Hillingdon Community Trust's Board has given the green light to two new funding initiatives. The new initiatives follow a review of the Trust's strategy and a desire by the Trustees to develop our grant making so that it targets needs in our area more specifically.
Hillingdon is becoming increasingly diverse: by 2016, black and minority ethnic communities are projected to form 33% of the population. In some of the southern six wards, this proportion will be nearer 50%, so issues of integration between communities are bound to become a higher priority. Economic pressures tend to increase community tensions so imaginative projects that aim to improve community cohesion will become increasingly important. Although this has always been one of the elements we have considered in making grants, it is clear that more work needs to be done to encourage the design of projects that will have a lasting impact on community cohesion in our area in the Southern six wards of Hillingdon.
The Trust's research into successful community cohesion projects indicates that the most successful ones are able to bring
- Breadth of reach to a large number of people, like schools or libraries
- Passion within the organisation to improve community cohesion
- Resource and organisational capability to implement an effective programme
- Ability to access a mix of newly arrived and longer established communities
- Groups of people together for activities
The Trust is keen to talk to groups about funding for initiatives that can deliver these elements.
Health and well-being are also a challenge for the southern wards of Hillingdon. Residents in our area are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses or obesity and the mortality rate is generally higher than in other wards. The Trust wants to use its funding to improve quality of life for all residents and as part of our grant-making we will be establishing a special initiative, in the run up to the 2012 Olympics to increase participation in physical activity and sport to improve health and well-being for people in our area. Further details of how this project will develop will be available soon, but again groups that have plans that fulfil the objectives of this initiative are invited to contact the Trust to discuss them and to explore funding. |
