[WiLT] Sign the e-petition to save the Community Champions Scheme

[WiL Admin]

Sign the e-petition to save the Community Champions Scheme

Community Champions is a unique and effective award scheme for
individuals. Award winners run projects in their communities which
make a real difference, and give them the chance to transform where
and how they live. In doing so, they gain a tremendous boost to their
confidence.

However, the DfES will end the Community Champions programme in March
2008, and there are no plans to replace it.

The loss of the Community Champions awards will be felt most by
communities already experiencing significant disadvantage. Community
Champion projects give youngsters positive things to do, bring elders
out of isolation, encourage people to share skills and promote healthy
lifestyles.

Please sign this e-petition to show your support of Community
Champions and encourage the Government to continue to fund awards for
individuals.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/save-champions/


What is the Community Champions Fund?

The Community Champions Fund was set up by the DfES to help provide
support for people with small-scale ideas for projects to help improve
their communities. Please note that the Community Champions Fund is
not likely to continue after 2007-08. This page will be updated as
further information becomes available.

The people: The Community Champions Fund (CCF) is keen to support
people who have missed out the chances offered through 'mainstream'
funding activity.

Focus on community benefits: One of the keys to the success of CCF is
the ability of people in the Champion's community to relate to their
project. It remains a major criterion for approving a CCF grant award
that the project will benefit the community.

Progress towards personal goals: When applying for a CCF grant,
Champions will often not have considered how they might develop
personally. Nevertheless it is inevitable that Champions will learn
through their project activity.

Target communities: In keeping with its ethos of providing
opportunities to those who commonly miss out, CCF targets deprived
neighbourhoods and socially excluded communities of interest.
(Communities are defined by the common needs and circumstances of
people within them, not just their common location).

CCF as a risk taker: It is important that CCF supports people with
limited experience of leading projects. CCF should also encourage new
and innovative approaches. In order to safegaurd public money
Champions must commit to accounting for what they spend their grant
on.

The sort of projects CCF will support: The basis for decisions on
whether to provide CCF funding for a project boil down to four golden
rules:
* The project benefits the community;
* The project provides potential opportunities which the Champion
would otherwise have difficulty accessing
* The project is of a scale which can be funded from within the CCF
maximum award of £2000; and
* Other sources of funding are not being used and/or would not be more
appropriate.