Youth clubs, mental health charities and social enterprises are among the organisations to benefit from up to £30 million to create volunteering opportunities and help reduce loneliness.
- 27 disadvantaged areas, will be supported to create new volunteering opportunities for local residents to help their communities
- The new Know Your Neighbourhood Fund will support charitable projects to connect communities backed by up to £30 million
- Projects set to benefit include initiative to help parent carers take part in volunteering, and training for young people to become accredited sports coaches
Launched by the government working in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund, Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England and UK Community Foundations (UKCF), the ‘Know Your Neighbourhood Fund’ will support local organisations in (27 areas) to increase their offer of projects that enrich lives to help improve wellbeing and social connections.
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Know Your Neighbourhood Fund UKCF Projects (ODS, 27.4 KB)
Know Your Neighbourhood Fund National Lottery Community Fund Projects (ODS, 57.8 KB)
Recent research has revealed that adults were more likely to report feeling lonely if they lived in a deprived area, and that areas with higher rates of unemployment tend to have higher rates of loneliness.
Volunteering opportunities help to connect communities, help people to develop skills and grow their networks; and help public services serve local communities.
Funding will help develop volunteering programmes, provide 1-1 support for vulnerable residents, fund new activities such as arts and crafts, sport and coffee sessions, and support social community events amongst other projects.
Civil Society Minister Stuart Andrew said:
During the Covid-19 pandemic, dedicated volunteers and charity workers came together to support our communities in a real time of need - from taking time to check in on neighbours to delivering prescriptions.
We are determined to capture this brilliant spirit and see it continue, which is why I’m delighted to announce the launch of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund. With funding already being allocated, this will create more opportunities for people to volunteer, learn new skills and connect with their communities across the country.
Elsewhere, the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund will create volunteering opportunities in local museums, voluntary arts groups such as community choirs, music and drama clubs, and connect communities through projects related to their high streets. This work will be supported by £5 million to creative arts and cultural organisations through Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.
A number of projects will be expanded following support from the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, supported by up to £10 million from The National Lottery Community Fund.
This funding builds on the almost £50 million the government and its partners have invested in tackling loneliness since 2018, including over £34 million in response to COVID-19 as part of the £750 million voluntary and community sector funding package. This is in addition to the £4.6 million Volunteering Futures Fund launched in 2022, which will allow more than 160 community organisations to support 7,800 new volunteering opportunities.
