds and Trinity qualifications. This project was funded by the South Yorkshire Community Foundation over 2 years.
Adults
Learn My Way project
UMCC is a registered UK Online Centre. We have developed staff skills and equipped our IT suite with the latest hardware and software. We have helped more than 450 people in the community develop basic IT skills and build their confidence using computers and Internet access through the ‘Learn My Way’ project. This is thanks to funding from UK Online, the ‘Get On’ internet programmes, and the Good Things Foundation.
Adults
Sewing Bee project
In 2018, we organised a project to teach women basic sewing skills so that they could make their own garments and curtains. This was to help them become self-employed in the future so they could work from home. The South Yorkshire Community Foundation funded this project.
adults
Women’s Right to Vote project
In 2018, celebrating one hundred years of women’s right to vote, we trained 30 women to be advocates for female civic engagement, encouraging voting and participation in their diverse communities. They taught them the benefits of voting and what they were voting for. There were workshops on democracy and women’s political history and visits to Rotherham Town Hall and the House of Parliament. ECORYS funded this project.
Adults
Dementia awareness
In 2014, we hosted talks, seminars and events to raise awareness about dementia. The Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council funded this. The people involved found the sessions useful. We worked with the Lost Chord, a local charity that uses music to help dementia sufferers and health professionals. Participants enjoyed these innovative music sessions. We produced a report for the Council’s Community Health department after surveying participants about their awareness and support for dementia.
Adults
BME Women’s Leadership Programme
In 2011, we enabled 15 women to undergo leadership training and created a forum for them to engage with local organisations and services to consult on the needs of BME communities. There were inspirational BME speakers, role models and training professionals from various organisations, including the NHS. For example, Julie Hous shared how she became a successful Businesswoman. The programme gave them the skills, confidence and perspective to become community leaders. The Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council funded this project through the ‘One Town, One Community initiative.
Adults
National Citizens Service
In 2008, we provided courses to teach and encourage learners from other countries to apply for indefinite leave in the UK. This included an in-depth look into British culture and history to help them fill in the forms and book their appointment, and sign-posting them to other relevant organisations. The Department of Education funded this project.
Adults
Women’s Voices Project
In 2005, we organised a new and innovative project to engage women in regeneration and public life across South Yorkshire, enabling them to build their skills and knowledge. The project delivered motivational training courses, held information events, and allowed women to consider volunteering, play a more active role in their communities, and widen learning opportunities for underrepresented groups. This project was funded by the UK government’s Department for Education.
Families
Family Intervention Project
In 2014, this project was funded by the Department for Education (DfE) to provide whole-family support with a particular emphasis on early intervention and supporting the most disadvantaged families. UMCC was the only organisation delivering the project in South Yorkshire.
UMCC provided 30 families from Slovakian and Roma communities living in Rotherham who exhibited multi-complex needs with:
• Skills for life and ICT classes
• Parenting classes
• Family learning classes
• Welfare benefits advice
• Job search and employability classes
• Awareness sessions delivered by outside agencies
• 9-5 drop-ins
• Outreach and one-to-one support
• Home visits
• Signposting to other agencies
We organised homework clubs and after-school projects for 30 children, some of whom came from the above families. We supported a further 37 children in local schools every week to increase their attendance and attainment and support them with key subjects, including English and Maths. This was done through one-to-one support, peer mentoring, and working with excluded children to continue their educational needs.
The project helped families to integrate into the local community and express themselves in English.
Families
Fame project
This project was funded by the Children, Young People and Families Consortium to support hard-to-reach families. UMCC employed sessional staff to identify and consult with communities in socially and economically deprived areas to inform them of the local service provision and opportunities through children’s centres.