Plans to empower communities through extra funding pledge

LOCAL charities, community groups and social enterprises in Staffordshire are to receive further support to empower local communities,

Staffordshire County Council has announced that Support Staffordshire has been awarded a contract to support the local voluntary sector and work alongside communities to promote health and wellbeing.

While Staffordshire Council of Youth Voluntary Services (SCVYS) has been awarded a contract to work specifically with young people and the community groups that support them.

Victoria Wilson, the county council’s cabinet member for communities and culture, said; “The voluntary sector play a vital role in helping the county council to deliver its key priority of supporting more people to lead as healthy, rewarding and independent lives as possible.

“Our investment in supporting the voluntary sector will undoubtedly be returned many times over, especially in the real difference it will make in the heart of our communities and for the benefit of our residents.

“This shone through during the pandemic and I am delighted that we will be continuing to work with both Support Staffordshire and

SCVYS to empower communities even more as we recover from the impacts of Covid-19.”

The contracts, which are worth £250,000 per year each, will run for three years from August 1, 2022 with an option to extend for a further year.

Garry Jones, chief executive of Support Staffordshire, said: “We are delighted to continue working with the council to support Staffordshire’s voluntary sector to enrich the lives of local people and communities, as well as helping people to be healthy, independent, and enjoy the best life they can.”

Phil Pusey, chief executive of SCVYS, also welcomed the funding and said: “At SCVYS we work with the local voluntary sector to help children and young people to thrive and be heard.

“I am delighted this new deal will help us to continue to work with the council to do this and support young people across Staffordshire.”

The council has also announced, as part of this work, that four local organisations will help the council to manage grant programmes as and when the opportunity arises.

These organisations are the Community Foundation for Staffordshire, Sporting Communities, Support Staffordshire and Together Active.