NET launches pilot project with national charities to speed up support to emergency survivors
Melanie May | 5 October 2021 | News
The National Emergencies Trust is piloting a new collaborative project with British Red Cross, Cruse Bereavement Support, Mind and Victim Support aimed at supporting those affected by future emergencies.
The National Partners Programme aims to ensure that all those affected by future emergencies receive the support they need, when and where they need it, by facilitating nationwide funding at speed during future disasters. The four partners for the pilot project have been selected based on their expertise in survivors’ priority needs.
The programme will enable the National Emergencies Trust to pre-agree a range of support packages and conduct due diligence with potential distribution partners in advance of an emergency. This aims to tackle the time lag seen in historic emergencies between life-changing funds being raised by the sector and those funds being received by survivors and loved-ones.
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By bringing on board national charities or nationwide charity consortia, the Trust also hopes the Programme will complement the work of local Community Foundations during future localised national emergencies by ensuring that all survivors and loved ones receive the support they need, including the many who are likely to be living outside of the affected area.
During the Programme’s pilot, initial partners will work closely with the National Emergencies Trust to explore how various funding strategies could be pre-designed so those affected receive assistance as soon as they need it. If the pilot proves successful, the Trust aims to open up the National Partners Programme next year to charities who are able to offer UK-wide support for survivors’ needs, either on their own or as part of a consortia.
Mhairi Sharp, CEO of the National Emergencies Trust, said:
The pilot of the National Partners Programme will build on insights from the Trust’s funding strategy during the Coronavirus Appeal, when it established ten national charity partnerships to help it to target specific unmet needs. By bringing specialist knowledge and expertise at a national level, the national partners complemented the work of Community Foundations across the UK, which provided funds to grassroots efforts within communities.
To coincide with the launch of the National Partners Programme, Mike Adamson, CEO of the British Red Cross, will step down as a trustee of the National Emergencies Trust.
General The Lord Richard Dannatt, Chair of the National Emergencies Trust, said:
Earlier this year, Crowdfunder also launched a collaborative project, #MentalHealthMatters, to help mental health charities and organisations across the UK needing support increase public awareness of the growing mental health crisis, and raise funds to continue delivering their services. 60 had joined at launch.
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.