Building & Developing Resilience

The Building and Developing Resilience grants programme funded projects between 2018 and 2023.

We are always looking to receive applications that use memorable, innovative, and or creative ways of delivering financial life skills that 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.

Ella’s is a London-based charity working with women who have survived trafficking and sexual exploitation. Ella’s began in 2014, opening its first safe house in 2016, and now operate and run two safe houses and a community outreach programme. Their support is intensive and tailored to the individual. They provide direct, regular support for more than 45 women and families and help when needed many more survivors across their wider network. They speak out on issues affecting the women they work with. They care deeply about survivors of trafficking and exploitation, and want to see a world where these crimes are not tolerated.

Our funding enabled Ella’s to support 35 survivors in developing financial resilience and independence skills. To achieve this four frontline staff attended and completed Community Money Advice’s Budget Coach course. All women supported have developed and implemented a budget plan and the staff have felt more confident in providing advice and support to them and helping them make informed decisions about their finances. Their outreach case-worker commented,

“‘Supporting our service users through anything financial, whether it is looking at budgeting or applying for benefits can cause a great amount of stress. A lot of the women have never had to manage their own money and so this can be overwhelming. Having a support worker there to guide them has been incredibly beneficial, and since the training I have definitely felt more confident in knowing what I can help with, and where to go for support.”

As a result of this grant they have been able to access additional funding from Quaker Social Action to offer additional group budgeting courses to continue supporting women to develop their own budget plans.

We particularly liked that Ella's project upskilled frontline staff who are crucial in helping survivors recover and build independent lives that are safe and free.

Tailored Advice Services in Communities (TASC) formed as a community interest company in 2014 to deliver welfare and money advice and training for individuals and groups in Knowsley, Liverpool, Lancashire and Widnes. It works in partnership with local agencies such as Knowsley Disability Concern, Shap Ltd charity, and KPAIS (Knowsley Pensioners' Advocacy and Information Service).

Our funding enabled TASC to deliver their Switched on Communities project to 126 older people who lived in Kirby and Knowsley by funding a 6-hour-a-week ‘older advisor’ post. They provided supported digital access, one to one support and advice, two online money management training sessions and an overview of benefits to local agency partners.

The challenges and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the various lockdown measures impacted TASC’s planned delivery. Locally due to lockdown restrictions there was a shortage of provision of advice services, TASC’s flexible hybrid approach to working enabled them to keep working and supporting vulnerable older people throughout restrictions. This was noted as an important driver for older people to seek support and address their digital and financial exclusion who are less likely to claim their full entitlements, or are too proud to ask for help.

We particularly liked that this project provided practical support to digitally excluded older people through the turbulent 2021 lockdown period.

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. They aim 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.

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