Blackburn with Darwen Education Development Trust
Key Facts
Location
Project Criteria
Project funding
£94,400
Funding round
We are a new Educational Development Trust in Blackburn with Darwen. We were established in 2004 as the successor to the local Education Action Zone. Our aims are to improve learning provision, extend partnership working, increase access to opportunities and improve the quality and diversity of learning opportunities. We work in the field of education as a voluntary agency.
Using the Parenting Fund grant we will appoint a Parenting Officer to:
- build capacity among voluntary organisations delivering services to parents
- improve quality and co-ordination of services for parents in Blackburn with Darwen
- improve support opportunities for parents
- demonstrate and disseminate effective approaches for work with parents to ensure strategic impact.
The Parenting Officer will concentrate initially on supporting Parenting Fund projects in Blackburn with Darwen then extend support to other parenting projects.
He/she will help projects recruit, train and induct staff and continue to work with them to help them achieve their targets and reach beneficiaries. Training from external agencies will be co-ordinated so that the needs of the voluntary organisations and their beneficiaries are met effectively. Support will be given with developing monitoring and evaluation systems.
The Parenting Officer will help voluntary and statutory agencies work together so that projects complement one another rather than work in competition. Gaps in provision will be identified and applications for further funding to charitable trusts will be made.
Support will be offered to projects in marketing their services to parents and external agencies. Media contacts will be developed and used to give recognition to successes secured through the Parenting Fund.
External evaluation of Parenting Fund projects in Blackburn with Darwen will be co-ordinated centrally and disseminated nationally. The Parenting Officer will support a Parenting Conference in the borough.
The Parenting Officer will raise awareness about the issues facing parents in all communities in Blackburn with Darwen through a number of strategies including joint training for the voluntary and statutory agencies working together to meet the needs of parents. Relationships with key statutory services will be enhanced. These include the Children's Trust with the Integrated Children's Centres, Education and Lifelong Learning, Social Services, the Youth Offending Team and the Drug Action Team.
Advice and information for parents will be developed and distributed widely.