Social Investment Fund: Community projects to receive £33m

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness announced the £33m funding to 23 different projects

More than 20 projects aimed at tackling poverty and deprivation are to receive a total of £33m from an executive fund.

The investment was announced by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

The money is just under half of the £80m available in the Social Investment Fund (SIF), which was announced in March 2011.

The largest single award is £3.3m to an integrated employment programme in west Belfast.

Mr Robinson said: "I welcome this £33m investment in projects to deliver the SIF programme.

"An enormous amount of work has been done by steering groups to identify projects that will address the issues affecting the communities that are most in need in each area.

"We are determined to see all £80m of this important fund allocated in the coming months."

The listed projects have been identified as priorities by steering groups in each of the nine social investment zones.

'Improved facilities'

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: "Through the steering groups local people have identified and prioritised the areas of need to ensure the maximum impact of the overall £80m Social Investment Fund.

"This is only the start and I am confident this funding will enable groups to deliver real benefits for people on the ground.

"The funding will result in jobs, training and improved facilities for many of the hardest hit areas of our community."

The SIF was established to help communities tackle poverty, deprivation and dereliction, increase services and build pathways to employment.

It has been deadlocked because of a row between Sinn Féin and the DUP over whether more of the money should go to Protestant or Catholic areas.

The first 23 projects to benefit from SIF funding are:

Belfast North Zone

• Employment Fuel Poverty £2m

• Childcare and Family Support Cluster £1.9m

• Ethical Development Trust £1.5m

Belfast South Zone

• Employment Programme £2.2m

• Taughmonagh £0.9m

• Sandy Row Capital Project £0.8m

Belfast West Zone

• Integrated Employment Programme £3.3m

• Early Intervention £0.9m

Belfast East Zone

• Bryson Street Surgery £1m

Derry/Londonderry Zone

• Capital Cluster Play £1.75m

• Community Work Programme £3.3m

Northern Zone

• CRUN £0.4m

Western Zone

• Work Ready West £2.2m

• Sure Start £1.3m

• Fermanagh House £0.9m

Southern Zone

• Employment Work It £2.7m

• New Directions £0.7m

• Sustaining the infrastructure £1.25m

South Eastern Zone

• Laganview £0.4m

• Twinbrook £0.7m

• Early Years £2.5m

• West Lisburn £0.6m

• Cloona House £0.1m