National Lottery Charities Board Eastern

A summary of the strategic plan for the Eastern region

Introduction

In Autumn 1998 the National Lottery Charities Board consulted the voluntary sector in the Eastern region to develop a strategic plan for grant-making for the next three years. The plan identifies needs and priorities across the region. It will help us achieve our aim of helping those at greatest disadvantage and improving the quality of life in the community.

To help us identify needs we analysed facts and statistics from the Index of Local Deprivation (ILD); research from ongoing consultation with local authorities and the voluntary sector; and research into organisations working with young people in the region. The strategic plan also draws on information obtained from our consultation including questionnaires sent to voluntary organisations and four open consultation meetings held in Colchester, Luton, Peterborough and Bury St Edmunds.

What we have achieved

By March 1999 we had awarded 856 grants worth £59.4 million in the Eastern region.

Examples of where the money has gone

• £392,800 to Scouts, Guides, Sea Cadets, etc
• £843,461 to playschemes, nurseries and playgroups
• £2,775,972 to 71 village halls
• £8,660,910 to projects tackling homelessness
• £10,333,771 to projects helping unemployed people
• £9,069,249 to projects for people with disabilities
• £4,135,541 to projects helping older people

Meeting needs in the Eastern region

Guided by our strategic plan, we aim to make grants that meet regional needs. We are committed to supporting projects which make a difference and to developing the strengths of the voluntary sector in the region.

This is a complex region where poverty exists alongside affluence, the needs are therefore quite diverse. Having researched need within the region we have identified areas we would particularly wish to ensure receive funding:

Our priorities in the Eastern region

• Emergency housing - there are particular areas of need in Luton, Harlow, Watford, Broxbourne, Colchester and Norwich.
• Rough sleepers - four districts have high numbers of rough sleepers: Norwich, East Hertfordshire, North Hertfordshire and Cambridge.
• Training - training projects to help young people, those approaching retirement, people with disabilities or other special needs, and people from minority ethnic communities (including gypsies and travellers). Unemployment is of particular concern in areas of Norwich and Essex.
• Young people - training for those excluded or in danger of exclusion from school and also leaving care.
• Health education - HIV and AIDS awareness, support for refugee communities, minority ethnic groups and gypsies and travellers.
• Older people.
• Pre-school projects- support for areas in the region where access to facilities is poor.
• Minority ethnic communities - support where there are unmet needs, for example, helping Asian women get access to voluntary organisations and services and support for older people.
• Lack of transport - support for transport initiatives in rural areas.
• People with disabilities.

Geographic areas of particular concern

Seven areas in the region have received fewer grants than we would like in relation to their position on the index of local deprivation. These are: Harlow, Great Yarmouth, Thurrock, Southend on Sea, Tendring, Basildon, Epping Forest.

We will target our development in these areas to raise the quality and quantity of applications received. We will also continue to work with local voluntary sector development agencies.

Voluntary sector infrastructure

• We want to support voluntary sector infrastructure. A conference was held in March 1999 in conjunction with Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Home Office to identify a way forward.
• We will support the development of voluntary sector infrastructure across the region which specifically supports black and minority ethnic communities.
• We want to support structural and systems development, particularly for rural organisations, community groups in deprived areas and some ethnic minority communities. This will include planning, monitoring and equal opportunities awareness.
• We will work with other funders in the region to identify need, and to share knowledge and good practice where appropriate.

Delivering our funding priorities

We will continue to work with local authority Lottery officers, local development agencies and umbrella organisations to help us reach those in greatest need.

We will continue to monitor the level of applications received from all local authority areas in the region in relation to the Index of Local Deprivation.

Where the correlation is inappropriately low, and/or in areas where the number of quality applications is too low, we will carry out targeted development work to raise our profile. We will also consult with voluntary sector development agencies, local authorities and other funders to consider what types of further development work might be appropriate.

For further information about the strategic plan for the Eastern region contact us directly.