Community Engagement innovations fund update

Report: 8
Date: 11 June 2009
By: Chief Executive

Summary

The Engagement & Partnership Unit at the MPA , wish to encourage creativity and pioneering activities in community engagement and for this purpose the MPA established a Community Engagement Innovations Fund. The fund is intended to enable the development of specific community engagement projects, which encourages better engagement between the police and local communities, through straight consultation, engagement on specific issues, and engagement through activities to build links and confidence in communities. Each project could apply for a maximum of £5,000 and linked in with their local Community Police Engagement Group.

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members note the content of this interim report

B. Supporting information

1. The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) undertakes community consultation in the development of its work through general and specialist activities. The second of the MPA’s corporate priorities is ‘to transform community engagement to help Londoners secure more responsive policing’ and to achieve this MPA has developed its Community Engagement Strategy to increase and enhance Londoners say in how their city is policed.’

2. `The practical implementation of the community engagement is supported by the work of a broad section of the Metropolitan Police Authority, through monitoring and scrutiny work and by the specialist support of its Engagement and Partnerships Unit (using a specialist funding programme to support community and police engagement groups in the 32 London Boroughs) and by the work of the Metropolitan Police Service and their partners.

Project criteria

3. Projects must:

• Be innovative and inspiring, delivering benefits and new ways of working in community and police engagement
• Be a development or enhancement of a currently successful project.
• Be transferable to other boroughs in London.
• Be a project seeking to engage with underrepresented groups for example: BME, Women’s groups, Young or Older people, LGBT, Deaf & Disabled, faith.

Application process

4. The process for accessing funding is designed to be as simple as possible. Applicants are therefore asked to summit:

• A brief application form that gives a description of the project, including what the innovation project will demonstrate, timescale, costs, geographical area of coverage, outputs which are measurable.
• Details of how the proposed scheme or project fulfils the general criteria outlined above.
• Consult with the Link member of that particular borough.
• Show that the group is supported by key agencies that comprise the local partnership.

Decision process

5. Decisions will be made using a scoring system against the criteria to ensure a fair and unbiased assessment process. Community Engagement and Citizen Focus Oversight group will oversee this fund. (CECFOG).

6. Once a grant is awarded, the successful applicant will be required to sign a short grant agreement detailing the basis on which the grant has been awarded and the expectations on both parties. Particularly in relation to payment, project monitoring and evaluation around the difference this fund has made.

 Monitoring

7. All the innovations projects are in the process of completing a monitoring form on their project, here is a brief update of a couple of the projects that have sent in their monitoring and I will provide more detailed information on all the projects around July 2009 when all the projects would have come to an end. The information could then be circulated to all CPEGs to give them ideas on how to engage communities in the 3 forms previously mentioned.

 Hackney-London Youth rowing

8. A significant part of the funding for this 5 year project came from Sports England. Hackney received 5k from the MPA Innovations fund and put it to good use. Hackney managed to gain participation from 2 local schools, Bridge academy, Cardinal Pole and 1 youth club, on top of existing activity in the borough which includes Lea Rowing club junior section fed by local schools that include Mossbourne, Stoke Newington & Petchey Academy. The London youth rowing encourages pathways to sport including on water rowing. Young people from Hackney are encouraged to try rowing at Lea Rowing Club, where the junior programme is run by London youth rowing. There is an active development squad and performance programme. So far 1135 individual participants from Hackney including 251 with disability have engaged with the programme. They hope to provide young rowers for the trials this autumn.

 Southwark-Kick-Start

9. The project was a development of a successful project with kick-start delivered in 2007.Southwark received 5k from the MPA Innovations fund. They used drama and performing arts as a tool to help break down barriers and improve communication between the police and young people. Kick-start used discussions and workshops to help 20 young people create their own production in partnership with their local Safer Neighbourhood Teams.’ Them myself and us’ on the Rockingham estate in Southwark was created. Young people from the Walworth and Rockingham community came together to work on the special event.105 members of the community went to see the show. The audience reflected the local community including the elderly which was an attempt to reduce the fear of crime and many bme communities. DVD was produced and can be sent out to other areas in London.

C. Race and equality impact

 It is a funding requirement for all groups to make demonstrable efforts to ensure that their activities are in line with good practice and they engage with a wide range of community groups as detailed in the guidance.

D. Financial implications

 The total budget for the Innovations fund from 2008-2009 is £100,000 and this is contained within existing budgets. The financial management of the successful projects will be reviewed as part of the overall monitoring regime to ensure that the allocated funds are used appropriately.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Sam Evans, MPA

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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