A Choice Housing initiative being delivered by Kernaghan ECM and Marian Fitzpatrick Consulting
Do you live in the Ballynahinch area?
Have you got an idea for a community project?
Need up to £1000 to put it into action?
We are running a CHOICE Community Decision Day event in your area. This means groups/sponsored individuals can apply for up to £1,000 and it is the local community who decides what projects are selected. Four awards of up to £1000 each are available.
Who can apply?
You don’t have to be an existing group with your own constitution to apply. You just need a minimum of three people who have an idea for a project and a constituted group to sponsor your entry.
Groups with a constitution are also welcome to apply.
When and where should projects take place?
Your project should take place between November and 16th February 2024 and must take place in Ballynahinch town or within 5 miles of the town or be for residents who live within 5 miles of Ballynahinch
What can we apply for?
You can apply for up to £1,000 to pay for things such as equipment, events, tutors, venue hire, transport for trips and other innovative ideas.
There will be £1000 awarded to each of the four top scoring projects.
Your project must demonstrate how it relates to one or more of our FIVE THEMATIC PRINCIPLES:
2. Education, Training and Employment
3. Community Development
4. Arts and Culture
5. Advice and Advocacy
We will assess your project to ensure it is legal, safe, achievable within budget, and achievable within timescale.
There are a few things that we can’t pay for such as salary costs, gift cards or gift vouchers, alcohol or political activities. Please contact us if you are not sure.
How do I apply?
Submit completed application form by email before
Monday 16th October 2023 at 4.00pm to: ffknmd@gmail.com
The application form can be downloaded – link below
Click to Download Application Form
or request a copy by email from ffknmd@gmail.com
What happens next?
• When you submit your entry, we will check that it meets our themes – we might give you a call for some further information.
• We aim to let groups know if they’ve been shortlisted by Tuesday 17th
October 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.
• The shortlisted projects will be required to exhibit their proposal at the CHOICE Community Decision Day event on Saturday 21st October 2023 from 11.00am to 1.00pm at SERC Ballynahinch Campus, Church Road, Ballynahinch, BT24 8LP
• At the CHOICE Community Decision Day you will inform the voters what you plan to do and what you hope to achieve as they visit your stand. All you need to do is tell them some information about what you do. what the project is about and how this will be good for the Ballynahinch area. You can do this by using pictures, posters and/or display boards etc.
• The people attending the CHOICE Community Decision Day will vote on which projects should be funded. They will be required to vote for at least four projects
How does the voting work?
• After all the projects have been visited by everyone who attends the CHOICE Community Decision Day they will have the opportunity to vote.
• Each person will have the opportunity to vote for ten projects.
• The 4 groups that receive the highest number of votes will receive an award.
• The successful projects will be announced as soon as possible after the event.
• Any unsuccessful groups will get advice and support.
What happens after the voting?
Successful projects will have until 16 February 2024 to deliver their project activity and will be required to submit evaluation and finance reports by 15th March 2024.
What support is available?
Please get in touch with any questions to:
email – ffknmd@gmail.com
Choice Housing and partners award four community groups £1K each
Four local community projects in the Saintfield area have been awarded £1K each by local housing association ChoiceHousing in partnership with the Department for Communities (DfC) and the NI Housing Executive.
Community organisations in the area applied for the ‘Participatory Budgeting Programme’ aimed at giving local groups the opportunity to put forward proposals for funded programmes that would benefit the local area. The Participatory Budgeting Programme is delivered as part of the Department for Communities and Housing Executive’s Shared Housing Programme – ‘Housing for All’, which has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy.
This plan will aim to deliver tailored initiatives for the local community in an effort to strengthen community relations and form new partnerships for the good of the local area. The Participatory Budgeting Programme forms part of the Saintfield Good Relations Plan which is delivered to all communities within a five-mile radius of the Manse Court shared housing development.
Following an event, held in Saintfield Community Centre on the 17th of June in which groups engaged with local residents and other community groups to present their ideas, four groups were successful. The Monday Social Group, Saintfield Community Association, Saintfield Men’s Shed and Little Sunbeams Pre-School & Playgroup were all awarded £1K each, voted for by local people.
Mark Kent, Choice Housing’s Good Relations Officer said,
“A key element of this programme is ensuring that community funding is allocated based on need of the local community and who is better placed to deliver this than local community groups and residents themselves.
“They know first hand what their community needs and how best to deliver it. Choice Housing and partners are committed to facilitating the delivery of tailored initiatives in an effort to strengthen community relations. I would like to congratulate the four successful groups and we look forward to continuing this partnership going forward.”
For more information on Choice Housing visit their website www.choice-housing.org
Marian Fitzpatrick Consulting 