£90,000 grant to help tackle child poverty in Powys

Efforts to tackle child poverty in Powys will be boosted thanks to a £90,000 grant from the Welsh Government, it has been announced.

Powys County Council has been successful in securing a share of the £900,000 from the Welsh Government’s Child Poverty Innovation and Supporting Communities Grant Scheme.

The funding will see the council and its partner Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) work together on pilot initiatives to tackle child poverty in the county. The initiatives, which will also inform the future work of the Child Poverty Task Force, include:

• A Volunteering Officer employed by PAVO that will work with young people aged 14-25 to identify volunteering opportunities;
• A coordinated communications approach will be trialled to improve access to information for individuals and professionals who are supporting them;
• Offer a small grants scheme to community-focused initiatives that support children, young people and families;
• PAVO to recruit a Children and Young Peoples Social Prescriber that will provide specific support to children, young people and their families, through ‘what matters’ conversations, offering a holistic approach with an emphasis on prevention and early intervention

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Powys County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, said: “I’m delighted that we have secured this grant funding from the Welsh Government, which will make a real difference as we continue our work to tackle child poverty here in Powys.

“The council and our partners are committed to working together and with our communities to tackle this issue as child poverty is still affecting too many families.

“These initiatives that the council and PAVO will oversee will be important as we continue to deliver the Powys Child Poverty Task Force Action Plan.

“Partnership working is key and together we can tackle child poverty to build a stronger, fairer, greener Powys.”

Clair Swales, Chief Executive of PAVO, said: “This funding provides a fantastic opportunity to work closely with young people and families across Powys.

“By focusing on prevention and early intervention, we can offer tailored support that addresses the unique challenges facing people living in the county.

“We hope that partnering with Powys County Council and the Child Poverty Taskforce will enhance the positive impact of these short-term projects, benefitting people living in Powys and highlighting the importance of community programs in reducing the impact of poverty.”