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Latest News - June 2007
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J. PAUL GETTY Jr.
CHARITABLE
TRUST
SAMPLE GRANTS
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ANAWIM, Birmingham
Birmingham has around 1000 women aged 13 to 50 working as prostitutes either on the street or in flats, saunas or brothels, most of those who work the street are addicted to heroin and/or crack. Anawim WWT (Women Working Together) has been caring for them unconditionally as human beings since 1986 when 2 nuns set up home in the red light area and opened their door. The project has now grown substantially, they now have a centre offering a comfortable, pretty, warm sitting room with free lunch, tea and toast, a crèche, help in accessing children in care, second-hand clothes, kindness and vital practical help. The Primary Care Trust was invited to start a user-friendly, low key methadone clinic within Anawim in 2004 which has enabled women who would not otherwise access treatment to start to reduce their reliance on heroin, and their need to earn the money to pay for it. Courses requested by the women are run ad hoc on basic education, first aid, sexual health, self defence, exercise, relaxation, parenting and anger management which boost their confidence and help them to think about a different future. Realising that many are trapped in prostitution by debt the staff have arranged for a visiting debt counselling service. Outreach work is done on the streets at night, women are supported in court to receive community placements at Anawim, and visited if they are sent to prison. Anawim provides a very responsive, non-judgmental, flexible service, and every effort is made by a small but strong staff team and longstanding volunteers, backed by sound trustees who monitor the finances, to make the 60 women seen regularly (and their 80 children) feel valued and cared for, and capable of moving on.
The J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust awarded Anawim £15,000 in 2005 towards the salary of the Centre Coordinator for 3 years.
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SHARP, Shrewsbury
80,000 people serving prison sentences means a lot of families serving the 'silent sentence', suffering a multitude of emotional and practical problems, and the stigma and victimisation that publicity can bring. Set up in 1998 in response to the lack of information and guidance available to the often shocked family of an arrested person, SHARP offers free confidential advice and practical and emotional support to families and friends of prisoners from the initial arrest and court hearings, throughout the sentence, and over the difficult period when the prisoner comes home. There is a Helpline, and a team of around 20 volunteers will accompany families to W. Midlands courts, visit the family at home or the prisoner if asked. New ideas developed with the families are put into action each year. All new prisoners in the W. Midlands should now be given a SHARP leaflet with a pre-paid slip to send to their families or to SHARP who will immediately follow up, and a SHARP volunteer will be present at the courts on sentencing day. A video has been made of families talking about the effect on their lives to be used as a discussion point with prisoners prior to release. An annual lunch is held for families who can find it a great relief to share their experience with others. The staff team of 4 are compassionate, efficient and very committed (one of them started SHARP with a £200 grant from the Federation of Prisoners' Families Societies). The trustees are skilled and involved, and are planning for coherent expansion.
The J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust awarded SHARP £18,000 in 2005 towards the salary of the Senior Support Worker for 3 years.
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CONFLICT TRAUMA RESOURCE CENTRE, Belfast
30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland have left behind significant social problems for a community trying to re-integrate and function properly. Many of those on both sides who were actively involved in violence, or witnessed it as victims, are suffering from trauma-related problems, and in the absence of specialised support from the Health Service there is a tendency to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. Those who held high office in the days of armed conflict are left with no role and no status, and CTRC have been working quietly over a period with one paramilitary group on finding their leadership a new way forward. CTRC trustees include senior Republicans and Unionists, a Quaker and a senior social worker who are all committed to recognising the pain felt by both sides, and the need to deal with it together. They are working with around 20 groups and 25 individuals at any one time, facilitating the repair of damaged relationships in groups, providing specialist counselling on an individual basis for those with symptoms of PTSD, and negotiating family reconciliations where, for example, a member has had a relationship with an informer. Much use is made of learning from other conflict situations internationally, with visits from a Palestinian group and a group of young people from troubled inner city Bradford, and a CTRC staff member delivering training to a youth development organisation in conflict-recovering Macedonia. Their approach to this complex area is thoughtful, research-based and each project is evaluated.
The J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust awarded CTRC £10,000 in 2005 towards core running costs for 3 years.
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KIM PROJECT, Mold, Wales
Flintshire is a county of small towns and rural communities suffering from the decline in local industry. The county has five Communities First areas which experience particular economic and social deprivation. For those experiencing mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety and severe mental illness, life can feel very lonely and frightening. KIM was set up 5 years ago by two determined energetic women experienced in the field who know that the impact of mental distress can be devastating. The Project's aim is to provide mental health support in the community to women with 'Kindness in Mind'. The 6 staff (only 2 full-time) and 12 carefully selected and well trained volunteers now support 60-70 women who struggle with their mental health and wellbeing. KIM provides up to 10 different groups in 5 different venues in the county each week on a termly basis. Some are creative, some educational, some social outings, and some to help the women to address issues like self-harm and eating distress. KIM clients greatly appreciate the kind, respectful, and informed approach that they receive - a warm welcome always awaits clients on arrival; KIM has 'meeters and greeters' (longer standing group members) to welcome newcomers, birthday cards are sent, sessions are held in hospital and support is provided after discharge. There is also always someone to talk to on the phone during office hours for bad times. Women who attend groups and activities say KIM is their lifeline and keeps them going which can contribute to far fewer admissions to hospital.
The J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust awarded KIM £15,000 in 2006 for 3 years to fund a part-time Volunteer Coordinator to recruit a further 20 volunteers, and to train 10-15 existing clients to 'meet and greet' and take on some befriending of newcomers.
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ST. PETROC'S SOCIETY, Truro
Many homeless people head for country towns in the south west in the summer, maybe to find some seasonal work, and often end up sleeping rough. St Petroc's has been helping some of the hardest to help homeless people in Cornwall since the 1980's, those with longstanding alcohol and drug problems, mental illness and offending backgrounds. Their main work is in running hostels and providing a Resettlement Service, but in 2005 St. Petroc's (previously funded by JPGT) came to the rescue of Breadline, a smaller, low key café-cum-drop-in in Penzance for unemployed people with multiple problems (also previously funded by JPGT). After 20 years the Breadline trustees were worn out from the struggle to find the £90,000 it cost to run each year, and St Petroc's, which is a much larger organisation with more resources agreed to take over at short notice to see what could be done. All concerned feel the takeover has gone smoothly, and it is a great relief that a much needed and valued resource for vulnerable people living at subsistence level in Penzance is still in operation, and benefiting from new input and ideas from St. Petroc's.
The J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust awarded St. Petroc's £15,000 in 2005 for 2 years to draft an experienced Resettlement Worker into Breadline part-time to help keep it going, and to provide a breathing space to work out the best pattern of future service for Penzance and how to fund it.
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SOUTHAMPTON & WINCHESTER VISITORS GROUP
Since 2004 failed asylum-seekers have not been entitled to benefits, but are forbidden to work and therefore are left destitute. Many have health problems, both physical and psychological. These people are living ghosts, unable to return to their country of origin yet unable to create new lives in the UK due to current policy. SWVG responded by adding their ASSIST scheme to their existing activities of befriending vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers, helping them to get medical care and housing, and accompanying them to Appeal and Bail hearings. The only staff is a part-time administrator working from home, and all but £5,000 or so of the funds raised goes on direct help for the clients . As well as providing regular support and friendship to individuals, the trustees and team of 50 or so volunteers share between them the tasks of tracking frequently changing government regulations, liaison with colleges, Primary Care Trusts and other refugee organisations, dealing with local media, lobbying for changes in the law to allow temporary work permits, and fundraising. 80 people from 21 different countries were befriended last year. Under the ASSIST scheme 639 weeks of full support (a small room and £20 a week to live on) were funded for destitute and homeless people, and 219 weeks of subsistence only support (£20 cash per week) was allocated.
The J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust awarded SWVG £10,000 in 2006 for 3 years towards the ASSIST scheme.
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RAPT, (office base in London but operating all over the country)
Now a major provider of drug and alcohol rehabilitation services in the criminal justice system, RAPT was in crisis trying to maintain its first unit in HMP Downview in 1993. They survived, and the first drug-free wing inside a prison followed. Now, over a decade later, they still remember the trust's input as a turning point. Although not large in money terms, this is probably one of the most influential grants the trust has made.
The J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust funded, £10,000 x 3 years from 1993.
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Page updated 25/06/07
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