Six proposed projects across Wales have been given Communities First funding of £1.5m over the next three years as part of the new Communities First Outcomes Fund. The fund provides money to develop and deliver new activities, services and projects for the benefit of Communities First Communities.
The Outcomes Fund, which will be in place from 1st April, is structured to support activities which deliver real improvements at local level in terms of tackling key priorities for Communities First such as child poverty, economic inactivity and job creation.
The projects have been designed to follow the revised Communities First Vision Framework which is based on six themes – Child Poverty; Community Safety; Health and Well Being; Education, Skills and Training, Environment; Jobs, Business and Income Generation. As there were no specific proposals submitted under Health and Wellbeing or Community Safety the six projects are in line with the other four themes.
They are:
| Project Title |
Local Authority Area |
Theme(s) Addressed |
| Young People Project |
Neath Port Talbot |
Child Poverty |
| Community Environmental Project |
Anglesey |
Poverty |
| Debt and Benefits Training & Advice Project |
Carmarthenshire |
Income Generation / Child Poverty |
| Employment Pathways |
Newport |
Jobs & Business |
| School Focused Communities |
RCT |
Education, Training, Skills |
| Family Employment & Social Enterprise |
Bridgend |
Jobs, Business, Income Generation |
Each project will receive £250,000 over three years. The projects will be used as Demonstration Pilots to encourage other organisations or communities first partnerships to run similar schemes.
Deputy Minister Leighton Andrews said:
The Outcomes Fund will support work across the Communities First programme and will help ensure that the programme refocuses on front-line delivery.
These six demonstration pilot projects are the first step in rolling out the Outcomes Fund as they will highlight the key priorities and principles of the fund and inform the final development of the fund, which will provide more than £25 million over the next three years for similar projects.
The Outcomes Fund will play a key part in our plans for Communities First. I want Communities First areas to build on their success to date and focus on practical solutions to tackling poverty and supporting regeneration initiatives.
Related Links
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/regeneration/?lang=en