10 March 2009

Students offer helping hand to Yemeni Community Association

Students from the University of Sheffield and lawyers from Sheffield-based Irwin Mitchell swapped pens for paint brushes to help the Yemeni Community Association (YCA) refurbish their HQ in Sheffield.

A team of lawyers from Irwin Mitchell and a group of students from the University´s Management School painted the YCA´s Old Red Brick Building on Earl Marshall Road in Sheffield.

As part of their studies the third-year Management students are currently looking at how the University and other businesses have a responsibility to the local community and as part of this wanted to give something back.

Dr Jon Burchell, senior lecturer in the University´s Management School, said: "This is an excellent example of how our students can work with a local business to engage in local community projects. The Yemeni Community Association does not have the resources to be able to carry out such a project so it is fantastic that the University and Irwin Mitchell were able to offer a helping hand. The YCA were delighted with the finished results and I am so proud of all the students who dedicated their time to such a worthwhile cause."

David Urpeth, a Partner at Irwin Mitchell, first got involved with the Yemeni community over 20 years ago when he helped many members of the Yemeni community pursue claims following their development of industrial deafness.

David said: "Irwin Mitchell is delighted to be involved with a great organisation such as YCA. There are over 5000 Yemenis in Sheffield, and many are amongst the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and isolated groups in the city. People from different places around the world can suffer from many barriers to participation in their local communities but the YCA has developed services which reflect and meet the changing needs of the community."

The YCA was formed in 1986 from the Yemeni Workers´ Union set up by Yemenis working in the Sheffield steel industry. The dramatic reduction in employment in the steel industry led to severe disadvantage among members of the Yemeni community, with illiteracy and low skill levels proving a major barrier to obtaining alternative employment.