Communities First Cluster Request for Funding 2015/16

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COMMUNITIES FIRST – CLUSTER REQUEST FOR FUNDING 2015/16

PLEASE NOTE ALL REQUESTS FOR FUNDING MUST BE CLEARED AND ENDORSED BY THE LEAD DELIVERY BODY BEFORE SUBMISSION.
Section 1 – Endorsement and Compliance
Cluster Manager
Signature: / Date
Name in Block Capitals: / SHAJNEEN ABEDEAN
Organisation and Position:
City and County of Swansea
North East Cluster Manager
Contact details:

01792 700670 / 07584140826
Authorised representative of the Lead Delivery Body for the Cluster
Signature: / Date
Name in Block Capitals:
Organisation and Position:
The Request for Funding Application 2015/16 should be completed in conjunction with the accompanying guidance note and Communities First Outcomes Framework.
All sections must adhere to stipulated word limits and be completed in the boxes provided.
The completed and signed Delivery Plan (including the Community Involvement Plan and the Financial Table) should be submitted to the relevant Welsh Government Communities First Implementation Team by 19 September 2014. An electronic version and signed hard copy is required by 5 pm on the above date. Late submissions could result in a delayed decision on your future funding.
Delivery Plans should be returned to:
For the Local Authority Areas / CF Delivery Team Address
Anglesey,
Conwy,
Denbighshire,
Gwynedd,
Flintshire and
Wrexham / Communities First North WalesTeam
Communities Division
Welsh Government
Sarn Mynach
Llandudno Junction
Conwy
LL31 9RZ
Tel: 0300 062 5456
Bridgend, Carmarthenshire,
Neath Port Talbot,
Pembrokeshire and
Swansea. / Communities First West Wales Team
Communities Division
Welsh Government
Government Buildings
Picton Terrace
Carmarthen
SA31 3BT
Tel: 01267 225352
Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly,
Newport, Torfaen / Communities First Gwent Team
Communities Division
Welsh Government
Rhydycar
Merthyr Tydfil
CF48 1UZ
Tel: 0300 062 8280
Cardiff,
Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Vale of Glamorgan. / Communities First Bro Taf Team
Communities Division
Welsh Government
Rhydycar
Merthyr Tydfil
CF48 1UZ
Tel: 0300 062 8288

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Section 2 – Delivery Plan

IMPORTANT NOTE: You should carefully consider the accompanying guidance and Communities First Outcomes Framework before submitting your application for 2015/16. If you require further clarification please contact your Regional Communities First Implementation Team.

Cluster Programme Overview / Please provide a concise overview of planned delivery for 2015/16 outlining your key priorities. This should be restricted to a maximum of 600 words.
What we plan to do, why and with whom.
The cluster team’s programme will work on all three outcomes, and many activities/projects will be delivered cluster-wide, but particular emphasis is given to work that will tackle income deprivation and improve learning outcomes, and target those communities where need is greatest. Key partners i.e. CAB, Clase Family Centre, CCS Youth Support Service and Housing, Local Primary and Secondary Schools, Gower College, Swansea University DACE, Local community Groups, businesses’ and Voluntary organisation partners have also identified these key areas and by pooling our skills and resources together we aim to address poverty and deprivation cluster-wide empowering the people living and working in the area.
How plan responds to identified needs
The proposals have been developed in response to the needs in the area
WIMD data shows:
·  high levels of deprivation experienced across the whole cluster
as measured by indicators for income and employment related
benefits, Key Stage 3 results and primary and secondary school
absence rates;
·  two LSOAs, Morriston 5 and Mynyddbach 1, exhibiting high levels of deprivation across all indicators;
·  some indicators showing particularly high levels in specific LSOAs
e.g. death rate in Morriston 9.
These issues have been echoed at forums and by partners. Projects
within the CDP have been developed to address those issues
ensuring engagement from the local people i.e. bespoke courses
organised, money management sessions offered, cooking sessions
provided.
How you will know when these needs have been met.
Participants will complete evaluation forms at the beginning middle and end of the project to monitor distance travelled. We will also be looking at their engagement level with the programme. Overall Aspirenview data reports, feedback at the forums and carrying out case studies should give an indication on whether needs are being met.
How plan activity will form a cohesive approach to tackling poverty
Swansea One Plan Population outcomes has a direct link to the
outcomes of Welsh Governments C1st Outcomes.
Communities First, to some degree, will contribute towards most of the
outcomes
o  Children have a good start in life
o  People Learn Successfully
o  Young people and adults have good jobs
o  People have a decent standard living
o  People are healthy safe and independent
Discussions with service providers has confirmed this analysis
of the problems including at our Cluster Forums who describe the needs
as they perceive them.
From our delivery it has become clear that people have a multitude of
barriers they face at any one time. Therefore we need to have an
integrated approach that makes the most of every contact that the cluster team has with community members, particularly the most vulnerable.
Many residents are facing complex problems that cannot easily be
helped by one service. A health problem may also be one of debt, a
reluctance to seek work may be a problem of depression,
a child’s failure to attend school may be the result of ill health at
home. Whatever the initial point of contact, the cluster team will take the opportunity to discuss with people whether there are other issues they would like to be address. All three existing Communities First areas have been using this approach by developing the Advice and Support Every Penny Counts project, using a system of personalised action plans to help people make change in their lives.
As practitioners we need to recognise the strengths that many people have. The programme already works with many people who are coping with multiple problems but who are also some of the most committed of volunteers. By emphasising the positive contribution that people can make to their own community the cluster team can help people build the confidence to make change.
Our Community Involvement plan depicts the process we are applying in order to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate and benefit from our programme.
Please outline, using bullet points, any key changes to your existing priorities/ projects (2014/15) outlining the main reasons for this change and where new priorities/ projects have emerged. This should be restricted to a maximum of 300 words.
Community Spirit Project – this has been approved August 2014 (utilising underspend). The purpose of this project is to provide opportunities for people to get involved in the community through volunteering and community action. This project will enable the Project Officer to engage with the most marginalised groups within our community and work towards strengthening the community’s assets and by doing so, building community resilience and sustainability. Although this project has not started yet it is one that will no doubt be very beneficial in helping to achieve the best out of the whole programme and therefore the proposal is to continue this in the next financial year.
The project will:
·  Encourage residents, particularly those from ‘hard to reach’ groups to get involved in community activity;
·  work with volunteer specialists to develop ways of recognising and accrediting community volunteers for their work;
·  work with partners to develop volunteer opportunities in the area;
·  work with community members to identify, set up and deliver projects locally. (Including supporting social and micro enterprise)
·  The development of self-help and other informal groups.
·  The development of social networks where mutually dependant relationships can be encouraged.
·  support resident to develop projects to help them solve problems in their local area.
Programme Outcome / Prosperous Communities Outcome
To reduce inequalities in income and opportunity for the most deprived communities in Wales, ensuring people have access to the resources needed to provide for themselves and their families and to improve their life chances.
National Indicators / Please refer to Aspireview
1.  Helping people to develop employment skills and find work
2.  Reducing Youth Unemployment and disengagement (ages 16-24)
3.  Financial Inclusion – Improving Financial capability and managing debt and raising income.
Story behind the Baseline / Clusters should insert their current Story Behind the Baseline.
Community Consultation with members participating in job club and other projects identified:
·  Lack of jobs,
·  Benefit entitlements outweigh job related income for families with large families
·  Affected by welfare reform
·  Lack of Childcare availability
·  Transport costs
·  Complex personal situations with multiple health problems
·  Debt
·  Physical health problems
·  Low basic skills
·  Lack of access to Advice support services
·  Low confidence
service providers consultation identified:
·  Debt advise represents a large part of the CAB caseload
·  Too many sanctions imposed as people are unable to access a computer to job search.
·  Clase Family Centre have reported an increased need for food parcels.
·  More than 391 people in the cluster are claiming Job Seekers Allowance with each LSOA having a higher % of JSA claimants than the Swansea average (Regional Learning Partnership 2012)
·  Across Swansea as a whole 5,867 people were claiming JSA in March 2012 with 1,8923 vacancies (ibid)
·  The total number of claimants in the cluster is 2,105 which represent 7.6% of Swansea’s total. A fifth of the cluster total lives in Mynyddbach 1 (ibid)
·  The % of working age people claiming ESA, Incapacity benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance is double the Swansea % in Morriston 5 and 7 and nearly three times the Swansea figure in Mynyddbach 1 (ibid)
·  The total number of working age people claiming income support with a child under 16 and no partner was 155. Mynyddbach 1 had the highest percentage at 5.4% compared with the Swansea figure of 1.5% (ibid)
·  Fuel poverty in low income household
Key partners / Who’s involved? What is their role?
1.  CCS Social Inclusion Unit
2.  CAB
3.  Workways
4.  LASA credit union
5.  Housing Dept
6.  Young people support service
7.  Fire Service
8.  Gwalia Housing
9.  Family Housing
10. Jobcentre Pus
11. Clase Family Centre, Graigfelen memorial Hall
12. Careers Wales
13. Key employers
14. Ty Croeso / 1.  Outward referrals; in kind advice and support
2.  Advisers, mentoring and support
3.  CV Writing and Pre-Employment training taking referrals
4.  Outward referrals; in kind advice and support
5.  In kind support and advice
6.  Staff Time/project promotion
7.  Training and fire safety equipment
8.  In kind support and advice
9.  Outward referrals; in kind advice and support
10. Advisers, mentoring and support
11. Venue, equipment
12. Advisers, mentoring and support
13. Employment placements
14. Advisers, Training, Foodbank, mentoring and support
Community Involvement / Please describe how the community have/will be involved in developing, delivering, monitoring and evaluating projects under the prosperous theme.
By applying the Wilcox Ladder of Participation it provides a framework for progression in involvement. They community will be encouraged to take part in local forum, being part of shaping, scrutinising and governing the programme activities.
They assisted in setting up the job clubs in the different locations and identified the need to have IT access in the local community. Volunteers who become confident in using the Job Club service then volunteer to offer their support to other service users.
The Young people identify which skills they want to expand or develop and then with the Youth Workers plan the activity which then is accredited making them potentially more employable.
Evaluation focus groups with service users and partners have been and will be held to monitor project and review to make any necessary improvements or adjustments
Cluster Priorities and Action Plan – Prosperous Communities
Cluster Priorities
Prosperous Communities / Priority 1
Helping people to develop Employment Skills and find work / Activity/Project 1.
Step Closer to Employment PM 1.3 / 1.8 / 3.2
(C1st Cluster Team) /
Activity/Project 2.
Work placements and training in childcare PM 1.3 / 1.8
(Clase Family Centre)
Activity/Project 3.
Activity/Project 4. /
Priority 2
Reducing Youth Unemployment and disengagement (ages 16-24) / Activity/Project 1.
Post 16 NEET Engagement Project PM – 2.2 / 2.3
(Youth Support Service) /
Priority 4
Financial Inclusion - Improving Financial Capability, managing debt and raising income. / Activity/Project 1.
Advice and Support – Every Penny Counts
PM 4.1/ 4.3 / 4.5 / 4.6
(C1st Cluster Team) /
Programme Outcome / Learning Communities Outcome
To promote a culture of learning within our communities where everyone regardless of age or ability is encouraged to recognise their own potential and is supported to reach it.
National Indicators / Please refer to Aspireview
Promoting Family learning in the Early Years
Supporting Young people to do well at School
Supporting Families to be engaged in their children’s education
Lifelong Learning in Communities
Story behind the Baseline / Clusters should insert their current Story Behind the Baseline.
Community consultations identified the following
Parents:
·  not involved in school
·  whose relationship with school is difficult
·  not involved in learning for themselves
·  with mental health problems/health problems, debt and substance misuse problems
·  with poor numeracy and literacy skills
·  lacking in parenting skills
·  Lack of educational opportunities with free childcare
·  Households without access to computers/internet
·  Lack of confidence about supporting children during transition
Discussion with service providers: