We are looking for partners within the voluntary, community, faith & social enterprise sector who have established knowledge, connections and relationships with residents, community groups and activities that take place within our most deprived neighbourhoods.
We want your help to answer two questions:
- What groups, activities and community assets already exist within the identified neighbourhoods that local residents use to support their ‘health, employment and skills’?
- What groups, activities and community assets could we develop to fill local gaps in provision that local residents would be keen to help set up to meet local needs?
Successful applicants must be willing to visit local community venues to find out what is going on – taking photographs of noticeboards, contacting local people that they know to find out what is going on, etc. They will also be expected to host at least one community meeting to ask local residents and gain their perspective on what groups, activities and community assets exist and what they would like to see developed to respond to local need.
The Community Insight Research is being run by Community CVS on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Work Well Programme and Blackburn with Darwen Community Network. We will use the information to present back to the Council and to the Community Network Board and make suggestions that might inform future programmes that are developed for the areas.
To be eligible to apply for a Community Insights Research Grant, your group has to have:
- a constitution or governing document and a committee made up of 3 or more people who are not related
- your own bank, building society or credit union account in the name of the organisation which requires two signatories. Another organisation with an account with two signatories can hold the funds on your behalf if you do not meet this criteria
- must not be a statutory body or private sector organisation (i.e. it must be set up on a ‘not for private profit’ basis – not privately owned or be able to distribute dividends to individuals and must be able to undertake activities of a charitable purpose)
The criteria and weight we will use to assess your application will be:
- Your current knowledge and connections with the neighbourhood area (33%)
- Your ability to complete the community insight work quickly within July/August (33%)
- Evidence of your previous track record in engaging with the local community (33%)
If you have any questions or queries regarding completing this form please contact us: –
Completed applications must be returned by 12 noon on Monday 7th July.
Decisions will be made within the week and you will need to be ready to start on Monday 14th July 2025.
There is also an on-line training opportunity with Professor Kate Leyshon and Garth Hodgkinson, who are leading on this piece of work, which is being held 10am to 12 noon on Thursday 3rd July 2025.
The training is focused on finding small VCFSE Sector groups and activities. This training is only for groups and organisations who are interested in doing this piece of work.
If you would like to book onto this training, please e-mail Garth Hodgkinson to register your interest and Garth will forward the link to you.
(Image: Alex Green via Pexels.com).
