Service specification: community support grant for healthy, resilient and active communities

Description

This fund aims to support community and voluntary organisations to increase the participation of Uttlesford residents in activities including sports to increase resilience whilst also expanding and diversifying the leisure offering within the district.
 

Relevant applicable legislation

Equality Act 2010
Human Rights Act 1998
Children Act 2004
Children and Families Act 2014
Care Act 2014
Housing Act 1988
Domestic Abuse Act 2021
 

Who is eligible for the service

All current Uttlesford residents of all ages.
 

Aims of the service

The aim of this service is to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for local residents by:

• Improving and expanding access to sports, leisure and physical activities across the district.
• Establishing effective feedback mechanisms to inform the service and wider council initiatives.
• Working in partnership with Uttlesford District Council, Essex County Council's Public Health Service, Active Essex, Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, relevant voluntary sector organisations alongside town and parish councils to deliver services to a range of ages and interests.
• Supporting the development of sports clubs/events/tournaments/leagues/teams and the creation of new ones.
• Increasing the number of people participating in sports activities.
• Improving the quality of sports events/tournaments.
• Increasing the number of people using sports facilities and accessing the local sports offering.
• Supporting the council and partners to deliver improvements in areas of emerging need, for example, healthier communities, reducing obesity and narrowing health inequalities, increasing levels of sport and physical activity, promoting community cohesion, equality of access, activities as a diversion from anti-social behaviour, raising educational standards, reducing crime and the fear of crime, sustainability and tackling climate change.
• Delivering according to the Sport England, Uniting Movement, 5 big issues (on sportengland.org):
  • Recover and reinvent
  • Connecting communities
  • Positive experiences for children and young people
  • Connecting with health and wellbeing
  • Active environments

Service user outcomes

Improved wellbeing and mental health

As a direct result of the service more people will have:

• access to information about healthy choices for food and nutrition
• improved mental wellbeing through participation
• reduction in anxiety and increase in resilience
• improved mental wellbeing through volunteering

Be active

As a direct result of the services, more people will:

• be more physically active as part of their daily lives
• have increased confidence and self-esteem

Participation and feeling more connected to the local community

As a direct result of the services, more people will:

• be supported to access a range of social and leisure opportunities
• feel connected to local support networks
• feel less isolated and alone
• build connections across communities

What is included

Services, events, workshops, tournaments, etc.

Providing new ways of delivering your existing activity to attract new participants/members, for example offering outreach or online sessions.

Establishing new sections/activities within an established club (for example, a junior section, a new style of dance).

Diversifying the organisation's offering to a new cohort (for example, Nordic walking).

Developing new community programmes based on increased activity of residents.

Creating more teams within an existing club (for example, new under 7's team or a seated style of your existing service).

Upskilling existing organisations/volunteers to increase sustainability.
 

What is excluded

Religious or political activities, or activities promoting religious or political beliefs.

Statutory activities (activities that the organisation has a legal requirement to deliver).

Activities taking place outside the district.

Activities that took place before the project began or after the project ended, as detailed in the grant offer letter.

Activities that have already been funded through other public funding sources.

Capital expenditure.
 

Requirements

The successful organisation must be able to:

• work with other organisations to ensure an inclusive set of sports and physical activities, for example through quarterly forums to bring together the sector locally
• work with Active Essex (the Essex wide organisation overseeing physical activities) to develop, promote and market their services and to ensure Uttlesford District Council activities meet service gaps and don't duplicate
• ensure staff have enhanced or basic DBS checks and either basic or First Aid at Work depending on roles which are shared with Uttlesford District Council as the commissioner

Key performance indicators

Contract management arrangements

Operational

Meeting: Operational meeting with key council services and an annual report to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Frequency: Quarterly (or more frequently if required).

Contract

Meeting: Contract meeting - to discuss and review (not limited to):

• outcomes achieved
• key performance indicators (against a mutually agreed baseline at each meeting)
• number and type of safeguarding referrals
• staff and volunteer information (turnover, new starters, DBS information for new starters and any renewals)
• service budget - actuals and projections against Uttlesford District Council contract budget

Frequency: Quarterly.