- Area:
- London
- Programme:
- Improving Futures
- Release date:
- 1 3 2012
A London project working with young children growing up in very difficult family circumstances has been awarded close to £900,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.
Hackney Council for Voluntary Service, partnered with London borough of Hackney, Claudia Jones Organisation, African Community School, Daymer and Inspire!, is the latest project to receive money from BIG’s Improving Futures programme, which will provide more joined-up and earlier support to families with multiple and complex problems.
BIG’s backing will see families whose eldest children are aged five to ten years old being offered tailored support from local voluntary sector organisations working in partnership with public services.
Hackney CVS and its partners will work together to support 210 families over three years through their ‘Families First - working together for Hackney Children’ project. It will work mainly, but not exclusively, with African Caribbean, Turkish and Kurdish families who have been identified as having complex and challenging needs which do not yet require statutory intervention.
The project will work with the families, delivering a programme of approaches such as tailored, one-to-one mentoring and skills development for children making the transition from primary to secondary school; and intensive family support and coaching to restore parent, child and school relationships.
Jake Ferguson, CEO at Hackney CVS, said: “The Hackney Families First Programme is all about helping families in difficult and often complex circumstances avoid costly and frustrating attempts to get the right help from local public services. By focusing on 210 mainly black and ethnic minority families who live with multiple needs, this programme will provide a range of preventative initiatives such as mentoring children to get ready for secondary school transition, helping parents find the skills to cope better with situations such as if a parent is arrested or develops mental health issues, brokering relationships with schools when children find themselves behind their peers, and helping families to repair their internal relationships.
“Hackney CVS is delighted to have this opportunity to demonstrate the expertise of the voluntary and community sector in this area and to work in partnership with four key frontline VCS organisations and the local authority to tackle some of the biggest child and family wellbeing challenges in the borough.”
Alison Rowe, Big Lottery Fund’s Head of the London region, said: “Hackney CVS and its partners are focused firmly on improving the wellbeing and life chances of young children by supporting their families.
“Too many families in difficult circumstances still don’t know who to turn to for help with well-meaning agencies often acting in an uncoordinated way that doesn’t help resolve the problems families are facing. By mobilising all those who can help at a local level – charities, volunteers, peers and schools amongst others – in a coordinated way, Hackney CVS aims to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable children in Hackney.”
The Improving Futures programme will distribute up to £26 million in total and will see see some of the largest charities working together with some of the smallest community organisations and local public services to trial a range of family interventions.
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours media contact: 07867 500 572
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Ask BIG a question here: https://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk
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Find BIG on facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFund
Notes to Editors
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 46% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
- BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since June 2004 BIG has awarded over £4.4bn.
- The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £27 billion has now been raised and more than 370,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
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