December 2007
London Funders Meeting on Equalities
A meeting of all London's Funders & Investors
Our fourth quarterly meeting of 2007 attracted almost 60 participants and covered very useful ground especially on two areas: we heard from James Kingston of the Cohesion and Faiths Unit at the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) about government’s plans to follow up the recommendations of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion. Funders (and many voluntary and community organisations) have been concerned that the Secretary of State, Hazel Blears, proposed to issue guidance to funders asking for a shift in funding from supporting single equalities groups to funding activities that directly foster cohesion.
The meeting provided the chance to explain why single group funding is important for vulnerable minorities, and how it enables the way they connect with the broader community and with mainstream services. The meeting provided an opportunity to consider these issues in some depth and as an outcome of the meeting a group of funders, coordinated by Mubin Haq of City Parochial Foundation have advised CLG on the guidance being drafted for funders.
Olu Alake, Head of Funding at the new Equality and Human Rights Commission updated us on how it is approaching its responsibilities in relation to race, gender and disability (from the work of the previous Commissions) and its newly added areas of equality in age, sexual orientation and religion or belief, as well as human rights. He outlined their initial thoughts on grantmaking and explained that 2007-08 grants would be based on interim arrangements while they work out longer term priorities. We hope that the meeting provided an opportunity for the Commission to think about collaboration with other funders.
Vivienne Hayes, Vice Chair of HEAR (formerly the Equalities and Human Rights Sub—group), London Regional Consortium, and director of the Women's Resource Centre gave an overview of inequality in London and went on to consider the essential role frontline equality organisations play in responding to inequality and strengthening community cohesion. She emphasised the essential importance of targeting support to help specific communities overcome disadvantage. Equality of opportunity, she argued, depends not only on measures that others take on behalf of marginalised communities, but also, crucially on their own action and collective voice through their own organisations.
Workshops provided a chance for funders to explore:
- How funders can ensure all equalities issues are covered adequately across London
- The arguments for and against single group funding
- How London’s funders can make an input to the development of Government policy on the funding of equalities The priorities for equalities infrastructure in London
Download Meeting report
Presentations:
James Kingston, Cohesion and Faiths Unit, Department of Communities and Local Government.
Guidance to Funders. Background to the recommendations of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion and update on government plans for implementation.
Olu Alake, Head of Funding, Equality and Human Rights Commission. Update on the new Commission and how it is approaching its responsibilities in relation to race, gender and disability (from the work of the previous Commissions) and its newly added areas of equality in age, sexual orientation and religion or belief, as well as human rights. Briefing on its interim grants programme and longer term grantmaking plans. What are the implications for other funders?
Vivienne Hayes, Vice Chair - HEAR (formerly the Equalities and Human Rights Sub—group), London Regional Consortium; and director of the Women's Resource Centre Presentation of HEAR’s report on supporting and improving infrastructure for London’s third sector equalities groups.
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September 2007
Child Poverty / Presenting the work of London Funders Project Groups
A meeting for London’s Funders & Investors
This event gave an overview on Child Poverty in London and the Challenges for Funders & was followed by an information session on the work of London Funders Project Groups.
1) Child Poverty Presentations:
• Chris Pond - Vice Chair End Child Poverty Campaign & Chief Executive of One Parent Families /Gingerbread
Chris gave an overview of the work of the lobbying and research work undertaken by the End Child Poverty Campaign, outlining the main causes & effects of child poverty and identifying families most at risk. He concluded his presentation with practical suggestions for change.
(download presentation highlights)
• Hilary McCollum - Director of Social Policy & Grants, London Councils
Hilary gave a presentation outlining the London Councils commitment to tackling child poverty in London through a range of services including social housing intervention, help for speakers of foreign languages and employment strategies. Hilary invited funders to support their work through match funding, support of services and input into the London Councils interim child poverty report.
(download presentation highlights)
• Rushanara Ali - London Child Poverty Commissioner
Rushanara gave an insight into the work of the London Child Poverty Commission with a breakdown of the ways in which London Families are effected by poverty. Rushanara concluded by highlighting priority areas for action and ways in which London Funders can make a difference.
(download presentation highlights)
• Simon Deakin – London Borough of Enfield
Over 30% of Enfield’s Child population lives in poverty. Simon gave a case study presentation on ‘one large intervention’ – a flagship project conducted by Enfield’s Local Area Agreement & funded by the Neighborhood Renewal Fund and to make local families more prosperous. The project primarily concentrates on increasing local levels of education and employment through a number of schemes run through two local drop-in centers.
(download presentation highlights)
2) Presentations were followed by a plenary session /panel discussion of speakers + Bharat Mehta (Chief Executive, City Parochial Foundation ) & Sara Llewellin (Chair of London Funders).
Key discussion points included:
• The appropriateness of distinguishing child poverty as a campaign objective, rather than targeting all experiences of poverty
• The perception of poverty – the need to raise public awareness that significant poverty exists in London (half of all households are affected) and the knock on impact that poverty has on a child throughout his or her whole life.
• The need to tackle the huge rich/ poor divide in London by raising the minimum London wage in line with the cost of living.
• The need to support initiatives which nurture and protect vulnerable families such as increased community child care, youth provision, play spaces & better social housing in mixed tenure areas.
• The need to ensure key opportunities for long term sustainable employment for low income parents are not missed through the Olympics & Thames Gateway developments.
• The need to trust local communities to allocate funding wisely – often community project at grass roots level have most impact.
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June 2007
Climate Change: The Funding Challenge:
A meeting for London’s Funders & Investors
This event gave an overview on how climate change will affect London from a structural and social perspective over the next ten years and covered:
- Key Climate Change Issues for funders
- Clarity on the role funders can play in Reducing the Impact of Climate Change
- The practicalities of designing grant programmes to meet Climate Change Challenges
Attendees were able to participate in an interactive session to develop a Climate Change grants programme and enjoyed presentations on the impact and challenges of climate change for funders from:
Nicky Gavron, Deputy Mayor for London
Penny Bramwell, Head of the Sustainable Development Unit, Government Office for London,
Climate Change Impact and Implications
Andy Deacon, The Greater London Authority Climate Change - Action Today to Protect Tomorrow: The Mayor’s Climate Change Action Plan (Large file please email us for a zipped copy)
John Merivale - The City Bridge Trust - Eco - Audits programme |