Social Investment Fund
The Executive agreed on 22 March 2011 to the establishment of the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and monies totalling £80million over a four year period were subsequently allocated in the Budget.
About the fund
The high level aim of the Social Investment Fund is to reduce poverty, unemployment and physical deterioration in areas through area based interventions of significant scale which will be delivered in partnership with communities. The Fund will to encourage communities, statutory agencies, business and departments to work together in a co-ordinated way, reducing duplication, sharing best practice and enhancing existing provision for the benefits of those communities most in need.
The SIF's strategic objectives are to support communities to:
- build Pathways to Employment
- tackle the systemic issues linked to deprivation
- increase community services
- address dereliction
The following pre discussion paper was published in March 2011 and outlines the high level strategic concept, objectives and overall methodology of the Fund.
Consultation on the proposed operation of the Social Investment Fund (SIF)
A consultation document was published to seek your views on the proposed operation of the Social Investment Fund (SIF), including options for applying to the Fund, application/assessment criteria, how the Fund should be managed and the structures to support its delivery. A number of consultation events were also held to hear directly from stakeholders
It was intended that, in responding to the document, you will have had an opportunity to put forward your views to help finalise the operation of the Fund.
The Consultation on the proposed operation of the Social Investment Fund (SIF) closed on the 23 December 2011 and responses received by that date were analysed and captured in a report which can be accessed at the link below:
Operation of the fund
Following consideration of the issues emerging from the consultation final proposals on the operation of the Fund were brought to the Executive and agreed on 17 May 2012.
The Fund will operate across nine Social Investment Zones with a Steering Group consisting of Community/Voluntary, Political, Statutory and Business representation established in each zone, to develop a strategic area plan.
Social Investment Zones
There will be nine zones in total, four in Belfast (Assembly constituencies), one in Derry/Londonderry and four others aligned to the Health and Social Care Trust & Children and Young People Strategic Partnership boundaries.
Below is a boundary map of the nine zones.
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It is important to note that not every area within a zone will benefit but rather areas will be targeted, based on objective evidenced need.
Steering Group Membership
Each Investment Zone will have a Steering Group to oversee and manage the area planning process, including engaging the wider community to identify evidence and prioritise needs and associated interventions for inclusion in the area plan. There will be a maximum of 14 representatives on each Steering Group who will be selected as follows:
Community and Voluntary
Officials will hold advertised public meetings at which everyone would be informed of the opportunity to submit nominations. All groups held on databases would be notified of the meetings and the timescales involved. The purpose of the meetings will be to outline the parameters for submitting nominations. Officials will consider and provide advice to Ministers who will then make the final decision. Ministers will see the full list of nominations in each zone. There will be a maximum of 4 community and voluntary reps per Steering Group.
Political
Officials will carry out an analysis of the elected representatives per zone and apply the D’Hondt method to determine political party membership. The Party will then decide who should sit on the Steering Group and whether it be an MLA or councillor. There will be a maximum of 4 political representatives per Steering Group.
Statutory
Officials will identify key statutory organisations for each zone and invite them to submit a nomination. Officials will consider and provide advice to Ministers who will then make the final decision. There will be a maximum of 4 statutory representatives per Steering Group and they will be expected to be at a senior level and have the authority to make decisions. There will also be flexibility for rotation of membership or to bring in a specific member for a temporary period when required on a particular issue.
Business
Officials will identify key business organisations and approach them for representation. There will be a maximum of 2 business representatives per Steering Group.
Eligibility
Areas will be expected to propose interventions based on objective evidenced need. Current Multiple Deprivation Measures do not always sufficiently measure rural and spatial deprivation against the 4 themes of SIF.
The eligibility is therefore as follows:
- Areas within the top 10% most deprived Super Output Areas on the Multiple Deprivation Measure 2010.
- Areas within the top 20% most deprived Super Output Areas on the key domains of income, employment, education and health.
- Areas which can provide independently verified and robust evidence of objective need linked to the 4 strategic objectives of SIF.
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