BIG ambitions for lottery funded groups across Yorks and Humber

Area:

Yorkshire and the Humber
England

Programme:

Reaching Communities

Release date:

14 2 2012

A scheme to help provide long term employment opportunities for people with mental health problems and a community support  project to give young people new skills and confidence are among six projects in the Yorks and Humber region today sharing in over £1,554,000.

The money comes from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme, which aims to help those most in need and build stronger communities.

Providing vital access to employment and vocational opportunities for people with mental health problems in Doncaster, Big Ambitions CIC project today receives £438,516. The scheme will offer one to one support, advice, training, and individual action plans for those dealing with long term employment. It will also provide a signposting and referrals service to a range of specialist agencies to help those with issues around housing, drugs and alcohol misuse.

The scheme will include activities such as developing learning plans, health management, confidence and self-esteem building, work preparation, job search and mentoring to ensure people with mental health problems have the same access and opportunities to gain and retain employment. It will also provide advice and ongoing assistance for employers and local businesses to help ensure they have the knowledge and skills to support people with mental health conditions.

Jane Jefferson Project Facilitator said: “The Directors of Big Ambitions CIC were delighted to find out that we have been successful with our Reaching Communities funding application. This will allow Big Ambitions to help people with mental health problems to access personal development, vocational activity and employment. This will make a huge difference to clients’ mental health, the economy, and local communities.”

Giving young people in Hull a valuable chance to learn new skills and help others in the community St. Michaels Youth Project – Fair-Way today receives £214,674. The scheme will provide social and personal development opportunities through weekly sessions that promote self-confidence, team work and communication skills. Activities will include challenge events, residentials, adventure away days, mountain biking, canoeing, photography, film-making, media and IT. It will also be active in promoting healthy lifestyles with young people particularly in the area of fitness and sport, diet and cooking, alcohol and substance misuse.

The project will run sessions where young people will be able to make a real difference to the community in which they live. This will include aflagship project to refurbish and bring back into use the local 9-hole golf course. Young people will be involved in every aspect of this work, maintaining the greens, promoting events and organising coaching to encourage new participants.

The scheme will also provide opportunities for young people to become community youth ambassadors to represent their area at the Youth Parliament and Youth Forum.

Anne Richards, Project Manager said: “St Michael’s Youth Project is delighted to have been awarded this grant for the Fair-Way Project. This will secure the future of our project which is aimed at supporting young people in this community and providing positive activities for their personal development. At the heart of this project is an exciting opportunity to enable the young people to make a tangible difference to their own community through the regeneration of the dis-used golf course. With these resources we are now able to move forward with confidence and our aim is not only to benefit the lives of the young people but also to contribute to the regeneration of the area.”

Vanessa White, Big Lottery Fund’s Head of the Yorkshire and Humber region, said: “This funding will make a big difference to groups across Yorkshire and the Humber, whether it’s opening up new opportunities for those with mental health issues, or inspiring young people to give something back to their community, today’s awards will provide vital support for some of the region’s most vulnerable people.”

A full list of Yorkshire and the Humber projects receiving funding today:

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 330,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

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