DEL Stakeholders Forum
The aim of the Local Community Fund Programme is to develop community capacity and leadership through strengthening communities and meeting the needs of local people throughout the designated areas.
The Programme has 5 specific objectives which contribute to the achievement of the overall aim and make it distinctive, as follows:
- To develop community capacity and leadership
- To help promote partnership working, within and between communities
- To help communities improve their local environments
- To develop intervention programmes with young people; and to encourage more active participation by previously excluded groups in local community services
The Local Community Fund Programme targets those Super Output Areas (SOAs) across Northern Ireland within the 11-20% most deprived communities as defined by Noble 2005.
The Local Community Fund Programme 2006-2008 will spend £2m per annum over this funding period in the targeted areas.
The Local Strategy Partnership administers and manages the Programme on behalf of DSD Voluntary & Community Unit for the Derry City Council Area. In the current LCF programme 2008/09 there are two communities being targeted across three SOAs:
- Ballynashallog 1 with a population of 1985, the indicative allocation for the area is £32,965
- Crevagh 3 and Springtown 1 with a combined population of 3,795, the indicative allocation for the area is £63,024
Eligible programme activities focus on capacity building activities and the strengthening of leadership at a neighbourhood, level. The LSP has worked with the communities and agencies in the targeted areas to develop programme(s) which meet those LCF programme objectives identified as a priority by the community in order to merit support.
The Programme will also complement other programmes such as Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and the Areas at Risk Programme which also deliver capacity building outcomes.
In Ballynashallog Derry City Council is the lead partner to deliver the Wildlife and Wellbeing Interpretation Project at Bay Road Park (Derry City Council’s proposed first Local Nature Reserve) and the Ecobase at Pennyburn Play Trail.
In Crevagh/Springtown Ballymagroarty-Hazelbank Community Partnership is the lead partner in a programme which aims to tackle anti-community activity by delivering activities and support programmes for young people, parents and encouraging residents to sign up to a good neighbour scheme.
Future Funding under LCF
DSD Voluntary and Community Unit is currently reviewing a number of DSD funding programmes including LCF which may affect how the programme is administered and the funding allocated. Further details on future funding the LCF Programme will be made available once the Minister has formally agreed the way forward, announcement expected early 2009.
Contact
For further details on the Programme and the projects currently being delivered under the LCF 2008/09 Programme please contact:
Rosalind Young,
Derry City Council
Tel: (028) 71308466
Ext: 6662
Fax: (028) 71308405
Email: rosalind.young@derrycity.gov.uk
Postal Address:
Derry City Council
98 Strand Road
Derry-Londonderry-Doire
BT48 7NN
Additional Contact Details
Contact details for DSD Voluntary & Community Unit are:
Department for Social Development
Voluntary & Community Unit
3rd Floor Lighthouse Building
Gasworks Business Park
Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 2JB
Tel: 028 90829420