Area Based Initiatives (ABIs) - Weblinks

Websites of organisations that have an interest in Area Based Initiatives and related sites of interest.

National voluntary and community organisations

Other national organisations

Government Departments and area based initiatives

Regional organisations

Gateways to online services

 

 

National voluntary and community organisations

 

Actions with Communities in Rural England (ACRE)

A national charity whose purpose is to support sustainable rural community development.

 

Black Training & Enterprise Group (BTEG)

Set up to ensure fair access and outcomes for black communities in employment, training and enterprise, and to act as catalyst for enabling black groups and individuals to play an active role in the economic regeneration of local communities through partnership with others.

 

British Association of Settlements & Social Action Centres (BASSAC)

A membership organisation that resources a network of community groups across the UK with a commitment to social change and wider community sector development.

 

British Urban Regeneration Association

An independent organisation which promotes urban regeneration in the UK.

 

Business in the Community

Organisation bringing together companies across the UK committed to continually improving their positive impact on society.

 

CommuniGate

Online meeting place where clubs can communicate with members, plan and advertise their activities, publish newsletters and photographs.

 

Community Action Network (CAN)

Mutual learning and support network for social entrepeneurs.

 

Community Development Fund

Non-departmental public body which pioneers, studies and promotes new forms of community development, in order to inform public policy, professional practice and community initiatives.

 

Community Foundations Network

Helps individuals and companies to support community projects in their area by managing charitable funds set up on their behalf.  

 

Community Fund

Independent organisation set up to distribute money raised by the National Lottery to support charities and voluntary and community groups.

 

Community Matters

Nationwide federation for community associations and similar organisations, which aims to listen to, support and guide community organisations, and promote and represent them at national level.

 

Connexions

Offers a range of guidance and support for 13 to 19 year olds, to help make the transition to adult life a smooth one.

 

Development Trust Associations

Community-based regeneration network formed by development trust practitioners in order to share infomation about good practice.

 

Federations of Community

The Federation develops opportunities for community work learning

 

Forum for the Future

Aims to find economic, social and technological solutions to building a sustainable society.

 

NACRO

Independent voluntary organisation working to prevent crime.

 

National Associations of Councils for Voluntary Service (NACVS)

Helps to promote effective local voluntary and community action.

 

National Council for Voluntary Organisation (NCVO)

Umbrella body for the voluntary sector in England

 

Standing Conference on Community Development (SCCD)

Acts as an umbrella organisation to bring together the different strands of community development activity and thus promote and develop the ideas and techniques of community development.

 

Urban Forum

An umbrella body for community and voluntary groups with interests in urban and regional policy, especially regeneration.

 

Voluntary and Community Sector Grants Website

A Government web-site which provides information for voluntary and community organisations on the grants available from four government departments - Home Office, Department for Education and Skills, Department of Transport/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department of Health'

 

 

 

Other national organisations

 

Commission for Racial Equality

A publicly funded, non-governmental body set up under the Race Relations Act 1976 to tackle racial discrimination and promote racial equality.

 

Crime Concern

National crime reduction organisation and registered charity.

 

Employers Organisation - Smarter Partnerships

The content of this site is particularly geared to those involved in partnerships with strategic roles, though much is relevant to operational partnerships. Tools and resources on the site include the Smarter Partnerships Toolkit. 

 

Housing Corporation

The Housing Corporation is responsible for investing public money in housing associations — and for protecting that investment and ensuring it provides decent homes and services for residents.

 

Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR)

Centre-left independent think tank.

 

Learning & Skills Council

Responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England.

 

Local Government Association

The national association for local communities representing nearly 500 local authorities.

 

Health Development Agency

Special health authority established to support and enhance national efforts to improve health in England, with a particular focus on reducing health inequalities.

 

National Health Service

Official gateway to National Health Service organisations on the Internet.

 

Office of Public Management

An independent centre working to improve management practice and thinking in the delivery of public services and in the exercise of corporate responsibility.

 

Oxfam

Charity which helps poor communities to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.

 

Sport England

Sport England aims to lead the development of sport in England by influencing and serving the public, commercial and voluntary sectors.

 

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Independent social policy research and development charity supporting a programme of research and development projects in housing, social care and social policy.

 

The Refugee Council

Works with asylum seekers and refugees to give help and support, and to ensure their needs and concerns are addressed.

 

Youth Justice Board

Non-departmental public body which aims to prevent offending by children and young people.

 

 

 

Government Departments and area based initiatives

 

Cabinet Office

Department at the heart of Government whose aim is to ensure that the Government delivers its priorities.   Works with No. 10, Departments, local government and others to modernise and co-ordinate government in order to secure excellence in policy making and responsive, high quality public services.

 

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was created on 29 May 2002 taking responsibility for policy areas from both the old Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Cabinet Office. The new Office brings together regional and local government (including the regional Government Offices), housing, planning and regeneration along with the social exclusion unit and neighbourhood renewal. It will also be taking forward several key White Papers, including the White Paper on Regional Governance and the Urban White Paper. See also www.renewal.net

 

Children and Young Peoples Unit

Supports Ministers in developing the overarching Government strategy for children and young people.

 

Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Government department with policy responsibility for museums, galleries and libraries, the built heritage, the arts, sport, education, broadcasting and the media and tourism, as well as the creative industries, the Millennium and the National Lottery.

 

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

To ensure that consumers benefit from competitively priced food, produced to high standards of safety, environmental care and animal welfare and from a sustainable, efficient food chain, and to contribute to the well being of rural and coastal communities.

 

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

The Department is responsible for delivering support and advice through a modern network of services to people of working age, employers, pensioners, families and children and disabled people. The key aims are to help  customers to become financially independent and help reduce child poverty.

 

Department of Health

The aim of the Department of Health is to improve the health and well-being of people in England.

 

Department for Education and Skills (DfES)

The Department aims to:

Department for of Trade and Industry (DTI)

The Department of Trade and Industry is the UK Government department with the overall aim "To increase competitiveness and scientific excellence in order to generate higher levels of sustainable growth and productivity in a modern economy."

 

Education Action Zones

Set up to improve and embed change in schools in deprived areas and to discover models of improvement which can be shared with the rest of the education system.

 

Employment Zones

A Government initiative to reduce unemployment in the 15 hardest hit areas of the country.

 

Health Action Zones

Partnerships between the NHS, local authorities, community groups and the voluntary and business sectors tackling health inequalities.

 

HM Treasury

Department responsible for formulating and putting into effect the UK Government's financial and economic policy.

 

Home Office

Government department responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales.

 

Lord Chancellors Department

Department responsible for the efficient administration of justice in England and Wales.

 

New Deal Site

Key part of the Government's Welfare to Work strategy.

 

www.renewal.net
On-line guide to what works in Neighbourhood Renewal.

 

Social Exclusion Unit

Has a remit is to help improve Government action to reduce social exclusion by producing ‘joined up solutions to joined up problems.’

 

Sure Start

Aims to improve the health and well-being of families and children before and from birth, so children are ready to flourish when they go to school.

 

 

 

Regional organisations

 

Community & Voluntary Forum – Eastern Regions

Network set up to maximise, encourage and develop the impact of voluntary organisations and community groups on social, economic and environmental policies affecting the Eastern Region.

 

East of England Observatory

Provides organisations with an information gateway to the East of England Region.

 

East Midlands Observatory

A network of organisations within the East Midlands established to develop a common understanding of the regional economy and of social and environmental issues.

 

Government Offices for the Regions

Links to each of the Government Offices for the Regions.

 

Greater London Authority

Strategic citywide government for London comprised of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

 

North East Region

Provides organisations with an information gateway to the North East Region.

 

North West Regional Intelligence Unit

The Regional Intelligence Unit offers our partners in the region access to key intelligence.

 

Regional Action & Involvement South East (RAISE)

Network of networks for Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) in the south east aiming to influence regional policy wherever it is made or implemented.

 

Regional Development Agencies

Aim to co-ordinate regional economic development and regeneration, enable the English regions to improve their relative competitiveness and reduce the imbalances that exists within and between regions.

 

South West Forum

Aims to ensure that voluntary and community organisations have a strong and effective champion at regional level.

 

South West Regional Observatory

Promotes the use of information and research in the south west's policy making.

 

Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Forum

The strategic agency for the voluntary and community sector at the regional level.

 

Yorkshire Futures

Designed to improve the dissemination and use of economic, social and environmental information about the Yorkshire and Humber region.

 

 

 

Gateways to online resources

 

Information for Local Government from Central government

Gateway to local government-related information published on the web sites of central government departments and agencies.

 

UKOnline

The easy way to Government information and services.

 

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