Equality and Human Rights Commission

^{Wednesday 25 November 2009}

The Equality and Human Rights Commission today announces the recipients of its Strategic Funding Programme. The programme has awarded nearly £10 million to 61 organisations across England, Scotland and Wales, with Scottish organisations receiving more than three quarters of a million pounds. This year the Commission received over 2000 applications with a requested total in excess of £500 million

The Strategic Funding Programme provides project-based funding of up to three years for community and voluntary sector organisations. This year’s recipient organisations provide guidance, advice and advocacy services to help break down discrimination and inequality in areas including education, health and employment. Funding also supports organisations which build good relations, particularly between groups, or in areas, where there are known tensions. 

Grants have been awarded in two priority areas, underpinning the Commission’s three-year strategy. These are:

• Guidance provision, advice and advocacy services ; to help support people from communities who may have difficulty obtaining services that are vital to their life chances, their levels of social mobility and central to their rights.
• Good relations: working for the reduction of prejudice and segregation, and also the establishment of positive engagement to increase interaction and understanding between groups and communities that do not ordinarily mix or where tensions may exist. 

The projects in Scotland to be funded by the Commission are:

• The Glasgow Disability Alliance: this project will identify and nurture the next generation of disabled leaders, using a range of activities including outreach roadshows, learning programmes, capacity building and development of self advocacy. 
• The Equality Network: promoting the equality of Minority Ethnic/LGBT people in Scotland, and working to enhance and improve relations between LGBT, ME, faith-based and migrant communities.
• Engender Scotland: This project will work with womens groups to give them the skills to empower them to campaign on equality issues that affect them, whatever their circumstances in life, while influencing and changing public sector practices and policies.
• Kingsway Health and Wellbeing Centre: This project for young people will bring together two local community development organisations and two theatre companies, to deliver a dynamic, engaging programme of drama workshops and local theatre performances that will increase interaction and understanding between refugees, asylum seekers, and indigenous residents in a safe environment.
• The LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing: provides guidance, advice and advocacy to empower and engage LGBT people in decision making, improve accessibility of mainstream services and build capacity to support LGBT people facing multiple discrimination.
• Families Need Fathers: The funding will help extend its support, advisory and advocacy services in Scotland with the aim of addressing the inequalities and disadvantage faced by non-resident parents and their children after separation, promoting father inclusion. 

Morag Alexander, Commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Scotland, said:

"The Commision’s strategic funding programme will help organisations that make a real difference to hundreds of thousands of people at a local level. They have both the knowledge and expertise to bring real benefits to their local communities. Through our unique grants programme we can help ensure this good work continues. Support for these organisations is critical if we are to succeed in extending equality and fairness to all people in Britain."

• This Strategic Funding Programme is in addition to the £4.2m awarded earlier this month to voluntary sector organisations as part of the Commission’s legal grants programme.  Awards were offered to law centres, advice bureaux, racial equality councils, advice centres, disability advice specialists and human rights organisations.
• The Commission will also undertake a further grants programme in the next financial year which will see about £1 million given to organisations who meet the specified criteria.

Ends

Notes to editors

Section 17 of the Equality Act 2006 allows the Equality and Human Rights Commission to give financial assistance to organisations concerned with promoting equality and diversity, good relations and human rights.

A list of organisations offered funding under the 2009/10 Strategic Funding Programme is available on our website: www.equalityhuamanrights.com/funding

An offer will be made to each recipient and will be subject to contract.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006, which took over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the independent advocate for equality and human rights in Britain. It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission will enforce equality legislation on age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status, and encourage compliance with the Human Rights Act. It will also give advice and guidance to businesses, the voluntary and public sectors, and to individuals.

For more information contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission Media Office in Scotland on 0141 228 5938, out of hours 07970541 369.