Police and Crime Commissioner urges groups to apply for £5k grant
A new youth club and an allotment ‘safe space’ for young fathers experiencing difficulties are among projects tackling antisocial behaviour and substance misuse issues in Cornwall funded through the last round of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Grants.
Applications for this year’s grants are now open, and charities and voluntary groups working to improve community safety and tackle drug and alcohol related antisocial behaviour in the county can apply for grants of up to £5,000.
The grant scheme is being delivered in partnership with Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) and aims to benefit small and medium-sized organisations whose work contributes to the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan.
The Commissioner works to enable safer, more resilient communities and this scheme aims to empower smaller voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to play a role in both progressing and informing PCC priorities.
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “I am committed to creating safer communities and so I am pleased to offer this funding once again to help grassroots organisations make changes which will improve the lives of people in Cornwall.
“I know that antisocial behaviour is a major issue for residents who regularly tell me about the negative impact it has on their lives, which is why I made it a priority in my Police and Crime Plan.
“I would like to urge any charity or voluntary group who provides education or activities for people with antisocial behaviour issues to apply for funding, so they can continue to make a real difference in reducing the misery this issue can cause.
“I am also making this funding available to support groups who are working hard to tackle violence and road safety which are also priorities in my Police and Crime Plan. I urge any organisation that is working to create safe, resilient and connected communities to apply for a grant before the July 22 deadline.”
Tamas Haydu, Chief Executive at Cornwall Community Foundation said “It is hugely rewarding to see how local projects are benefiting from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Grants and supporting their communities. The fund is vital to help in our vision of strong and resilient communities across Cornwall. We look forward to receiving applications and distributing this next wave of funding.”
The Commissioner has been working with Cornwall Community Foundation since 2021 to deliver grant schemes to benefit residents. To date, more than £196,000 has been distributed through 52 grants. Grants have been awarded to groups and charities working to connect communities, prevent and deter crime, and protect people at risk of abuse.
Applications to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Grant are now open. Click here to apply. The deadline for applications is July 22, 2024.
Case study: Groundworks South Trust
The Groundworks South Trust is a national charity which brings transformative development to deprived communities. They received a grant of £5,000 from the Commissioner’s Community Grant Scheme to create a youth club for young people of Callington to spend time with like-minded peers to divert them from participating in antisocial behaviour (ASB).
The project was born from the funding and initiative of the #iwill movement where young people are encouraged to engage in a social action project. It involved working outdoors to clear and rejuvenate a green space to allow more accessibility for community residents within the area.
The funding was also spent on making the youth club an attractive place for young people to spend their time, this included the purchase of electronics, pool table, board games, food, and also for members to undertake training with an accredited GB boxing coach (pictured). This funding also went toward to employment of a youth worker whose main role was to have discussions with the members regarding the issues of ASB, substance misuse and mental health concerns.
Feedback from beneficiary: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support and belief you have shown to us in delivering this very valuable project. It has had a direct positive effect on the young people of South East Cornwall. We had managed to create a well accessed youth provision which had community interest at its heart. This would not have been possible with your support, so thank you.”
Case study: WILD Young Parents
Funding from the Commissioner’s Community Grant Scheme has enabled WILD Young Parents to provide a safe ‘outdoor space’ at their local allotment to enable dads and their families to spend quality time together and offer opportunities for work outside with families.
This space provides young dads new skills in gardening, growing food, tending an outdoor space, working as a team, and spending positive time with their family.
WILD Young Parents have found their fledgling allotment to be a great space for dads to open up about their feelings, spend quality time with their families, bond with other dads, and feel a sense of achievement.
Our WILD dads often face complex barriers to parenthood; four in 10 have had contact with criminal justice, six in 10 have experienced mental ill health, and one in five struggle with addiction or substance dependency issues. This space will help to combat these issues by:
- Increasing contact time with child Increasing enjoyment of time with child Improving communication between parents Better able to describe and express emotions and mental state
- Teaching coping strategies for feeling calm when faced with trigger points
- Increasing physical activity
- Improving healthy eating
For more information about the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner contact Bridget Batchelor, Communications Officer – bridget.batchelor@dc-pcc.gov.uk