Does your organisation help people who are experiencing poverty or who are in danger of falling into poverty? If so, Dumfries and Galloway Council and Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway want to hear from you!
Building on the previous successful work of the Knowledge Hub, the online tool which provides details of organisations throughout Dumfries and Galloway, we now want to concentrate on sourcing information from every organisation in the region which aims to prevent and eradicate poverty in all of its forms.
A Mapping Exercise Form is being sent to all organisations which are currently known to us to gather as much information as possible. You may know of others we are not aware of? If so, please pass copies of the form on to them or ask them to contact us.
The information will then be gathered to form a database which will provide us with details of all new organisations since the Knowledge Hub was formed. By contributing to this organisations will:
• Develop partnership opportunities between organisations which previously had no contact; enabling promotion and collaborative working between providers
• Establishing a new e-mail network which will highlight successful projects, provide details of potential funding opportunities and networking events, including a new Tackling Poverty Forum
• Sharing best practice to support existing and new organisations to emulate the success of others
• Avoid duplication of services and re-focus support to where it is most needed
A priority is to also make it easier for those seeking assistance to find the correct organisations to help and support them.
Councillor Ronnie Nicholson, Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council stated “As a Council we have made protecting the most vulnerable a priority, and that’s why we develop our ground breaking anti-poverty strategy. Key to this strategy is making sure that we know what support is currently available in the community for those facing poverty, and then making sure we fill any gaps. That’s why this mapping process is so important, so I would encourage everyone to take the time to fill in the form. There will be a wide range of benefits in highlighting organisations, both to the group themselves and to those that they help. Our Council recognises the extremely valuable work carried out by Third Sector Organisations within our region. This project will help promote opportunities and increase the strength of partnership working, increasing every organisation’s ability to assist individuals and families who are facing the huge issues that poverty brings.”
Wendy Jesson, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Anti-Poverty Officer commented: “We want to engage with every organisation in the region, of all sizes, including those small organisations which can provide an incredible lifeline to so many families and individuals, but who are maybe only known within their local area.”
For more information on The Knowledge Hub, click HERE
For details of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Anti-Poverty Strategy, click HERE
