Partner sought for REACH National Role Model Programme

Howard Lake | 5 September 2008 | News

• Tagged with:
• funding

The Government, in the shape of the Department for Communities and Local Government, is searching for a delivery partner to help it with its work through REACH, a scheme to encourage positive role models and aspiration amongst Black boys and young Black men in England.
A single organisation will be funded to coordinate aspects of the scheme, particularly the development of a national role model programme around 20 national champions (Black role models) currently being chosen. Up to £400,000 will be available to the organisation in each of the next three years. The time scale is woefully short, with expressions of interest required by 22 September.
Background.
The REACH project was set up by the Home Office early in 2006 to raise aspiration and achievement among Black boys and young Black men. It continued the work of the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group and the Race Equality Advisory Panel. A report was commissioned to identify ways of doing this, and one of the five recommendations was to develop a structured national role model programme. 20 national champions, as they are called, are being recruited through open invitation.
The search is now on for an organisation, working alone or as a lead body within a partnership, to carry out a coordination role. Though mentoring is mentioned in the ./guidance as one of the outcomes, the main thrust of this scheme is role modelling; the distinction being that mentoring is a one-to-one process and role modelling a one-to-many process.
Using the up to £400,000 available, the chosen coordinating organisation will be required to:
• Coordinate the network of 20 national champions;
• Make use of candidates outside the 20 chosen national champions to work with local or regional community organisations;
• Work with the Government and non-government organisations to develop and/or utilise existing toolkits, ./guidance and advice to support local mentoring and role modelling organisations.
Who can apply?
Applications must come from third sector organisations working alone or as the lead body within a partnership. The main criteria are that the winning applicant must have:
• Specialised knowledge and understanding of youth engagement and the value of role modelling;
• Experience of managing and delivering role modelling programmes;
• Experience of working and building relationships with local and regional community groups and others working with young people;
• Experience of working with the media to promote a programme;
• Experience of developing accessible Websites;
• A track record of reaching hard to reach Black boys and young Black men;
• Evidence of achieving ambitious delivery milestones;
• An ability to operate nationally or to build the capacity to do so;
• Experience of building financial sustainability through a range of alternative sources, which might include revenue generation, sponsorship, engagement with the private sector, etc.
Looks like the job for more than one organisation.
How to apply.
There is a two-stage application process, the first stage being an Expression of Interest form that can be completed online or on paper. Initially successful applicants will be given the good news by 6 October and invited to make full bids by 27 October. Final decisions should be made by the end of November 2008.
There are several sources of information:
1. The REACH report recommending the role model programme is available at
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/reachreport
2. Information about REACH as a whole is available at
http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/reach/
3. Specific information and the Expression of Interest form covering the search for a coordinating organisation is available at
www.communities.gov.uk/communities/racecohesionfaith/raceandethnicity/raceequalityadvice/reach/inspiringageneration/grantfundingprogramme/
You can also get answers to any questions by contacting the REACH Team, Verna Chung or Jenny Harland, within the Race Equality and Diversity Division of the Department for Communities and Local Government on 020 7944 2267 or by e-mailing RE*************@co*********.uk
Verna Chung or Jenny Harland
The REACH Team
Race Equality and Diversity Division
Communities and Local Government
7/J10 Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU
Closing date: Expressions of Interest are required by 22 September 2008.

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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.