Grants to the Voluntary Sector Exec Sub Committee
11 November 2009
GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY SECTOR EXECUTIVE SUB-COMMITTEE
RECORD OF DECISION
A meeting of the Grants to Voluntary Sector Executive Sub-Committee was held on
11 November 2009.
PRESENT:
Councillor M Carr (Chair); Councillors D Budd, J Rostron and N Walker.
**OFFICIALS:
Sharon Barker, Susie Joscelyne, Wendy Kelly and Jade Taylor
**DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Name of Members
Type of Interest
Item/Nature of Interest
Councillor J Rostron
Personal- Prejudicial
Item 9 : Voluntary Core
Grants
Applications
2009/10 :
Working
Neighbourhood
Funds
(WNF)- Small Grants.
And left the meeting
during consideration of
this item
Nature of Interest:
‘Bus Buddies’ Project- Chair
of Shopmobility
**MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2009 were taken as read and signed by the
Chair as a correct record.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CORE GRANT
APPLICATIONS 2009/2010 – CHILD DEAF YOUTH PROJECT
The Director of Children, Families and Learning submitted a report that presented a grant
request from Child Deaf Youth Project for £10,000.
The Child Deaf Youth project was a voluntary organisation that was established in 1995 and was
a registered charity. Its aim was to support the personal and social development of young people
who were deaf and hard of hearing, through access to social activities with their peers. The
organisation operated from within Middlesbrough Deaf Centre, which was Council owned, and
employed eleven members of staff and ten volunteers. An executive committee comprising
service users managed the project.
The report stated that the project had a Service level Agreement with Middlesbrough Youth
Service that provided secondment for a seasonal worker to support the 11+ youth session for 2
hours per week.
Child Deaf Youth Project had approached Middlesbrough Council to fund core costs. The report
detailed previous Grants received for the project; it further outlined that the Grants sub
committee requested that the Project identified areas in which it could become more integrated
with mainstream youth provision and services. The report identified that the project had achieved
this by accessing North Ormesby Youth & Community Centre to hold sessions and being
involved in the myplace project. However the organisation stresses the importance of a place
specifically for young people who are deaf and hard of hearing to meet, in an environment where
their own language is used and to meet with positive role models of people from their
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Grants to the Voluntary Sector Exec Sub Committee
11 November 2009
community. This was considered to be of particular importance now that these young people
access mainstream education where they are in a minority.
The report outlined that whilst the organisation had been successful in gaining funds for staff this
did not cover fully the managers’ salary or running costs. The project was currently using
reserves to partially fund the salary of the manager.
The report presented the proposals for the project; further information regarding funding were
detailed in the report.
ORDERED
That a grant for £10,000 for 1 year for Child Deaf Youth project
be approved.
REASONS
The decision was supported by the following reasons:
1. The application met the Grants to Voluntary Organisations criteria, which mirror
the corporate objectives of Middlesbrough Council, through the Supporting
Children and Young People priority.
2. A grant award of £10,000 would allow the organisation time to establish if they had
been successful in the bigger grant applications they had submitted.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CORE GRANT APPLICATIONS 2009/2010
MOSUM MOTHER AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN MIDDLESBROUGH
The Director of Children, Families and Learning submitted a report that presented a grant
request from MOSUM: Mother and Child Development in Middlesbrough for £3439, to provide
Bangla language classes to children.
MOSUM: Mother and Child Development in Middlesbrough was a Voluntary Organisation that
was established in 2005. It was a constituted group with 90 parent and 48 student members.
One of the aims of MOSUM was to provide educational courses and programmes which taught
Bangla to children of the Bengali and local community. The organisation currently met at
Breckon Hill Community Centre and had 5 paid member of staff and 4 volunteers.
The report stated that since MOSUM was established in 2005, they have received five small
grants, including £1000 from Middlesbrough Council; to develop their Business Plan and £5,261
to staff sessions.
MOSUM received funding from the Voluntary Sector Grants Budget last year of £5,261 to pay
the full cost for the staff to provide this service for a year and also 8 weeks room hire with the
group needing to source the remainder. It established a junior group, which successfully applied
to Middlesbrough Youth Opportunity Fund for the venue costs for the rest of the year.
The report outlined that MOSUM had approached Middlesbrough Council to contribute to Bangla
classes for children and young people up to the age of 25 years old. The grant requested this
year represents 50% of the full annual running costs for the project with a further target was for
the group to explore other funding options, including mainstream services such as extended
schools, as a way of making the project more sustainable. This is to ensure that the group do not
become dependent on the Voluntary Sector Grants Budget.
Further details of the proposal and budget were outlined in the report.
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Grants to the Voluntary Sector Exec Sub Committee
11 November 2009
ORDERED
That a grant for £3439 be approved
REASONS
The decision was supported by the following reasons:
1. The application met the Community Strategy Grant Criteria and a second year of
funding would maintain contact with the organisation to ensure that the staff took
advantage of the training offered, which would improve the quality of the service to
young people from that community.
2. The group had made some progress in financial management and this grant is a
manageable amount for the organisations current capacity, and allows that
capacity to build to source other funding from elsewhere.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CORE GRANT APPLICATIONS 2009/2010
YOUTH WORKS
The Director of Children, Families and Learning submitted a report that presented a grant
request on behalf of Youth Works for £3495 to contribute towards the costs of a part-time youth
worker.
Youth Works was a project of the Middlesbrough and Eston Methodist Church and located at
Linthorpe Road Methodist Church and Resource Centre. Youth Works was piloted in 2007 and
became a registered Charity in August 2008. Youth Works now employed its own staff.
Youth Works’ mission statement was to ‘facilitate, provide and create opportunities for children
and young people that would equip them to lead wholesome and fulfilling lives and held them to
make a useful and meaningful contribution to society.
The report outlined that although Youth Works was based within the Methodist Church Resource
Centre, the group was independent and did not promote religion of any kind. Youth Works had a
strict equal opportunities policy and was accessed by young people of all backgrounds whilst the
youth sessions took place in a hall also used to conduct Church services, all religious symbols
are removed.
It aimed to provide an all-inclusive youth service for children and young people aged 5-25. It
currently provides two youth clubs, one on a Wednesday and one on a Friday, and street
outreach work. It is being supported in this by the Youth Service, which is currently providing
funding of ££337.50 to the group to pay for one sessional worker for the Friday night.
Youth Works received a £8320 grant from the Voluntary Sector Grants Budget last year as a
contribution to staffing costs.
The report outlined that Youth Works were requesting a £3495 grant to contribute towards a
part-time youth worker for a further year.
Further details regarding the proposal and funding for Youth Works were outlined in the report.
ORDERED
That a grant for £3495 be approved
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Grants to the Voluntary Sector Exec Sub Committee
11 November 2009
REASONS
The decision was supported by the following reasons:
1. The application met the Grants to Voluntary Organisations criteria, which mirror
the corporate objectives of Middlesbrough Council, through the Supporting
Children and Young People priority.
2. This grant would give the project time to explore other options and apply for
funding in order to make the project sustainable. The Council had a statutory duty
to ensure that provision was in place so this will be explored with the Councils
Youth Service.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CORE GRANT APPLICATIONS 2009/2010
FAIRBRIDGE TEESSIDE
The Director of Children, Families and Learning submitted a report that presented a grant
request from Fairbridge Teesside for £10,075.
Fairbridge Teesside was a company limited by guarantee, with a management committee of 7,
employing 13 members of staff.
The report outlined that Fairbridge supported some of the hardest to reach young people in the
town, including those who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) or who has been
identified as being at risk of dropping out. Many have been affected by poverty, long-term
unemployment, homelessness, addiction and crime and may be lacking family support.
Fairbridge offered a programme providing personal development to young people aged 13 - 25
who struggle with personal and social skills, lack confidence and motivation and who may not be
engaging effectively in statutory provision such as education, employment or training. This
provideed practical learning and personal development sessions using motivational and problem
solving sessions, team-working tasks, communication activities and outdoor activities
The report presented the work and the positive outcomes achieved with young people. Based on
previous engagement Fairbridge anticipated working with 80 young people from Middlesbrough
during the year 2009/10. Further details of the proposal and funding were outlined in the report.
ORDERED
That a grant for £10,075 for 1 year be approved
REASONS
The decision was supported by the following reasons:
1. The application met the Grants to Voluntary Organisations criteria, which mirror
the corporate objectives of Middlesbrough Council, through the NEET Reduction
Strand of the Supporting Children and Young People Priority.
2. This project engaged with some of the most vulnerable young people in the town,
those at risk of dropping out of society, and had a track record of making a
difference with just under half of those they work with. This was a significant
achievement given their target group.
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Grants to the Voluntary Sector Exec Sub Committee
11 November 2009
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CORE GRANT APPLICATIONS 2009/2010
SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD
The Director of Children, Families and Learning submitted a report that presented a grant on
behalf of Show Racism the Red Card for £16,000.
Show Racism the Red Card was a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity whose
aim was to combat racism via the medium of sport. It was part of the FARE (Football Against
Racism in Europe) network. Show Racism the Red Card was core funded by the Football
Foundation, in addition it receives funding from 5 local authorities to deliver more targeted work
in Sunderland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Newcastle and Durham.
The organisation employs 7 full-time, 2 part-time and 4 sessional members of staff and has 20
volunteers. The charity was set up in 1996 and has been delivering anti-racist workshops in the
North-east since May 2004.
During 2008/09 the project received £15,000 from Middlesbrough Council’s School Management
Forum. This and a contribution from Erimus Housing enabled them to deliver anti-racism
workshops in each of the schools in Middlesbrough plus a citizenship day at Unity City Academy.
Show Racism the Red Card delivered on all identified outputs detailed within the service level
agreement. Feedback from schools and participants had been very positive.
The report outlined the Show Racism the Red Card aimed to continue the work it had been
doing, building upon relationships established with schools during 2008/09. It would continue to
deliver anti-racist workshops to pupils in year 5 and to provide extension workshops to pupils in
year 6 who participated in the previous years activities. Further details of the proposal and
funding were outlined in the report.
ORDERED
That a grant for £16000 be approved
REASONS
The decision was supported by the following reasons:
1. The application met the Grants to Voluntary Organisations criteria, which mirror
the corporate objectives of Middlesbrough Council, through the Supporting
Children and Young People priority.
2. Within the Community Strategy this project met the cross cutting theme of
Diversity and Community Cohesion. It met the Every Child Matters Agenda and
linked into DCSF guidance that local authorities create and implement strategies in
schools to prevent and address racism.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CORE GRANT APPLICATIONS 2009/2010
WORKING NEIGHBOURHOOD FUNDS (WNF)
The Director of Children, Families and Learning submitted a report that presented requested two
grants from the Working Neighbourhood Funds (WNF) small grants to voluntary sector
organisations budget.
The report outlined that the purpose of the Working Neighbourhood Fund (WNF) small grants
fund was to provide grants of up to £10,000 to voluntary or community groups for projects
meeting the following objectives:
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Grants to the Voluntary Sector Exec Sub Committee
11 November 2009
1. Increasing opportunities for volunteering;
2. Piloting initiatives to support people from groups considered hard to reach, to improve
their progression to work;
3. Supporting the development of community enterprise through training, research and
set up costs. Projects should also demonstrate a significant link to the following
performance indicators:
 NI6 – Participation in regular volunteering;
 NI7 – Environment for a thriving third sector;
 NI117 – NEETS engagement;
 NI151 – Overall Employment rate;
 NI153 – Working age people claiming out of work benefits in the worst performing
neighbourhoods;
 NI163 – Working age population qualified to at least level two or higher.
The report outlined that applications had been received from the following voluntary
sector organisations:

Bus Buddies
Middlesbrough Shopmobility was a company limited by guarantee and registered
charity with a management committee of eleven. The aim of the project was to deliver
a hire service, which provided manual wheelchairs, powerchairs and mobility scooters
for persons with limited mobility to access Middlesbrough town Centre. The Bus
Buddies project would assist people to travel by public transport to employment,
education and/or for the purpose of independent living. The grant would enable 20
volunteers to become ‘Bus Buddies’.

HEATs (Helping Educational Achievement Through Sports)
HEATs (Helping Educational Achievement Through Sports) was a registered charity
established in 1998. It was a not-for-profit organisation with a management
committee of eight. The aim of the organisation was to encourage young people to do
their best in order to improve their prospects.
The project aim was to pilot a project aimed at young people not in education,
employment to training (NEETS) working in partnership with Hands on History to
teach skills in woodworking using both hand and power driven tools. All participants
would benefit from weekly football coaching sessions at MFC’s Football in the
Community.
ORDERED
That the grants requested totalling £20,000 be approved
REASONS
The decision was supported by the following reasons:
1. Grant requests met the necessary criteria.
2. The applicant organisations had all relevant policies and procedures in place.
3. Sufficient funding was available.
The decision will come into force after five working days following the day the decision
was taken unless the decision becomes subject to the call-in procedure.
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