POLICY & PRACTICE: Grants help bring communities together

A new funding round for Connecting Communities. What's behind that then? Connecting Communities comes out of the Home Office and is a race equality grants programme. The first phase was launched in May 2000, an outcome of the soul-searching following events such as the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

It recognises that people from minority ethnic communities can all too easily remain isolated and disempowered.

Well we knew that. What does this programme do about it? This second round will work in three areas. It will support joint initiatives between faith and community groups to try to build strong networks. It also addresses employment in public services by helping fire, police, probation and others to improve their employment practice, promote themselves to minority groups, and hold public meetings to consult.

Very important, of course, but anything of more immediate relevance to those working with young people? The third element focuses around positive images, countering racist stereotypes and celebrating the achievements of minority ethnic individuals and communities. It also wants to promote trust and understanding between communities of different ethnic origin.

What kind of youth projects were funded in the first round? In Govanhill, Glasgow, The Taleem Trust received 244,000 under the scheme towards its community centre, focusing on the needs of the local Muslim communities. Youth counselling is one of the diverse services on offer.

Also in Scotland, Fife Race Equality Council started Equal Voices, which used music, arts and multimedia to reach out to young black people and work with them to set up a minority ethnic youth forum.

In Nottingham, the Build project, which mentors young black people, received 182,000 funding to extend its networking project across the city.

Michael Henry, Build chief executive, commented: "There is huge potential in bringing together diverse community groups to talk about their good or bad experiences and be empowered to suggest what is right for their communities."

But it can be hard for small, black voluntary sector groups to access this kind of grant, can't it? Which is why the Home Office has been running a small parallel scheme (in England, anyway) since April 2002 to help this part of the voluntary sector to unlock regional funds and increase its profile and effective-ness. The Connecting Communities scheme itself was developed following consultation with communities and faith groups. The report on this consultation should now be online (www.homeoffice.gov.uk).

So what do we have to do? Get your application in by 25 June. For more details on how to apply, call 020 7035 5444.

FACT BOX

- Connecting Communities is offering 15m in grants over three years, a 25 per cent increase on the first three-year scheme

- It is designed to empower isolated people, build sustainable networks that can improve community relations and promote access to employment to create better, more representative, public services

- Closing date for grant applications is 25 June 2003.