College looking to invest in innovative projects to help community

Pieces created by Cartwheel Art learners

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Hopwood Hall College, in association with the Skills Funding Agency, is seeking innovative projects to fund in Rochdale, in its bid to help create learning opportunities for adults in the local community.

The Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) fund, managed by Hopwood Hall College, has been supporting local voluntary and community sector organisations since 2009.

Hopwood Hall College is well placed to help organisations develop their capacity to deliver learning opportunities to residents.

Since its launch, the NLDC fund, through the College, has provided almost £735,000 in funding to 44 projects throughout the borough. These projects have ensured nearly 2,000 local people have been able to take part in tailor made courses and programmes.

Past successful bids have included those from organisations such as Cartwheel Arts. Cartwheel Arts promotes social inclusion, cohesion, diversity and regeneration through community participation in art projects in the local community. Thanks to the funding the organisation ran courses at Dandelion Create, for adults with experience of mental health issues. The course culminated in an event at the Toad Lane Co-Operative Museum in Rochdale.

Kerry Bertram, Project Coordinator for Cartwheel Arts said: “Through Hopwood Hall College, the NLDC funding has allowed Cartwheel Arts to deliver Arts for Wellbeing and Enterprise courses in Rochdale. Each participant progressed amazingly, gaining confidence, skills and opening new career paths and social opportunities.”

Participants of the course commented that they found it exciting to work together, and enjoyed making things and seeing all the different skills people have. It offered a chance to feed off each other and created a wonderful event and hope for the future, with other participants adding that it was fun and provided them with skills they wanted to use going forward.

The NLDC fund helps organisations, especially those from the voluntary and community sector, provide services to the community with a focus on provisions for residents of disadvantaged areas. The aim of the scheme is to help increase participation in learning, address local needs, provide access to information, advice and guidance and importantly improve skills that will help local people into employment and access new opportunities.

Jonathan Gibson, Contracts Officer, Community Learning, at Hopwood Hall College said: “Since launch, the NLDC fund has been able to provide financial support to so many great projects which in turn have helped local people achieve new skills and qualifications.

"Participating learners are meeting new personal learning goals and are being helped on their way to employment.

"Now we are looking for our next set of projects to fund and we are encouraging all organisations that fit the criteria to get in touch. It doesn’t matter whether your project is large or small - we want to hear about it. NLDC funding could mean that your project gets the support it needs in its endeavours to help the local community.

"If you believe your organisation could be eligible for funding we urge you to apply quickly to ensure it is considered before the deadline later this month.”

To qualify for funding, projects must be focused in deprived communities, involve local people, deliver or facilitate learning, engage with local people and help participants plan and move on to further learning, community activity or paid work in the future.

Other organisations that have previously received funding include the Demesne Media Arts Centre, which provided a range of short courses such as food hygiene, digital photography and internet and email. In addition, with its funding, Link4Life, was able to run community sports leadership programmes, while Rochdale Mind hosted eight week programmes in catering and horticulture which included work experience placements.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Monday 19 August. Interested organisations are advised to download an application pack, which can be found on Hopwood Hall College’s website: http://www.hopwood.ac.uk/news-and-events For further information, please contact Jonathan Gibson, at Hopwood Hall College on 0161 643 7560 or via e-mail jonathan.gibson@hopwood.ac.uk