A Dundee charity dedicated to helping the city’s most vulnerable desperately needs a permanent new home amid growing pressure on its services.
Yusuf Youth Initiative (YYI), which runs flagship community outreach initiative Taught By Muhammad (TBM), has made a purchase offer for NHS Tayside property Wedderburn House in the West End.
The move has been made as the charity currently rents multiple premises — including its main office on Dunsinane Avenue — meaning it may be asked to leave at short notice.
Wedderburn House, located on Edward Street, currently houses a community mental health team but the property has been for sale for a number of years.
YYI CEO Faisal Hussein says demand for the charity’s services has outgrown the current facilities and stressed the £50,000 buy-out is “vital” if its good work is to continue.
He said: “We have a growing number of services to meet community demands.
“These vital services currently operate from our two offices and various rented community halls across the city which becomes difficult in providing a holistic service for our clients.
“Our current premises are at full capacity and there is no room for growth. This has been the case for the last couple of years.
“Wedderburn House is a perfect location to help us expand our organisation, which has been operating in the area since inception 15 years ago.
“We expect the total cost of the move to be close to £250,000 after refurbishment is completed.”
Rizwan Rafik, operations manager at TBM, added: “If the move goes ahead, it will give the whole operation a huge boost.
“The space will allow us to grow and help even more people in the city.”
>> Keep up to date with the latest news with The Courier newsletter
The organisation currently employs 31 full and part time staff alongside an army of volunteers.
It has numerous projects including TBM, which runs a foodbank as well as providing support cafes, short term support for the homeless, and budget cooking courses.
TBM also carries out presentations to challenge misconceptions on Islam in city schools.
Other parts of the organisation include youth clubs, workshops, and confidence building initiatives, as well as supporting refugees and other minority adults.
The sale would be completed under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 — a law introduced to give new rights to community bodies and new duties to public sector authorities through the ownership or control of land and buildings.
SNP Dundee West MSP and health minister, Joe Fitzpatrick, voiced his support YYI.
He said: “YYI are a well-established charity who have been doing valuable work in the communities across the city.
“I fully support their efforts to identify a longer-term base to enable them to continue and expand upon their activities for the benefit of local people.”
