My Department has for a number of years operated a range of grants schemes and community development support programmes which concentrate on a wide range of support for local self-help groups, community development, welfare rights and information work, and on the provision of seed money to enable community groups to pilot initiatives identified as meeting new and emerging community needs.
The community development support programmes were included in the national development plan with a commitment of over £100 million over the lifetime of the plan, this figure rises to £110 million when budget commitments are included. These programmes focus on investment in capacity building, so that socially excluded groups and local communities can be active participants in identifying and meeting their own development needs, working alongside the other social partners.
Applications from groups seeking inclusion in these programmes are assessed by an independent technical group established to advise me on the selection of new areas and groups for funding.
Applications must fulfil the following criteria for inclusion in the programmes. They must have a commitment to an anti-poverty focus; provide support and act as a catalyst for community development activity; act as a resource in the communities of which they are a part; promote co-ordination and co-operation between community, voluntary and statutory groups in the area; involve local people drawn from groups who themselves experience poverty and social exclusion within their management structures; demonstrate a commitment, in principle and practice, to operate from an equality perspective.
Some 90 projects are currently participating in the community development programme and an additional 40 projects will come on stream over the next 18 months. At present, 61 centres are
being funded or have been approved in principle for funding under the family and community services resource centre programme. It is expected that a further 15 centres will be established by the end of 2000. In addition, funding for a further ten groups under the core funded community and family support groups programme has been provided.