Our Worklessness Collaborative supports communities and offers children a brighter future

Having enough money to pay your bills and feed your family is a necessity of life, and one many of us take for granted. But for many families, the reality is that finding the money to meet day-to-day living expenses is a struggle, and providing good, nutritional meals for their children a real challenge. The impact of these problems goes beyond the immediate future – children who do not have the access to enough nutritional food, or the necessities to learn will do less well at school and, as a result, could achieve less in future.

In North East Lincolnshire child poverty rates are 25%. In the East Marsh and South Wards of Grimsby they are 44% and 48% respectively. It’s a problem that needs to be tackled.

The Government, via the Council and health services, have extensive programmes in place to address this issue, but we need to do more.

In April 2009 the Change Board, (previously the Economic Wellbeing Board of the Council) commissioned Unique Improvements – an organisation working in Grimsby – to develop an innovative approach to addresses the issue of improving the wealth of the populations in South and East Marsh Wards.

Unique Improvement’s approach utilised a tried and tested model to engage with the communities to develop effective solutions.

By focusing on raising awareness of what is already being provided, and ‘nudging’ people to access these services, Unique Improvements aims to increase the profitability of the two participating wards.

To date an Experts on the Ground Event has taken place and Unique Improvements have recruited community teams in each area as well as convening a steering group. Over the next 12 months the teams will use evidence and good practice, and apply community engagement and social marketing techniques to achieve change.

For more information contact: Linda.henry@uni.gb.com