The Neighbourhood Challenge: Pioneer organisations lead the way in transforming communities

17/02/11

Sixteen community organisations from across England have been selected to take part in a pioneering programme designed to help local people tackle some of their most important issues. 

The Neighbourhood Challenge is being run by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) with support from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).  It will work with community organisations and community organisers to demonstrate how people, when equipped with the right skills and small amounts of money, can devise new and imaginative ways to get people involved in tackling local issues together.

The programme has already captured the public's imagination with over 600 groups from across England applying to take part.  Over the next twelve months the sixteen selected groups, which represent a range of different communities, will receive the high-quality training and support needed to help people turn their ideas to tackle pressing local issues into reality. The Challenge will also provide micro-finance to support the development of local projects and establish local challenge prizes to incentivise community-led innovation.

Phillip Colligan from NESTA's Public Services Lab, says: 'We know that the most innovative solutions to big social challenges are found when you harness the ingenuity and energy of communities and citizens.  All of the Neighbourhood Challenge organisations have already shown that they can inspire local people to get together and take action on the things they care about.  Over the next year we'll be supporting them to go even further, showing what can be achieved through people power.'

Sanjay Dighe, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund England Committee said: "The Big Lottery Fund is excited to be working with NESTA in a partnership which blends the best of innovation, a determination to support communities and people most in need,  and a passion for learning.

Sanjay continued:  "Neighbourhood Challenge puts local people in the driving seat giving them the space, the tools, the inspiration and perhaps most importantly the support they need to take that significant step forward in their local communities. We regularly see how such small steps can lead to BIG positive changes in communities."

Over the next twelve months, progress from each of the sixteen groups will be monitored and evaluated to understand how community organising methods and micro-finance can generate sustainable community action; what methods are most effective at galvanizing community action and how these can be taken to scale; what skills, training and support community organisers need; and what are the barriers faced by communities who want to do things for themselves.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

For further information, please contact:

Ruth Attride 020 7438 2609/ ruth.attride@nesta.org.uk

Jan Singleton 020 7438 2606/ jan.singleton@nesta.org.uk

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888

The sixteen finalist projects are:

1. Aldridge Foundation in Darwen, Manchester and Falmer, Brighton
2. ARK Academy in partnership with Citizens UK in Brent, Middlesex
3. Blackhorse Action Group in Waltham Forest, London
4. Bradford Moor Play And Support Service (PASS) in Yorkshire
5. Brixham Youth Enquiry Service (YES) in Torbay, Devon
6. Cambridgeshire Acre in Cambridgeshire
7. Church Action On Poverty
8. Community Foundation For Merseyside, in Merseyside
9. Coopers Edge in Gloucestershire
10. Groundwork North East in Moorsley and Peat Carr in Sunderland
11. Halifax Central Initiative Calderdale Council in Halifax, Yorkshire
12. Holy Trinity in the Hawtonville Estate and Newark in Nottinghamshire
13. Peckham Settlement in central Peckham, London
14. Prescap in Preston, Lancashire 
15. Shiregreen in Sheffield
16. Surrey Community foundation in Surrey

For further information about the projects please visit www.nesta.org.uk

About NESTA

NESTA is the UK's foremost independent expert on how innovation can solve some of the country's major economic and social challenges. Its work is enabled by an endowment, funded by the National Lottery, and it continues to operate at no cost to the taxpayer. 

NESTA is a world leader in its field and carries out its work through a blend of experimental programmes, analytical research and investment in early-stage companies. www.nesta.org.uk

About the Big Lottery Fund (BIG)

The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.

BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.

Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £25 billion has now been raised and more than 330,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.