*Applications are now open – links to the form below *  The deadline is the end of each month, (this is when applications will be reviewed, although quicker decisions could be made if necessary based on delivery timescales e.g. an event).

The Community Champions project is delighted to be starting a new round of grant funding for third sector organisations in Leeds.

This is the exciting next stage of the Community Champions project, and evolution of the Third Sector Outbreak plan, which has played an important part of the covid-19 vaccine roll out. We have taken the vaccine to the streets and volunteers have engaged with potentially hesitant people and communities with a personal, friendly and respectful approach.

About the fund

This round of grant funding is an extension of the great work done by Community Champion individuals and organisations so far.

We are asking organisations who have close links with communities in certain areas of Leeds and with Migrant communities to make their ideas about promoting good health and wellbeing into a reality!

We are keen to support groups to identify needs and meaningful solutions that will support the ongoing collaborative effort to respond to the impact of Covid-19, as well as wider priority health issues, and build trust and confidence in communities. 

We envisage the grants being up to £5000 for an organisation, which they could then distributed with smaller groups.

This can be very flexible so don’t be put off – do contact us with your thoughts.

Who is the grant available for

This funding is for targeted engagement with certain priority groups, which have been identified by looking closely at the data about which groups and areas in Leeds have the lowest covid-19 vaccine uptake. The grants are for organisations with reach into these more vaccine hesitant groups.

Funding is available for third sector organisations and groups who support people locally in specific wards and who work with local migrant communities.

Wards:

• Gipton and Harehills (specifically, Harehills South, Gipton North, Lincoln Green and St James)
  
• Beeston and Holbeck (specifically Cross Flats Park, Holbeck)
  
• Burmantofts and Richmond Hill (specifically East End Park, Burmantofts)
  
• Chapel Allerton (specifically Chapel Allerton South and Chapeltown)
  
• Little London and Woodhouse ward (with people other than students)

Migrant communities:

In particular; Romanian, Czech, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Polish, and Chinese (other than students) as these are communities that have the lowest uptake across the city – with over 50% not having their first vaccination.

There are approximately 175,000 people in Leeds who haven’t had the vaccine who are eligible.

The core purpose is for:

• Sharing key public health and wellbeing messages such as child immunisation, diabetes and winter flu
• Supporting with conversations around wider health and wellbeing messages
• Offering reassurance and give people the facts around the vaccine, including the evergreen and living with covid
• Having positive conversations and/or understand any vaccination hesitancy/challenges/barriers

Outcomes

Funding is being given to enable organisations to lead on positive health and wellbeing messages that are relevant to local residents and communities.

These should include current messages around Covid-19 and the vaccination programme, as well as wider health and wellbeing information about priority topics such as diabetes, child vaccinations, healthy eating, mental health, and exercise.

Work should ideally contribute towards an ongoing collaborative effort to respond to build trust and confidence with people and communities. 

Outcomes we are seeking to achieve include:

• Improved health and wellbeing
• Better self-manage long term conditions
• Support the long covid pathway
• Increased access to health and care
• Reducing health inequalities
• Increase vaccine uptake
• Build trust/longer term trust
• Work with LCC communities teams and access public health resource centre
• Lasting legacy – how we support and build capability in our communities

Actions you might want to undertake to include:

• Working with new or emerging communities or organisations that you have not worked with before
• Wider reach into local communities
• Hear new ideas and projects what will work for communities
• Focus on health and wellbeing implications of  long covid
• Understanding current barriers to accessing health services
• Funding community venues so that some NHS provision can be offered locally e.g. vaccine drop-in on a regular basis
• Working with statutory partners to set up community events where the vaccination, and/or health and wellbeing check-ups are available

Already doing this work or planning an event?

Please note, these do not necessarily need to be new ideas – we recognise that you may already be doing great work in this space. We are able to fund you to continue to carry out activities or other actions you are already taking so please specify where this is the case.

The Community Champions project will be able to support your planned activities with resources and key messages for sharing as is relevant.

Briefing Event

We held two online briefing webinars to explain more about this grant funding, it’s simple application process and to answer any questions.

You can watch the recording of the briefing here on Youtube.

Apply

There is a very simple application form for your organisation to complete. There are just 5 questions about the activity you plan on doing, where, when and how you envisage it being delivered, and what support or resources you need to make it happen.

We have made this available as an online form and a word document – you only need to submit one, and it can be either:

• Follow this link to complete the online application form: https://forms.office.com/r/Y1U4BYayaP
• Download this word document, complete it and email it to communities@forumcentral.org.uk

We are being as flexible as possible with the organisational requirements to apply so there are no strict criteria, however you should be:

• a constituted organisation
• with a local track record of working in the third sector in Leeds
• with a bank account

Unconstituted organisations or individuals can be funded for activity directly through the Community Champions – please contact us if that’s the case.

Get in touch

We are happy to have an informal discussion about your ideas and application with you before submitting.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch with communities@forumcentral.org.uk.

Community Champions

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