Communities First
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What is Communities First?
Communities First is a long-term Welsh Assembly Government
programme which aims to improve opportunities and quality of
life in the most disadvantaged communities in Wales.
How does Communities First work?
A Communities First partnership is formed for each local area.
Partnership members include local councillors and staff from
statutory agencies such as the local authority, Fire Service
or Police; local businesses, groups and
voluntary organisations such as the County Voluntary
Council; and most importantly, local residents.
The partnership directs the work of a staff team who
consult with the community to find out the local issues and
priorities. These are written into a local action plan which sets
out the main aims of the partnership and the work needed to improve
the community. An organisational chart showing the staff structure
of Communities First in Neath Port Talbot can be downloaded at the
bottom of this page.
What does Communities First do?
The Communities First programme works to address the
issues needed to improve the quality of life in the local
area, as identified by the local community. Although each
community is different, these issues are broadly grouped into six
common themes:
- Child Poverty
- Community Safety
- Education, Training & Skills
- Environment
- Health & Well Being
- Jobs, Business & Income Generation
The partnership and local team then work with partners to bring
about changes in the local area, involving community members as
much as possible in the process. Examples of some of the work under
each theme can be found in our Communities First Achievements Report, or more
recent work in our Communities First newsletters and Communities First
projects page.
Which areas does Communities First work in?
Neath Port Talbot has eleven Communities First
areas:
You can 'Find
My Nearest Communities First Office' by selecting Communities
First venues and updating our interactive map.
How were Communities First areas chosen?
A statistical measure called the Welsh
Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) is used to compare
all areas across Wales. When the programme began in 2002 most of
the areas chosen to be part of Communities First
were ranked in the top 100 wards of the 2000 WIMD,
although other smaller areas were also identified. After the WIMD
was updated in 2005 several new areas were invited to apply for
Communities First status.
What is the Communities First Trust Fund?
The Communities First Trust Fund provides small grants for
community and voluntary groups in Communities First areas. The fund
aims to support any type of activity that involves local people,
through small community organisations, that benefits their
community. The activities must provide some measure of economic,
environmental, social or cultural benefit for people living in a
Communities First area. Since its launch in 2002, hundreds of local
groups within Neath Port Talbot have had their activities supported by the Communities First Trust
Fund.
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Last Updated: 12.08.2010 at 16:33