10 March 2004

COMMUNITY PROJECTS TO BENEFIT FROM £3 MILLION FUND

A range of 13 community projects that are to benefit from the £3 million Department for Social Development’s Outreach Programme was announced today.

The initiative is a new approach to meeting community need and was developed by the Department in conjunction with other public sector bodies. It is supported through the Social Inclusion and Community Regeneration Executive Programme Fund. A DSD spokesperson explained its objectives:

"The Department recognises that some communities have not been able to readily access and influence the public services that impact on them. With this in mind, the Programme aims to help public sector organisations across Northern Ireland put into practice the principle of working in partnership with communities and with the voluntary and community sector."

Financial assistance is to be provided for innovative, demonstration projects that actively involve local communities and test new approaches. The thirteen projects selected represent partnerships between a wide section of public sector organisations and the voluntary and community sector.

The primary focus is about effecting long-term change in public sector organisations’ policies and working methods. It is hoped that significant lessons will be learned that have relevance right across the public sector. Greater public sector understanding and experience of community development will result in better working partnerships and more community involvement in policymaking and service delivery.

For example, the ‘Animate’ project in the Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council area aims to reduce exploitation of migrant workers, to build capacity and empower migrant workers to achieve an integrated and active role in local communities, and to embed the concept of multiculturalism as an enriching addition to local communities.

Another example, the ‘Coming to Your Senses’ project aims to improve access to arts and cultural services for blind/visually impaired people and to increase the numbers of blind/visually impaired people participating in the Museums and Galleries (NI) programmes, events and activities.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Programme was open to all public sector organisations. Voluntary and community groups were not eligible to apply directly, but it is a requirement that communities are involved substantially in the design, development and delivery of projects.

2. The Programme is one of a series of DSD actions aimed at tackling disadvantage and building stronger communities. In keeping with this remit, the Programme will focus on areas of high social need and weak community infrastructure, and on disadvantaged groups.

3. The projects to be funded are:

NAME OF PROJECT	LEAD ORGANISATION	AMOUNT OF OUTREACH FUNDING
ANIMATE: Action Now to Integrate Minority Access to Equality	Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council	£136,116
Ballybeen Regeneration	Castlereagh Local Strategic Partnership	£160,449
Coming to Your Senses	National Museum & Galleries of NI (MAGNI)	£112,997
Communities in Schools – One Stop Shop	Belfast Education & Library Board	£213,640
Domestic Violence Prevention Strategy	Foyle Health & Social Services Trust	£167,749
East Belfast Parent Support Programme	Belfast Education & Library Board	£213,640
Engaging Women	Derry City Council	£139,004
It’s My Home Too	North Down Local Strategic Partnership	£129,224
Managing Chronic Disease Among Travellers	Royal Group of Hospitals	£112,097
Statutory Outreach - Adding Value to Partnership	Western Investing for Health Partnership, & Northern Investing for Health Partnership	£355,000
Target Shankill – The Community Ripples of a Peaceful School	Edenbrooke Primary School	£137,537
Well	Down Lisburn Trust	£139,994

4. Further information is available from Imelda McConnell, Department for Social Development, Churchill House, BELFAST, BT1 4SD Tel no: 028 9056 9351. Details can also be found on website www.dsdni.gov.uk/publications

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