Trust suspends Exploring Change Phase 3

The Directors of the Trust agreed at their last meeting to suspend the proposed Exploring Change Phase 3 Programme which was due to close for applications in May 2011.

The Trust's Exploring Change Phase 3 awards programme was due to close for applications on May 7 2011.   Following a review of progress of the Exploring Change  and Deliver Change programmes to date the Directors took the decision to suspend Exploring Change Phase 3 on the basis that smaller community and voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland including those led by volunteers were not engaging with the programmes.

The Trust Directors recognise that smaller and volunteer led organisations are an extremely important part of the sector in Northern Ireland involving many volunteers and dealing with a wide range of issues on a geographical and thematic basis.

Looking at lessons from across the UK the Trust is concerned about the impact on smaller organisations of economic and regulatory change and wishes to engage with a wide range of stakeholders to try and identify what needs to be done to support smaller organisations and what response the Trust should make with its resources.

The Trust appreciates that some organisations will have been preparing applications and may be disappointed at this suspension but emphasises that because it is dealing with limited resources it wishes to ensure those resources are applied most effectively to address the needs of and support change in the sector.

Potential future actions by the Trust include reopening of the programme with revisions later in the year and/or the development of a specific piece of work to support smaller organisations.

For further information please contact the Trust Administrator Nigel McKinney on 02890408726