Do you require funding to make community activities accessible for Children and Young People with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their families?
Do you require funding to purchase specialist equipment, training, consultancy or run a pilot project to enable children and young people with SEND aged 0 –25 years to have greater access to a wide range of activities and opportunities in the community?
There is an exciting funding opportunity coming from Essex Short Breaks and Active Essex.
The Inclusion Fund has been designed for groups including but not limited to:
· community groups providing a service for specific special educational needs or disabilities i.e. autism who want to offer services for a wider group of children and young people with disabilities or for a different age group
· organised activities such as the Uniformed Groups, dance/drama
· independent providers of play and leisure activities
· providers including nurseries and out of school clubs
· organisations that promote access to activities for children and young people with SEND – e.g. leisure centres and/or sporting clubs
· groups who aim to support older young people aged 19 – 25 yrs
· grassroots sport organisations
· Parental support groups
· Faith Groups
. The aims of the inclusion fund are to:
· Enable access to and inclusion in mainstream activities for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities
· Enable improved access to sporting and leisure activities through the development and delivery of activities based on identified needs
· Increase the choice, variety and quality of activities available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities and promote access to short breaks
· Remove some of the barriers to inclusion and participation by providing adapted equipment and/or enabling minor adaptations so that children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities have greater access to a wider range of life activities
· Enable children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities to socialise with and enjoy a range of activities with their sibling and peer groups
· Enable the development of innovative short break activities so that children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities have a greater range of choice and opportunities
· Enable children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities to become more active across Essex
· Improve wellbeing for parents/carers and their motivation to access physical activity.
· Enable sustainable access to a group or activity for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities with long-term viability.
It is anticipated that the total amount awarded to each individual successful bid will be between £300 and £5,000 excluding VAT.
Important notes:
· All equipment must have an expected life span of more than one year and all adaptations must have a lifespan of at least 5 years.
· It must be evidenced that other investments e.g. training will continue to have a positive impact after funding has ended
· Adaptations must be in excess of the expectations and requirements of the Equality Act 2010
· The delivery area must be within the administrative boundaries of Essex County Council. (Excluding Southend and Thurrock)
· Awarded funding must be spent, equipment delivered, and adaptations completed with receipts returned as proof of purchase before 31st March 2022
· This funding is open to organisations and not to individuals.
· This funding is not open to organisations currently receiving Short Breaks funding
· This fund is independent of and separate to Short Breaks Capital Programme
Closing date for applications – 12pm on Monday 27th September
Successful bidders will be notified of our intentions to award week commencing 06/09/21
The applications process will be via an application form which will be available via email to interested parties.
If you would be interested in receiving the application documents please email your contact details including full name, contact number and email address to CYPengagement@essex.gov.uk with subject heading ‘Inclusion Fund bids’
If you have any questions relating to this process, please email CYPengagement@essex.gov.uk with subject heading ‘Inclusion Fund bids’ questions