Newry, Mourne and Down District Council: COVID Response and Recovery Fund

Overview

There are four grant themes currently open, these are:

• COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery
• PCSP Community Safety and Support
• Suicide Prevention
• Good Relations

COVID 19 Community Response and Recovery Information

Aim:

The priority of this grant fund is to assist local community organisations in alleviating the impacts of the Covid-19 [Coronavirus] pandemic within their local community.

Threshold:

£500-£1,500

Objectives:

The fund seeks to encourage local community-based organisations, either individually or in collaboration with other similar local organisation’s to address local issues through innovative and appropriate local solutions. Priority areas for the fund include:

• Food poverty - access to food (whether due to cost or availability) for those most in need.
• Financial hardship - for those on low income and at risk due to financial stress.
• Connectivity challenges - for those living alone or in rural and border areas that are likely to experience greater challenges in accessing services.
• Support for those identified as “Vulnerable Groups” under Public Health Agency guidance

It should be noted that applications addressing other issues than the above, arising from the COVID-19 [Coronavirus] pandemic, will also be welcomed for consideration.

The Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Community Response Fund applications will be assessed and scored against the fund criteria. Organisations must clearly demonstrate on their application form how they can support one or more of the following groups and outline the service they will deliver:

• Older People (aged 70 and over).
• Isolation, loneliness, well-being and mental health.
• Homeless people.
• People experiencing food poverty.
• People experiencing financial hardship.
• People experiencing connectivity challenges.
• Young people up to 26 years.
• Those most vulnerable as advised by Public Health Agency (PHA). A full list of which can be found on their website https://www.publichealth.hscni.net.

PCSP Community Safety & Support

Aim:

To provide the delivery of projects aimed at improving Community Safety across the Newry, Mourne & Down District Council area.

Threshold:

£500-£2,000

Objectives:

The fund seeks to encourage local community-based organisations to address local community safety issues through innovative and appropriate local solutions.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate how their project can be delivered should further restrictions be introduced to contain the current Covid-19 pandemic or in the event of a second outbreak of the pandemic later in 2020. This may include virtual / online activity and the use of other forms of telecommunications where appropriate and relevant to the theme(s) below.

Funding is available under a number of themes (applicants should clearly indicate which theme their project relates to) -

- Anti-Social Behaviour - Projects which will prevent, reduce or address Anti-Social Behaviour across the Council District (applicants should note that Anti-Social Behaviour may encompass a range of behaviours including noise, vandalism, graffiti, anti-social driving, or causing annoyance to people not in the same household).

Applicant projects may include the following –

• Provision of diversionary / intervention programmes which incorporate developmental opportunities and encourage behaviour / attitudinal change (these may include parental support projects)
• Provision of diversionary / intervention programmes which will reduce the number of incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour through partnership working in local communities
• Provision of early intervention projects which will reduce the risk of individuals, (especially young people aged up to 17 years) from engaging in Anti-Social Behaviour

- Community Safety, Support and Vulnerability - Projects which support vulnerable people and / or families, and which address mental health, substance abuse (including prescription medication), isolation and loneliness, and general community safety. Projects might include those which have been developed as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and which -

• Develop activities to deal with mental health and wellbeing
• Encourage a community approach to the promotion of positive wellbeing
• Connect isolated people, family members and friends with the wider community
• Develop local community safety initiatives which help to reduce fear of crime in communities, particularly among older people and other isolated/vulnerable groups or individuals

- Confidence in Policing – Projects which will increase confidence in policing by developing and enhancing opportunities for engagement between local communities and the PSNI.

Projects which aim to increase the levels of reporting of certain crimes (specifically domestic abuse) are particularly welcome – applicants should note that domestic abuse can include coercive control and / or physical, emotional or financial abuse

All project activity MUST be completed by 31 January 2021.

SUICIDE PREVENTION THEME

Aim:

To provide support and delivery of project aimed at Suicide Prevention and the promotion of positive Emotional Wellbeing.

Threshold:

£500-£1,000

Objectives:

Project should have the objective of:

• Increasing awareness of suicide prevention;
• Reducing stigma associated with suicidal behaviour and mental illness;
• Promoting help-seeking behaviour, especially in males;
• Training those who interact regularly with vulnerable or at-risk people so that they can pick up early signs of acute distress and mental ill health;
• Support for those who are in emotional crisis or who are already suicidal, and their families;
• Support for those who are bereaved by suicide and those who are exposed to suicidal behaviour in others
• Improve awareness of suicide prevention and associated services.
• Enhance community capacity to prevent and respond to suicidal behaviour within local communities.

Good Relations theme

Aim:

To provide the delivery of projects aimed at improving Good Relations across the Newry, Mourne & Down District Council area.

Threshold:

£500 - £1,500

Objectives:

To support projects that complement the Council’s Good Relations Strategy which identifies a number of key strategic priorities in meeting the good relations needs of the District.

Applicant projects should aim to address one or more of the 4 Key Priority themes defined by The Executive Office (TEO) under the Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) strategy (2013). This document is available to download from The Executive Office website at https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/publications/together-building-united-community-strategy

The Key Priority areas are summarised and outlined below –

Key Priority 1: Our Children and Young People

• Improving attitudes between young people from different backgrounds
• Young people engaging in bringing the community together

Key Priority 2: Our Shared Community

• Increased use of shared space and services (e.g. leisure centres, shopping centres, education, housing)
• Shared space is accessible to all

Key Priority 3: Our Safe Community

• Reduce the prevalence of hate crime and intimidation
• A community where places and spaces are safe for all

Key Priority 4: Our Cultural Expression

• Increased sense of belonging (widens contribution beyond community background)
• Cultural diversity is celebrated

This Fund will specifically support local organisations to meet the following aims:

• To consider issues relating to positive cultural expression in the lead up to and around 11 July and 8 August through the provision of local community diversionary activity
• To divert young people at risk of becoming involved in at risk / anti-social behaviour in the lead up to and over the two periods.
• To develop community capacity to deliver community diversionary activities at specific locations where there are negative issues associated with bonfires.