- Area:
- North East England
- Programme:
- Reaching Communities
- Release date:
- 13 3 2012
A project to support families suffering as a result of separation is being developed in Hartlepool with £460,778 from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).
The funding to Headland Future comes from BIG’s Reaching Communities programme, which aims to help those most in need and build stronger communities.
Family breakdown can cause poverty, lower school grades as well as poor mental and physical health. The project by Headland Future will improve families’ financial and emotional circumstances and prevent more vulnerable people suffering from unemployment, substance misuse and criminality.
The project, delivered by Headland Future through the Family Separation Partnership, will focus on areas which have the highest child poverty, providing debt and budgeting services, benefits advice, and counselling for children who have witnessed domestic violence. Parents benefitting from the project will be trained as volunteers to support other parents.
At least 400 parents and children will directly benefit from BIG’s grant along with another 200 who will be supported by workers from other agencies trained by the project.
An evaluation of a pilot project which supported 115 families revealed that 77 per cent of families reported improvements in emotional well-being, 75 percent avoided significant reductions in income and 70 per cent reported an improvement in family relationships.
Graham Alton, Headland Future Chief executive, said: “We know that parents are often the best people to support each other, so this project will train parents to help other families in similar situations. It’s a really exciting opportunity for community members to take the lead in supporting each other.
“Big Lottery Fund grants are crucial to organisations like Headland Future. We’ve provided youth and family support services in Hartlepool for over 13 years, and through working with and consulting local parents and children, we’ve built up a good picture of some of the extra support families need.
“Without the Big Lottery Fund we often wouldn’t be able to give parents the help that they need and children could suffer as a result. We’re thrilled that this project will allow us to give support to families at a really difficult time.”
In Middlesbrough a project to help women who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence has received £123,522 to continue providing counselling sessions in addition to building confidence and assertiveness. My Sister’s Place will benefit around 440 women aged 16 and above.
Also receiving grants today are Ferryhill Town Council in County Durham which received £36,000 towards providing a youth facility for around 80 disadvantaged young people to help steer them away from anti-social behaviour and The Action Foundation in Newcastle which received £110,761 to provide ‘Skills for Life’ classes for people with poor English skills, many of whom have recently arrived in the country.
James Turner, Big Lottery Fund Head of region for the North East, said: “Family breakdown is not only upsetting and distressing but it can have long-term effects on things like finances and how well children develop. This award will help develop a project that has already demonstrated success.”
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
Follow BIG on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BigLotteryFund #BIGlf
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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