Who are we?
The Aspiring Communities Fund helps enable community bodies and third sector organisations in our most deprived and fragile communities to develop and deliver long-term local solutions that address local priorities and needs, increase active inclusion and build on the assets of local communities to reduce poverty and to enable inclusive growth.
What is Aspiring Communities goal?
Our goal is to put communities first by involving local people in the process and support the aims of the Fairer Scotland Action Plan to change deep seated, multi-generational deprivation, poverty and inequalities.
Delivering on community-led solutions that tackle priorities that matter most to communities, or
– For more vulnerable and harder to reach groups, through local interventions that act as a catalyst for engagement and offer opportunities and pathways for social and community integration.
– We recognise that both approaches can tackle multiple outcomes associated with poverty and inequalities at both individual and community level.
Who funds Aspiring Communities?
This Challenge Fund is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Scottish Government. It is being delivered by Social Justice and Regeneration Division, Scottish Government as Lead Partner for the 2014-2020 ESF Programme.
The aim of this funding is to strengthen and empower communities, increase levels of economic activity, stimulate inclusive growth, local service provision and inclusion by:
– Enabling communities to design and establish new or enhanced services addressing poverty and inequalities;
– Supporting staff posts within community organisations to increase levels of economic activity, local service provision and inclusion, and enhance community resilience;
– Accelerating the implementation of projects and services delivering longer lasting solutions that empower individuals and communities to shape their futures by involving local people in the process.
What is the purpose of Aspiring Communities?
The Aspiring Communities Fund targets for:
– People benefiting from new services/support;
– New or improved community owned assets (noting that capital for acquisition must be obtained from other non ESF sources).
The fund will support people experiencing disadvantage and/or inequality in its many forms including disabled people, those with alcohol/drug dependence, ex-offenders, homeless people, looked after children, BME communities and other communities of interest, providing this includes support for at least one of the ESF target groups
referred to above.
For more information visit www.Gov.scot
Caithness Voluntary Group 