In 2003 Erinma became a co-founder and chair of CARISMA – Community Alliance for Renewal Inner South Manchester Area. CARISMA has become a front-line community based group, originally set up by the community for the community to offer life-chances for young people in the community by giving them positive alternatives other than street crimes, and gun crimes. Erinma employs a successful model that ‘builds social capital’ amongst grass roots individuals and groups with key stakeholders, employing methods which ‘transport and transform individuals’ to bring about peace. Carisma works around issues such as Restorative Justice, Peace and Conflict Resolution as well as Peace Making, Peace keeping and Peace Building within an urban environment.
In 2007, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, recognized Erinma’s efforts in his book ‘Britiain’s Everyday Heroes’ featured in Chapter One of his book. In 2008 Erinma Bell was awarded an MBE for voluntary services to her community.
Erinma’s professional background is in training and development. Erinma held the position of Staff Development Officer at Save the Children for upto 10 years before going freelance. Erinma has a BA Hons degree in Psychology and Advanced Early Years and a Postgraduate Certificate in Urban Education. Erinma is part of the Common Purpose Alumni; a Rotary Peace Fellow and an Honorary Member of the Rotary Manchester Breakfast Club.
More recently Erinma has joined as a community partner (CP), under the direction of NCCPE (National Centre for Community Public Engagement). As a CP the aim is to set the foundation for a UK wide community partner network that will influence HE policy and practice and provide resources for improving community and university partnerships focused on tackling inequalities.
Finally Erinma was made Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester in 2011.