Supporting Families Grant Announcement

Friday 31 July 2015

Number of Grants:5

Total Awarded: £3,468,110

Project / Location / Grant Summary / Amount
Awarded
Assistance Dogs / Across Northern Ireland / The five year Supporting Children, Supporting Families project will train, place and support 75 assistance dogs with families with a child aged 11 and under with autism or who uses a wheelchair. The dogs are trained to encourage independence, safety, confidence and well being by carrying out tasks including picking up items and opening and closing doors. They also act as a guide and anchor to children while outside. The group will work with Disability Action, Autism NI and Autism Advisory and Intervention Service to support families across Northern Ireland. The project will also include group trips and events so they can share experiences, a support helpline and activities including training sessions and basic animal first aid. / £697,825
Royal National Institute of Blind People(NI) / Western, Belfast and South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust areas / RNIB NI’s five-year Family Insight project is supporting 280 families across Northern Ireland with children aged under 12 with sight loss so they can better understand their children’s condition and build a strong support network. RNIB NI will work with parents’ support organisation Angel Eyes NI to offer services and activities including educational support and advocacy, confidence building activities, summer schemes, information and training for parents, family fun days and access to other services. The project will work in the Western, Belfast and South Eastern Health and Social Care Trusts areas, expanding RNIB NI’s existing service in the Northern and Southern Trusts to families across Northern Ireland. / £694,659
NOW Group / Belfast / NOW Group’s Here & NOW project is supporting families in which parents havemild to moderate learning difficulties or are on the autistic spectrum. The five-year project is working with expectant and new parents with children under five in the Belfast area tobuild confidence, develop skills and make them more connected to their communities. The project is supported by the Family Planning Association to deliver bespoke training around relationships and sexual health. It is offering opportunities for parents to move on to NOW Group’s other training, volunteering and employment services. / £679,926
Men’s Action Network / Derry/Londonderry, Enniskillen, Dungiven, Magherafelt and Omagh / Men’s Action Network is working with Fermanagh Women’s Aid on the five-year Fathering Families project. It is supporting families who may have experienced issues including poverty, separation, divorce, addiction and domestic violence in the Derry/Londonderry, Enniskillen, Dungiven, Magherafelt and Omagh areas to be healthier, happier and stronger. The project is working with a range of other agencies and activities include parenting and communication skills, peer support, play and art therapy and signposting to other services. / £698,767
Forthspring Intercommunity Group / Belfast / Forthspring Intercommunity Group has received a grant of £696,933 for the five-year Moving Up Moving On project. The project will work with two local primary schools to improve the life opportunities of young children and their families inthe Clonard, Springfield, Woodvale and Shankill areas of west Belfast. Partner schools include St Clare’s Primary School and Springfield Primary School. The project involves the whole family in their child’s education, focusing on those who need support around school transition periods. This includes family events, homework clubs and language clubs. Families will be able to access counselling support through Relate NI, and training through the Bytes Project. / £696,933