Initiatives in Barrow benefit from County Council Funding

Two key initiatives to help vulnerable people received a boost today after Cumbria County Council approved funding for the Local Committee in a bid to help the Furness area recover from a series of recent job losses. 

A total of £54,450 was given to Barrow Local Committee to fund Barrow Community Learning Partnership (BCLP) and Barrow Citizens Advice Bureau. 

Councillor Alan Nicholson, Chairman of Barrow Local Committee, said: 

"Barrow Local Committee has been working with officers and other partners to try and identify ways in which local councillors can support the local community following recent job losses. I am delighted that the County Council will be able to provide funding to enable the Barrow Community Learning Partnership deliver an enhanced link support programme which will help improve communications routes to and from families suffering from hardship. 

Extra resources for Barrow Citizens 's Advice Bureau will also be made available to help meet increased demand for money advice services. The Local Committee is pleased that the Cabinet is helping local councillors address the needs of their community and we very much welcome this additional support." 

Councillor Mike Ash, Deputy Leader of Cumbria County Council and the council's representative on the Barrow Task Force, said: 

"Cabinet wants to do all it can to help regenerate Barrow's economy and improve the life of people living and working in the Furness area. We have been working with the Local Committee to look at ways of helping the Furness area in the light of job losses and the negative impact this will have on the whole community. 

I am pleased we have been able to help the Local Committee fund these two key initiatives which I am confident will have a positive impact on the Furness area and help the many people who are suffering hardship." 

The BCLP initiative will provide support to vulnerable young people will offer closer links between schools, families and the local community. It aims to boost aspirations and achievement and contribute to community regeneration. 

The £47,250 grant will go towards a teaching assistant to work at Walney, Parkview, Thorncliffe, St Bernard's and Dowdales schools. The teacher will provided listening support to vulnerable/disaffected students, monitor and support attendance and punctuality through group work, liase with families, appropriate other agencies and also feeder primary schools to develop support for students from year five to eight. This work will also involve developing a professional development programme designed to provide extra skills and develop a support programme led by a consultant counsellor. 

The BCLP will be able to work in the secondary schools and provide support for the most vulnerable students in feeder primary schools. Transition from primary to secondary is often difficult for students who are already stressed by the impact of additional economic and social hardship. Support in years 6 and 7 will help provide a social and emotional safety net. The project also has the potential to provide employment for members of the local community. 

The £7,200 funding to the CAB has been made to meet increased demand for the service to the number of redundancies that have been made in the area.