OVERVIEW
The Foundation announced the Creating Change grant programme in Spring 2007 with a closing date for applications in September 2007. This grant programme is currently closed for applications.
The Creating Change grant programme has funded 19 organisations up to £100,000 each over a period of 6 years. This is a pilot programme to assess the benefits and impact of longer term funding on a voluntary organisation. The organisations commenced their funding in April 2008. As part of the ongoing support from the Foundation, training is provided twice per year on topics suggested by the funded organisations themselves. During year one of their funding, the organisations received training on Monitoring and Self-Evaluation, and Income Generation. In year two, their first training session was on Developing a Communication Strategy, and took place in October 2009.
PROFILES OF THE 19 SUCCESSFUL ORGANISATIONS
Belfast South Community Resources
£100,000
This grant will allow Belfast South Community Resources to continue their work and increase the range of training programmes and community support that they provide within the surrounding area. Funding will assist with the development of their volunteering programme and support the organisation as they go through the process of developing a new Community Resource Centre.
CAB – Strabane
£100,000
The funding awarded to Citizen’s Advice Bureau Strabane will enable the organisation to further develop their telephone advice service. As part of a Northern Ireland wide pilot initiative, CAB Strabane aims to make their overall service more accessible to those who are housebound or have no access to transport. The grant will part support the salary of a Telephone Advice Worker and it is hoped, will impact on the delivery of future CAB services throughout Northern Ireland.
Cancer Choices
£100,000
This CREATING CHANGE grant, through supporting the post of the Development Manager will enable Cancer Choices to expand their Complimentary Therapies Programme designed for the benefit of cancer patients and their families. A new range of practical support services will also be developed and will be available from their new premises in Dungannon.
Caring Breaks
£96,000
Caring Breaks will be funded to appoint a part time Events/Activities Co-ordinator to arrange events, activities and respite weekends. This will increase the level of respite offered to parents and carers of an adult with a learning or physical disability. Based in Belfast, the organisation aims to expand on recent successes and reach significantly more people in need of support.
Cathedral Youth Club
£100,000
This grant will support the post of a part time Youth Worker for Cathedral Youth Club, which will allow the organisation that works for the benefit of all local residents, to offer a specific range of programmes and activities for disadvantaged young people from the Fountain area of Derry City. The programme will also involve liaising with other youth providers and agencies in the area to increase the young peoples’ level of engagement with their local environment.
CO3 Chief Officers Third Sector
£100,000
CO3’s grant will enable a wide range of lower income Voluntary and Community sector organisations to enhance their capacity through a mentoring programme. The funding of a Head of Leadership Development along with the provision of an information and skills programme will further improve the services the member organisations can offer their respective beneficiaries throughout Northern Ireland.
Cookstown and District Women’s Group
£100,000
This grant will allow Cookstown and District Women’s Group to provide much needed training and tailored support to three specific groups of people: lone parents, young adults with learning disabilities and young offenders within the greater Cookstown area. The funding will support the salary costs of the Development Manager and Project Co-ordinator.
Dundonald Community Family Initiative
£94,580
Dundonald Community Family Initiative will now be able to increase the hours of both the Project Co-ordinator and the Family Worker posts. This additional resource will enable the organisation to expand the range of services provided for families within the Ballybeen Estate area. Special emphasis will be placed on a programme designed to increase the participation of fathers in a range of dad’s and kid’s activities.
Easilift Community Transport
£100,000
This grant will enable Easilift Community Transport toexpand community transport routes into two new rural areas, namely Plumbridge and Castlederg. The funding will allow for the lease of a new minibus to service these areas, which will also result in the provision of a larger number of group runs, thereby increasing accessibility and reducing isolation.
ECF Links
£100,000
The grant awarded to ECF Links will contribute to the salaries of the Youth Work Co-ordinator and Youth Support Worker. The funding will assist with the expansion of the
organisation’s current detached youth outreach work and the development of activities in their new drop-in centre for young people in Lurgan.
The Educational Shakespeare Company
£100,000
This grant will fund the provision of Active Citizenship accredited training programmes to both ex-offenders in the community and current prisoners of Maghaberry Prison. The Educational Shakespeare Company will be supported to employ a part time Co-ordinator/Fundraiser to plan and further develop their work with these target groups through the medium of film.
FAST Rural Transpor
£99,899
This grant will enable FAST Rural Transport to employ a part time Chit Chat Worker to co-ordinate the organisation’s daily telephone service for older people and those who are housebound in their community. Based in Irvinestown, the project will also encourage use of the community transport provision to reduce the isolation experienced by many of the older members of the local community.
HomeStart Antrim
£100,000
HomeStart Antrim, through CREATING CHANGE funding,will expand their parent support services into two new rural areas in Toomebridge and Ballyclare. The grant will allow for the employment of a part time Development Worker who will recruit and manage the additional volunteers necessary to deliver this high quality service to families with young children under 5 in these areas where no current provision exists.
Kids in Control
£100,000
This grant will allow Kids in Control to provide a Core Training Programme in drama for young people from disadvantaged areas and young people with learning disabilities. A specialised Peer Leadership Training Programme will also be made available. The funding will contribute towards the staff costs of the Freelance Artistic Tutors to drive this initiative forward.
Kilkeel Parish Bridge Association
£100,000
Kilkeel Parish Bridge Association have just moved into new premises and this CREATING CHANGE grant will enable the organisation to expand the range of services they currently offer to young people through salary support for the Project Leader’s post.
Their youth outreach project will be further developed and a youth committee, to support all decision making within the organisation, will be established and provided with the necessary training.
Learmount Community Development Group
£100,000
This grant will support Learmount Community Development Group in the development of a new volunteering programme designed to provide a wide range of services for the local community. The funding will be directed towards the salary costs of a Volunteer Promotion and Recruitment Officer and initial services on offer will include community recycling, social history activities and local events.
Newbuildings Community and Environmental Association
£100,000
This grant will support the employment of a part time Health and Employment Promotion Officer to oversee the implementation and development of a Community
Health Programme and a job club. Newbuildings Community and Environmental Association will also train local people to become Volunteer Health Workers to provide information sessions and support to the local community.
Off the Streets Community Youth Initiative
£90,000
This grant will provide Administration and Finance support to free up the Manager of the Off the Streets Community Youth Initiative in developing and delivering their youth outreach activities in the Galliagh area. The group will increase their current volunteering programme for young people, increasing participation in the Galliagh area and engaged citizenship.
Replay Productions
£100,000
Replay Productions, with the support of the CREATING CHANGE programme, will explore physical and mental health issues through workshops, residences and compact theatre productions for children and young people in Northern Ireland. The children and young people will develop new skills as well as a better understanding of some difficult issues. The grant will provide support to the Development Manager’s post.