£150,000 offered to community organisations in Gateshead
Council invites applications for funding from community-based projects that support children, young people and/or families
In an effort to reduce health inequalities across the Gateshead region, a total of £150,000 has been made available through a partnership between Gateshead Council’s public health team and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Photo by Ben Wicks
The council is keen to ensure that everyone in Gateshead has the chance to thrive and aims to put people and families at the heart of all its activity. Through a range of partnerships, the council aims to give every child the best start in life, enable everyone – at all ages – to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives, and ensure a healthy standard of living for all.
To achieve this, the council wants to tackle health inequalities head on. Factors such as education, environment, housing, income, jobs and transport can all have an impact on our health. The council is making funds available to local groups who can help.
All voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations can now apply for council funding for activities and services that support children, young people and their families experiencing health inequalities, including people living in areas of high deprivation. The council anticipates that most grants will be relatively small, ranging from £500 to £2,500, but will consider individual applications up to £10,000.
In particular, grants will be awarded to activities and services that support children, young people and families in community-based settings to improve their well-being and mental health, and those that empower people to build their resilience and ability to find their own solutions and support strategies. The emphasis is on organisations that already operate in Gateshead, and the council especially welcomes applications where children, young people and/or families have been involved in the planning of projects.
Such activities include – but are not limited to – the following:
- Facilitated support groups for people with shared experiences that impact well-being
- Opportunities for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) to access local services
- Mentoring for young people
- Support and activities for young carers
- Supported music or crafting activities focused on well-being
- Support groups or services for parents experiencing challenging circumstances
- Opportunities for children, young people and families to be physically active
- Relationship and sex education opportunities for young people
Organisations have until September 20 to apply. For more details, see VCSE small grants project on the Gateshead Council website
Cllr Maria Hall, Cabinet Member for Localities, Communities and Volunteering at Gateshead Council, says: ‘We are continuously striving to make Gateshead a place where everybody thrives, putting young people and families at the heart of everything that we do. Working with partners in the voluntary and community sector is vital to support every child to have the best start in life and enable all children, young people and their families to maximise their capabilities and independence.
‘The fund is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to launch a new project, or support an ongoing project, that addresses health inequalities to make a real difference for our communities.’
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