Please review the funded projects under the grant theme Building and Developing Resilience.
We are always looking to receive applications which use memorable, innovative, and or creative ways of delivering financial life skills which will make a lasting impact on the way people think, behave and manage their money.
Check out what the Trustees and the Grant Advisory Panel particularly liked about the projects featured.
Trinity Winchester is a registered charity; it works in an area that covers 250 square miles of rural Hampshire. They support annually over 600 people who are vulnerable to the effects of homelessness, addiction, physical and mental health problems, poverty, social isolation and domestic abuse. They offer integrated services that combine to support clients to develop life skills and confidence.
This project delivered life skills training using Centre Point’s Life Wise training modules to 60 homeless and vulnerable young people. Trinity provide a holistic approach through structured learning, as many clients have opted out of formal education, addressing emotional needs and supporting those with mental health challenges. Each participant received up to 50 hours of direct input, support and mentoring over a 12 week period, provided by a designated key worker and a trained volunteer mentor. Participants improved their budgeting skills to sustain tenancies, as well as gain accreditations and qualifications to help them secure voluntary or paid employment.
As a result of the training received, 5 people moved into Trinity’s own housing project with the assurance that they had the skills to sustain a tenancy for the long term. 53 people secured voluntary or paid employment - including two cleaners and a kitchen porter employed directly by Trinity. This course enabled those who find life challenging to look at their life choices realistically with support, and find better ways improve their situation rather than continuing to avoid it.
We particularly liked that Trinity Winchester’s project delivered structured learning with holistic support and wider benefits were achieved by their clients.
Citizens Advice St Albans District provides free, confidential and impartial advice and campaigns on big issues affecting peoples’ lives. Their goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face. They are an independent charity, registered in 1994, and are part of the Citizens Advice network across England and Wales.
This project employed an experienced and qualified financial capability advice worker for 8 hours per week to provide specific support and training to carers and those living with dementia. Working in partnership with Hertswise, (an innovative countywide support service to support people living with dementia and their carers) 14 talks were given at local dementia support groups. Topics for the talks included: carer and disability benefits; council tax exemptions; marriage allowance for income tax; reducing energy outgoings, switching supplier and switching to metered water; social service care costs, referrals and disability adaptations; TV licensing rules, mobility including blue badges, bus and train passes, equipment and disabled parking spaces; wills and powers of attorney (PoA), court of protection and PoA refunds, and how to avoid scams.
Following on from the talks, over 136 hours of detailed support and advice was given to 50 individuals needing further help to make the most of their finances. Some of the achievements which were gained included; Attendance Allowance awards, Severe Mental impairment discount backdated, marriage allowance for income tax backdated, Power of Attorney refunds.
We particularly liked that Citizens Advice St Albans District, worked in partnership with Hertswise to reach a vulnerable group and struck a good balance between learning and one to one support.
PACE stands for Pro-Active Community Endeavours. They are a registered charity, established in 2003, serving the community in and around Charnwood, Leicestershire. Their aim is to meet the physical, mental, emotional and social needs of society, reaching out to the vulnerable, excluded, disadvantaged, hurting and the general public
PACE’s Debt Advice team developed a few years ago their own money skills course, ‘On Track’ aimed at supporting people to find their own route map to financial freedom. On Track is a fun, interactive personal money management and financial capability 10 hour course run over 5 weeks, it encourages participants to look at the real reasons behind their financial difficulties. They focus on the practical and psychological issues that can lead to unmanageable debt. Each participant is given a comprehensive financial capability On Track resource pack which included workbooks, a personal finance journal, money tracker, template letters and much more.
Our grant funded the delivery of 14 courses benefitting 154 participants. As a result of taking the course, PACE further supported some of the participants, by taking them on as clients at their Debt Advice Centre, and for others made referrals to their Foodbank and their Counselling Service. Several participants were also recruited as volunteers to support future courses.
We particularly liked that PACE have been able to successfully deliver a tried and tested financial capability course at scale in their local community.
Wipers is a youth justice social enterprise which specialises in working with vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. They are based in Shoreditch, London.
Our funding enabled Wipers to deliver 4 rounds of their Business and Life Skills programme - The Enterprise Course. Working in partnership with the Youth Offending Teams from Hammersmith & Fulham, Camden, Enfield and Islington, 43 young people from these London boroughs accessed the course. In total 32 young people completed the course and gained an accredited Level 2 AQA qualification in Business & Life Skills.
Each course comprised of 8 weekly 2 hour workshops. A variety of fun, dynamic and interactive youth work skills were used to enhance their financial capabilities and to increase their social and personal development.
This grant has enabled Wipers to develop new strategic partnerships across London, further cementing their reputation of being a specialist provider in working with hard-to-reach vulnerable young people.
We particularly liked that the Wipers Business and Life Skills programme enabled disengaged young people to achieve a recognised national qualification.
Is a registered charity, and is the parent charity of the Aspirations Healthy Living Cente in Margate, Kent. The Aspirations Centre is a community hub run in partnership with Orbit South Housing Association, Global Generation Church, Jobcentre Plus and Kent County Council.
We funded 7 Aspire Community Financial Stability Courses (a 3 hour session delivered once a week for 3 weeks using CAP Money Course resources). 68 vulnerable people benefitted from completing the courses. Each session had 3 elements, financial education, financial wellbeing and group discussion.
The course integrated practical life skills and personal support. Those who needed additional support were referred onto specialist debt advisors for help.
We particularly liked that the Pipeline project teamed up education with practical life skills and individual support.
Citizens Advice Cheadle is a registered charity serving the people of Cheadle and across the Staffordshire Moorlands district. Affiliated to Citiziens Advice UK, they provide free, confidential, impartial, independent advice, on issues ranging from, welfare rights, consumer rights, immigration employment, housing and debt.
We funded the appointment of a Financial Capability Officer for one day per week for a year. Over this year they recruited and trained a team of 4 volunteer Money Skill Advisers, who provided 1:1 financial capability support to 185 clients. Training and awareness sessions were delivered to frontline staff and volunteers who work with vulnerable groups including training on financial abuse.
The project was publicised across Staffordshire, using social media, press releases, informative posters and leaflets targeting foodbanks, schools, and other local advice agencies.
