Main grants making a difference
In September the National Lottery Charities Board announced more than �4 million worth of grant support for good causes across Northern Ireland.
The money was shared by 46 groups under the Charities Board's Main Grants programme. The money, in keeping with the strategic priorities of the Board in N Ireland, will be used to improve the circumstances of specific groups including older people, people living in rural areas, young people, minority ethic communities and families and children. Groups supporting people with disabilities are also supported.
Image: Main grants awards
The groups benefiting from September's grant announcements were diverse both geographically and in their sphere of work, ranging from Age Concern in Cookstown to Banbridge Area Carers' Support Group, from Shopmobility Belfast to the mental health charity STEER.
Announcing the grants Noel Stewart, Chairman of the National Lottery Charities Board Committee in Northern Ireland, said: "We are delighted to be in a position to support the worthwhile work of so many dedicated groups, particularly in the light of increasing budget constraints."
The new grant brings the total disbursed by the National Lottery Charities Board in Northern Ireland since its inception six years ago to �76 million. The Northern Ireland Board receives more applications per head of population than any other region of the United Kingdom.
CASE STUDY
ChildLine SERVICE BOOSTED BY CHARITIES BOARD SUPPORT
Image: ChildLine president Esther Rantzen with a pupil at St Bride's school, Derryrolgie, Belfast
One main grant recipient, ChildLine Northern Ireland, were awarded a grant of �218,000 from the National Lottery Charities Board in May 2000 to support their newly established counselling service for children in N. Ireland.
Founded in 1986 by Esther Rantzen, ChildLine provides a free, confidential, 24-hour helpline for children and young people who are in danger, suffering, or being abused.
Noel Stewart, Chairman of the Charities Board in Northern Ireland said; 'We are delighted to offer our support to ChildLine Northern Ireland. This funding will enable a greater number of children and young people in N. Ireland to talk to trained counsellors about their problems and receive advice and support.'
Although ChildLine have received Lottery funding in the past for their work in the rest of the UK, this is the first time the service in Northern Ireland has been supported. Both the fundraising and counselling services for ChildLine Northern Ireland will be boosted through the Lottery cash injection. The money will also help train volunteer counsellors for the free telephone helpline service.
Every day 15,000 attempted calls are made to ChildLine across the UK, but lack of funds means that the Charity can only answer 3,500 of these calls. Before December 1999, children calling from N. Ireland were answered by ChildLine counselling centres in England. Support for the service means that local volunteer counsellors are now able to answer greater numbers of calls, offering an improved service to local children and young people.
A ChildLine study shows that local counselling centres can help ease the burden for the child, as the counsellor and child will be familiar with each other's accent and environment. Research also shows that children in N. Ireland may find it more difficult to seek help than in the rest of the UK and they experience higher levels of stress than their UK counterparts.
ChildLine's NI Director, Delia van der Lenden, spoke of the difference the funding has made to the charity in Northern Ireland:
"Since opening in December last year, local volunteers at our new counselling centre have counselled over 5,000 children and young people. Whilst there have clearly been many significant advances in our work in Northern Ireland, there are many challenges ahead before we reach our ultimate goal of answering every call first time. The support of the National Lottery Charities Board is invaluable at this critical time in ChildLine's development in Northern Ireland".