This organization exists to stimulate the planning and development of community projects in multi-racial urban areas by training and educating potential project leaders from within the local community.

We recognize that while aspects of such community development work may be stimulated, sustained or reinforced by partners or external agencies, the internal driving vision must generate from the members of the community.

The Institute underpins its community development work with positive ethical values. This does not mean a religious or cultural imperialism; neither does it mean economic or socio-political naiveté.

Rather it implies a tested, value-based activism that seeks constructive change in society. It also means that we work with themes such as stewardship, justice, love, reconciliation, identity, creativity, human dignity, and continuous development.

We earth this mission in the context of needs, people's relationships, and urbanisation.

We place the context at grassroots level, because we aim to promote the necessary support, ground action, and type of change that will benefit the grassroots both educationally and economically.

The Institute recognises that an urban community will not remain healthy if:
a) it has no moral influence on local events
b) it becomes isolated from the systems of the larger society and the centres of power.

To accomplish this mission, the Institute trains and supports individuals as well as local communities with the necessary skills, procedures and projects which assist them in:

learning by teamwork how to build self-help, economic an educational enterprises, e.g. credit union and co-ops;
increasing their capacity to run significant economic programmes and undertake social responsibilities;
understanding socio-economic trends and securing avenues to obtain, increase, or create resources (capital, revenue, and human) for local development;
reducing local poverty and dependency, by stimulating a corporate response, and encouraging mutual support;
learning entrepreneurial skills in the current culture of value-for-money, investment, and market-led opportunities.
bringing open-ended education and qualifications to individuals and families, (including children and young people) to encourage awareness and self-help.