Spotlight on FIPs

Warwickshire’s Financial Inclusion Partnership launched the Frontline Workers Toolkit this year which helps staff to spot and guide customers who may be in financial difficulty. This is the fifth in a series of articles which explores the messages of the toolkit. This month’s themes are ‘domestic violence’ and ‘community’.

The Financial Inclusion Partnership acknowledges that families in crisis may have complex issues that go way beyond money woes. With this in mind the group works closely with Warwickshire’s newly expanded Family Intervention Project. Sharing an acronym, they also have a vision in common: to turn the lives around of struggling families to the benefit of themselves and the whole community.

The Family Intervention project provides intensive support to highly problematic families across Warwickshire with multiple social, economic, health and behaviour issues.  Common problems include domestic violence, child abuse worries, escalating debt, children falling out of education and anti-social behaviour. Previously the families may have had up 20 different organisations (including social services, the Police and Probation) involved with them and have often rejected their support. Engaging together, those agencies now work with the families and a FIP key worker gives intensive support ensuring a ‘whole family approach’ is adopted. The Family Intervention model is big news across the UK: it’s endorsed by the Department for Education and Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles.

Working with frontline Financial Inclusion Partners is important to the project’s success. Colleagues at Warwickshire Direct outlets, housing departments, revenue and benefits offices and advice service settings and such are in a good position to spot troubled families and make a referral. And they play an important role in the families’ support package.

Mark Ryder, Chair of the Financial Inclusion Partnership said, ”Christmas can be a testing time when the financial burdens and troubles that beset a family might intensify. The Partnership and Family Intervention Project will be working as hard as ever this festive season to engage with and protect Warwickshire’s communities.”

For more information on the work of the Financial Inclusion Partnership and the Family Intervention Project contact louiserichards@warwickshire.gov.uk

Make your home as safe as houses

Making sure an empty house is secure isn’t always at the top of people’s holiday priority lists but the county council has some easy tips to help residents to do this.

The council’s Community Safety Team, with other local services including the police, are reminding those going away overnight, or for an extended period about a few small things they can do to keep thieves away from their property.

It’s important to make a home look like someone is living in it. The team suggest having a trusted neighbour to visit on a regular basis and do things like drawing the curtains at the appropriate times and removing post from view. People might also find it helps if neighbours use their driveway occasionally.

Other things to consider:

·    Use timer switches to turn lights on and off at random times during the late evening and even better link these to a radio.

·    Be mindful of any doorstep deliveries, milk and papers being the obvious ones, make sure there cancelled.

·    Make sure all outside doors, windows, garage doors, side gates and outbuildings are locked and set alarm.

·    On leaving the house, be mindful of how to load up the car or taxi, being discreet will not alert the whole street you are off.

·    Consider disabling any vehicles left at the premises so even if the spare keys are stolen a thief would be unable to remove the vehicle.

Martyn Stephens, Community Safety Project Officer said: “Returning home from holiday to find your premises having been broken into is very upsetting.

“Hopefully this timely reminder on things to consider will ensure your holiday is one to remember for the right reasons.”

If you need further information you can contact your local Community Safety Project Officer at Warwickshire County Council or your Safer Neighbourhood Team with Warwickshire Police, call 01926 410410 for details.

Keep up with the Community Safety Team by reading their blog www.safeinwarwickshire.wordpress.com or follow them on Twitter www.twitter.com/safeinwarks.

Bids open for North Warwickshire community groups

Community groups and voluntary organisations across North Warwickshire are invited to bid for funding to help their work.

Warwickshire County Council’s North Warwickshire Area Committee are encouraging groups to bid for a share of £45,000 from the Community Development Fund. The fund has been made available by County Councillors of the North Warwickshire Area Committee for one-off projects that address issues of local concern.

Last year 16 local groups received funding including Atherstone Young Firefighters Association, The Friendship Project for Children and Water Orton and District Tennis Club were just some of the lucky organisations to benefit from the fund.

Organisations must make their bids with the support of their local County Councillor. Applications are welcome from 28th July and must be received by the deadline of 16 September 2011.

The fund is run by Warwickshire County Council to help communities, particularly in more deprived parts of the county, address issues of local concern to them.  Once the bids are in, County Councillors in North Warwickshire will pick the successful applications at their Area Committee meeting on 19 October 2011.

Cllr Shaw, Chair North Warwickshire Area Committee says: “Community groups in North Warwickshire now have a fantastic opportunity to bid for funding for projects and initiatives that support local communities to help themselves and build the Big Society. We are encouraging groups to come up with community focused projects that make a real difference to people’s lives. With competition for funding likely to be high advice is available to local groups to help complete their applications on time.”

Last year, Atherstone Young Firefighters Association received £3,420 to set up the new group and purchase uniforms and equipment. Fourteen teenagers from Queen Elizabeth School took part in the 15-week course to learn more about the fire service.

The Friendship Project for Children received £2000 for two additional posts to assist with the increasing numbers of referrals of vulnerable children in North Warwickshire requiring a mentor. The Project matches children with suitably trained adult mentors for days out and friendship building.  £3,000 was also awarded to the Water Orton & District Tennis club to help towards funding for new fencing around the tennis courts.

Application forms, which include details of local County Councillors, can be obtained from the North Warwickshire Area Team.

Contact Alistair Rigby, Localities and Communities Officer, North Warwickshire Area Office (WCC), C/o North Warwickshire Borough Council, Council House, South Street, Atherstone, CV9 1BD. Telephone: 01827 719409.  Email: alistairrigby@warwickshire.gov.uk

To find out more about Warwickshire County Council’s North Warwickshire Area Committee, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/grants or email northwarkwickshire@warwickshire.gov.uk.

New funding available for Warwickshire’s community groups

Warwickshire County Council is showing its commitment to the Big Society by making £425,000 available in grants for local community projects.

The package includes:
–  A new Big Society Fund worth £125,000 to support local community groups looking to run public services.
– £300,000 available for community projects across the County, through the Council’s local community grants schemes.
– 125 recycled computers available through the ‘Community Computers scheme’.

It is likely that most awards will be for £5,000 or less.  Groups are advised to act quickly as all funds will be awarded in the autumn.  For further information on the various funds available, including deadlines and application forms, please visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/grants, email grants@warwickshire.gov.uk or call Nick Gower Johnson on 01926 412 053

Warwickshire CAVA, the support service for local community groups, can advise groups on making funding applications and will be holding some workshops.  For further information, please ring CAVA on 02476 385765 or see www.wcava.org.uk

Councillor Colin Hayfield, portfolio holder for customers, access and physical assets, said:  “I am very pleased to announce these exciting opportunities.  Despite the pressures on public sector finances, the council is committed to helping communities to help themselves.  This package will be of real help to local groups and communities.”

New funding available for Warwickshire’s community groups

Warwickshire County Council is showing its commitment to the Big Society by making £425,000 available in grants for local community projects.

The package includes:
–  A new Big Society Fund worth £125,000 to support local community groups looking to run public services.
– £300,000 available for community projects across the County, through the Council’s local community grants schemes.
– 125 recycled computers available through the ‘Community Computers scheme’.

It is likely that most awards will be for £5,000 or less.  Groups are advised to act quickly as all funds will be awarded in the autumn.  For further information on the various funds available, including deadlines and application forms, please visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/grants, email grants@warwickshire.gov.uk or call Nick Gower Johnson on 01926 412 053

Warwickshire CAVA, the support service for local community groups, can advise groups on making funding applications and will be holding some workshops.  For further information, please ring CAVA on 02476 385765 or see www.wcava.org.uk

Councillor Colin Hayfield, portfolio holder for customers, access and physical assets, said:  “I am very pleased to announce these exciting opportunities.  Despite the pressures on public sector finances, the council is committed to helping communities to help themselves.  This package will be of real help to local groups and communities.”

Computer giveaway in Warwickshire

Free computers are on offer to community and voluntary organisations in Warwickshire.

The recycled desktop computers are being given away for free by Warwickshire County Council through their ‘Community Computers’ scheme, which has been running successfully across the county for a number of years.

Previous organisations to benefit have included Brownie groups, Community Associations, village halls and Town and Parish Councils.

An organisation can apply for up to two computers, with around 25 computers being made available to community and voluntary groups in each district/borough.

Each computer package includes a Dell desktop computer and a package of licence free programmes, including Open Office 2.0.

Organisations eligible to apply for the fund include locally based community or voluntary groups, including Town and Parish Councils, and small scale groups who have little or no IT equipment and can show how it will be used to grow their organisation.

The deadline for applications is Friday 16^th September and application forms will be available from the Warwickshire County Council website or from the Stratford-on-Avon Area Office on 01789 260134.

Free computer offer for Stratford

Free computers are on offer to community and voluntary organisations in Stratford-on-Avon district – the application process opened on Friday.

The recycled desktop computers are being given away for free by Warwickshire County Council through the ‘Community Computers’ scheme, which has been running successfully across the county for a number of years.

Previous organisations to benefit have included Brownie groups, Community Associations, village halls and Town and Parish Councils.

An organisation can apply for up to two computers, with around 25 computers being made available to community and voluntary groups across Stratford-on-Avon district.

Each computer package includes a Dell desktop computer and a package of licence free programmes, including Open Office 2.0.

Organisations eligible to apply for the fund include locally based community or voluntary groups, including Town and Parish Councils, and small scale groups who have little or no IT equipment and can show how it will be used to grow their organisation.

The deadline for applications is Friday 16th September and application forms will be available from the Warwickshire County Council website or from Ali Mainey at the Stratford-on-Avon Area Office on 01789 260134.