CAP Changemakers programme receives funding boost

Over the next three years, CAP will provide community leadership training and support the establishment of broad-based community organisations in Manchester, Bradford and Stockton, enabling faith communities, refugee and community groups to work together for change.

Niall Cooper, CAP's National Coordinator, said:  "This is a major boost to CAP's work of mobilising churches to work alongside others in giving a voice to and empowering people living in poverty.  Over the next three years we will now be able to expand on our pioneering work with local faith, community and refugee groups across the North of England."

Changemakers is a CAP programme which uses broad-based community organising techniques to bring together a wide range of community and faith groups, being developed in partnership with the US Gamaliel Foundation.

Organisations form a coalition which acts to provide training and support to its member organisations. It enables them to identify issues of common concern, and to act together to make a difference. With a unified voice and combined resources, community groups can engage more effectively with authorities and service-providers, and bring about real change.

CAP has already been running Schools of Participation for community groups in Manchester for five years. We've had successes including the establishment of a Refugees and Migrants Charter, and a Refugee Forum which has worked with the authorities to improve conditions at a local Immigration Service centre.

The CAP project Thrive, in Stockton-on-Tees, also uses broad-based organising techniques, alongside its innovative research into sustainable livelihoods.

The grant from Capacitybuilders will fund the development of three fully-fledged Changemakers coalitions:

• In Manchester, groups who have been involved in training programmes are already working on a constitution and planning what issues they want to address. You can follow their progress on the Manchester Changemakers blog.
• In Stockton-on-Tees, the Thrive project will be enabled to expand its work, carrying out more action research and setting up more task groups on issues such as health and financial inclusion.
• In Bradford, CAP will be working together with the Anglican diocese and other local partners to establish a new Changemakers programme.

Changemakers is a vital and exciting part of CAP's work to give a voice to people in poverty.