ForViva Group is to use a share of millions of pounds of funding to tackle poverty in Salford by helping people improve their health, learn new skills and get back into employment and training.
The Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund’s Building Better Opportunities project has awarded £9.7 million to Manchester Athena’s Motiv8 programme, which will be delivered by housing providers across Greater Manchester.
ForViva, which was formed in 2015, and includes City West Housing Trust and Villages Housing Association as group members, will be in charge of delivering the Motiv8 programme for Athena across Salford over the next three years.
The Motive8 programme aims to improve the lives of vulnerable people aged 25 and over who may be homeless, long-term unemployed, living with disabilities and health conditions, or are drug and alcohol dependent.
The programme will tackle the barriers that prevent these groups of people from accessing support with more opportunities for education and training, improved health and wellbeing services, better financial help and new programmes to build people’s confidence.
The funding will also be used to work with men and women who are under-represented in the labour-market such as ex-offenders, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups, ethnic minorities and migrant communities.
The project is being led by New Charter Group, while other partners delivering the programme include Stockport Homes, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group and Bolton at Home.
Colette McKune, Group Deputy Chief Executive at ForViva, said: “This project gives us the opportunity to work with people who want to take major steps in improving their lives.
“We are delighted to be working alongside other housing providers in the region to show our collectives strength in delivering services directly into heart of communities.”
