- Area:
- East Midlands
- Release date:
- 10 12 2012
People across the East Midlands are celebrating Reaching Communities awards this month. As the nation celebrates 18 years of the National Lottery, four projects across our region will benefit from a share of over £1 million.
Benefiting from funding of £239,892 are young homeless people in and around Swadlincote, South Derbyshire; supported by Trident Reach The People Charity. A new project plans to work with 150 individuals over the next three years who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The project will provide them with the opportunity to learn new skills and knowledge so that they can live independently. The focus will be on young people aged 16-24 who are leaving care, ex-offenders, or those with complex support needs such as alcohol or drug abuse.
Trident will work with individuals who live in one of their 32 short-term accommodation units and those who are referred through local agencies such as Connexions. Young people will be invited to attend group sessions which will run over ten weeks starting with taster sessions. Areas to be covered will include re-engagement with mainstream education, vocational training, apprenticeships and work experience alongside support for those with complex issues including alcohol or drug abuse. Alongside the group activity, there will be one to one drop in sessions.
Lesley Wilson, Head of Young People Services at Trident Reach The People Charity said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Big Lottery Fund and really invest in Young People in South Derbyshire.This is a great opportunity that will enable us to work with young people at a time when many of the services they had access to, are no longer available due to cuts or lack of resources. We hope that through our approach in utilising and harnessing the skills and talents of young people, we are not only helping them in the short term but far beyond the funding from the Big Lottery Fund, as our bid was not just for the present but for the future sustainability of those that access these services.’
Nottingham Hostels Liaison Group receives £231,194 to work with around 170 homeless people in the city to improve their mental and physical health. Many homeless people have multiple needs including mental health issues which can make it difficult for them to access and maintain contact with the support services which can help them. The Department of Psychological Medicine advises that they are most at risk of suicide, accidental death, involvement in drugs and alcohol, prostitution, exploitation, violence, homicide and poor health.
Through outreach support, individuals will be allocated a support worker who will work with them to build their trust and confidence and accompany them to appointments until they feel able to access services on their own.
Close to 4,000 residents living in Bagworth and Thornton villages, in the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth will be looking forward to having a new place for village celebrations and activities. The Parish Council receives £332,592 to undertake a major refurbishment of the Bagworth Community Centre, originally built in the early 20th century, to provide a modern, high quality venue for the former mining village that will include a community cafe to provide a social meeting place.
Bagworth has very few community facilities, in recent years it has lost its primary school, both churches, 200 houses due to subsidence and a number of businesses, and its only pub burned down and subsequently demolished. Half of the village now consists of houses built within the last eight years.
The Parish Council has already built a large rear extension but with the new Lottery funding it will be able to remodel the original building including providing improved access, toilets and a new kitchen. The current community centre is already used by various groups including a pre-school group, karate club, crafts club, the WI and clinics. In the future it will provide a drop-in facility, internet access, potential wedding venue, a cafe selling local produce, adult learning courses plus sports, arts, youth and after school clubs.
And finally, SNaP Development Project in South Normanton, Derbyshire will use £235,217 to create a new youth club that through youth led activities will aim to raise the aspirations of young people through participation, active citizenship, volunteering and enterprise. SNaP will focus on working with young people before any bad influences can take hold, giving them a safe environment to spend time whilst receiving guidance and support to enable them to progress and make their own decisions about their lives and futures.
For more information about Reaching Communities and how to apply visit our website.