Community projects to develop youth leadership across the UK,
facilitate dialogue on Lough Neagh's degeneration, and combat
health inequalities and poverty are among the first successful
applicants to the Northern Ireland Office's (NIO) Connect Fund.
Nine community groups will receive funding totalling £300,000
from the Connect Fund's £1 million pot to strengthen
collaboration between groups in Great Britain and those in
Northern Ireland.
Announced at the East West Council in June, the Connect Fund
supports groups working on projects which directly affect
Northern Ireland communities, helping them to tackle challenges
and opportunities which also affect communities in Great Britain.
Among the recipients is CO3 - the Chief Officers Third Sector
East West Forum - which will partner with organisations in London
and Edinburgh to establish an East-West leadership forum for 30
Chief Executives from the voluntary and community sectors across
the UK. This will include workshops and knowledge sharing at
Corrymeela.
NIO Parliamentary Under Secretary of State visited CO3 to hear about
their work and congratulate them on their successful application.
He said: “The Connect Fund promotes grassroots connections
between community and voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland
and the rest of the UK, to benefit local communities.
“From youth work to the environment, from leadership development
to tackling inequalities and poverty, this fund will make a real
difference - improving the quality of life of people across the
UK.
“Importantly, it will also help to forge close, invaluable bonds
of mutual support between community organisations in Northern
Ireland and the wider UK, enabling knowledge exchange to tackle
shared challenges.”
CO3 Chairperson Jacinta Linden said: “We are genuinely delighted
to have been awarded a Connect Fund grant alongside our partners,
the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
(ACEVO), and Charity Leadership Scotland (formerly
ACOSVO).
“As sector leaders, we so rarely have the chance to step back
from the day-to-day and think strategically together in a safe
and trusted space. This programme gives us that gift — the
opportunity to share, collaborate, and learn across boundaries,
and in doing so to ignite fresh ideas and lasting
relationships.
“We are deeply appreciative of this support and excited for the
potential it will unlock for our leaders, our organisations and,
most importantly, the communities we serve.”
Another successful applicant, Belfast youth organisation
YouthAction, will use its grant to join with groups in England,
Scotland and Wales, strengthening East-West civic relationships
through a Youth Leader Summit hosted in Belfast for young leaders
aged 18-35. It will also hold a CEO Leadership Summit in England
for existing cross-nation partners to strengthen organisational
alignment across Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England.
Meanwhile, Dungannon not-for-profit organisation South Tyrone
Empowerment Programme (STEP) will use its grant to facilitate
dialogue on shared environmental challenges, specifically the
degeneration of Lough Neagh, partnering with organisations in
Scotland, England and Belfast through field trips and stakeholder
conferences.
Details of successful applications are available here.
