Eleven voluntary organisations and social enterprises with bright ideas for new projects which will benefit communities in Brent, are set for a cash boost of up to half a million pounds, if the funding gets the go-ahead from councillors next week.
Brent Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve a plan to allocate cash from its Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund (VSIF), which will provide up to £45,000 to each project designed to improve lives in Brent.
Tackling social isolation, helping people back into work and providing at-home digital training sessions for the elderly are just some of the projects set to benefit from the scheme, as well as other schemes to help tackle FGM, to improve health, to put young offenders back on track and to provide a professional part-time librarian to support Brent’s community libraries.
43 applications for VSIF funding were received, with all eleven organisations that met the criteria receiving a share of the £462,000 available.
Cllr Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, said:
“Government cuts to local authorities mean that councils and communities alike are more dependent than ever before on the role that voluntary organisations play in helping to improve lives in our borough.
It is down to all of us to support these organisations in whatever way we can, be it in the giving of some time each week to support the cause or in providing some financial support, which is what this scheme aims to do.
I very much look forward to discussing this report with colleagues at Monday’s cabinet meeting.”
