Who we are

About Radiant and Brighter

Radiant and Brighter Community was founded in 2012 and became a registered Community Interest Company in 2014. We aim to promote diversity through education, inspiration and changing perceptions, applying the insights gained by our founders on their own journey to deliver greater societal integration and economic participation.

The organisation was founded by Micheal and Pheona Matovu after experiencing years of unemployment as a result of immigration controls and gaps in employment support provision. From their personal experience and learning acquired during this period, they started up an initiative to provide much needed support for migrant communities.

The Radiant and Brighter approach aims to bridge the gap between the needs of the growing BME refugee and migrant communities and existing support provision in Scotland. We partner with a range of expert organisations and a voluntary team of highly experienced individuals from recognised businesses and minority ethnic communities. Our partners include; Taylor Wimpey, Marks & Spencer, Centrestage, and Street Soccer. We also have links with Women’s Enterprise Scotland, GrowBiz and Latta and Co Solicitors.

We are proud to be supported by the Scottish Government Social Innovation Partnership fund in partnership with The Hunter Foundation – in recognition of the innovative practices we are piloting and delivering. Radiant and Brighter is also part of the ‘ScotlandCanDO’ eco-system for Enterprise.

Our success has been recognised in a number of press and media articles in addition to a variety of awards. Examples include; being featured on STV, an Employability Impact Award from the Council for Ethnic Minority and Volunteers Organisations (CEMVO) and receiving The Evening Times Community Award. Radiant and Brighter is also featured in the Scottish Entrepreneurship government paper as a good practice case study.

MEET THE TEAM

Micheal Matovu

Micheal Matovu

Marketing Director
Pheona Matovu

Pheona Matovu

Strategic Director

Micheal and Pheona Matovu

Unable to work for five years due to immigration controls Micheal and Pheona had to depend on family, friends and the local community for basic needs on a daily basis.  During this time, they discovered that there were no identifiable organisations dedicated to offering practical help to immigrants arriving Scotland for meaningful integrate into the local community and workplace.  They found that people not only lost hope due to difficult circumstances but also lost their confidence and previously acquired skills due to structural barriers. However, they knew that by reaching out they could support others rediscover their skills and talents and improve their situation.

Peter Kitchen

Peter Kitchen

Director

Peter is a General Practitioner who is also very passionate about community, pastoring a growing church in his local community. Peter has been with Radiant and Brighter since it was founded. He enjoys spending time with his young family, playing football and writing music.

 

Helen Ormiston

Helen Ormiston

Director

Helen has worked in several roles, originally working for the NCH as a residential social worker in a unit for looked after children at the end of the care system, who had been unable to be placed in families and now needed independence training. After a break to raise her own children she then managed a team delivering health education lessons in schools across Scotland and as an international development manager for the Positive Steps Partnership, supporting HIV/AIDS education across parts of India and Africa as well as in Scotland. In 2002 she became practice manager in a large teaching practice in Glasgow and graduated with an MBA from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2005. Helen was a quality and outcomes framework reviewer and sat on the Glasgow Practice Manager Forum for several years before joining the MDDUS as a practice advisor in 2013. As well as Director for Radiant and Brighter, Helen’s role now involves offering medical legal advice to doctors, associated clinicians and managers both in the NHS and private sector.

 

OUR MISSION

To provide a holistic person-centred approach engaging and empowering minority ethnic communities to share experiences, build relationships and reach their full potential to become an integral part of the local community contributing socially, economically and culturally. To raise awareness of cultural diversity within private, public and third sector organisations through educational programs, creating a platform to explore the impact of culture and diversity within the workplace and society. To influence policy driving systemic change for the promotion of inclusive practices for a radiant and brighter future.

 

OUR VISION

Developing a true understanding of culture and diversity through education, inspiration and changing perceptions, building stronger communities and a brighter future.

OUR VALUES

  • Respecting one another’s differences
  • Equal opportunities for everyone
  • Everyone is unique, gifted and of value
  • Believe in shared learning
  • Positive participation for everyone in the community

OUR AIMS

  • Support people to build careers for life.
  • Create a self-sustaining culture among marginalised communities.
  • Raise awareness of opportunities available to the community.
  • Improve and encourage diversity and integration within communities
  • Expand culture awareness within the private, public and third sector.
  • Support mainstream organisations to understand and reach marginalised communities
  • Influence policy

OUR FUNDERS

963
NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED SINCE 2015
60
NUMBER OF COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN RADIANT AND BRIGHTER FAMILY SINCE 2015
107
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO JOINED EMPLOYMENT THROUGH OUR SUPPORT SINCE 2015
161
NUMBER OF LEADERS TRAINED IN DIVERSITY SINCE 2015