GROUPS working with migrants, supports for mental wellbeing, resilience for people out of employment, and financial literacy for young people are among 68 community projects across the island that will receive financial support from Bank of Ireland’s Begin Together programme in 2022.
In total, more than £416,000 is being allocated to groups across Ireland in year three of the fund, bringing the total value of grants issued to over £1.25 million since 2020.
The community fund is one strand of the Bank of Ireland Begin Together programme, a three-year initiative to support community groups, local enterprise and the arts in Ireland.
The fund aims to support initiatives that are improving the financial, mental, or physical wellbeing with initiatives receiving up to £16,500 each for projects spanning financial literacy and wellbeing, mental health, disability, inclusion and diversity and social isolation.
George Higginson, director of Northern Ireland, partnerships & mortgages, at Bank of Ireland UK, said: “We’re immensely proud to support a wide range of community groups, charities, and social enterprises working across Ireland through Begin Together. These groups play a vital role in our society while supporting and protecting those who are the most vulnerable.
“Now, more than ever, migrant groups across the Island of Ireland are faced with many challenges. The work that Advice NI do, through their Digi Money and digital inclusion programmes, and other free advice services around benefits, personal and business debt and EU Settlement Scheme provides these communities with the support that they need, ensuring a society of confident, informed, and active citizens.”
Advice NI’s Digi Money project trains up digital money champions from migrant and refugee communities who speak a language in addition to English.
Each digi money champion, who between them speak Somali, Urdu, Shona, Cantonese, Swahili and Yorùbá, will get to keep a digital tablet after their training and be supported to deliver digital skills training to those in their own community needing help to access technology to improve their digi skills and financial wellbeing. This project will be rolled out over 2022.
Other Northern Ireland recipients of 2022 Begin Together community fund grants include St. Paul's ABC in west Belfast and Fermanagh Rural Community Initiative.
