What does the InfraNet do?

To ensure community and voluntary sector involvement and engagement with Newcastle’s Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). In November 2005, the Partnership agreed a block of NRF money to go to four infrastructure support organisations. The signatory organisations are:

• Newcastle Council for Voluntary Service (NCVS) : Regen Forum
• East End Community Development Alliance (EECDA)
• West End Community Development Consortium (WECDC)
• Community Empowerment Network (CEN)

Under the banner of the “InfraNet” these organisations are co-ordinating their efforts around the following goals:

• To develop the capacity of voluntary and community sector organisations, so they can make informed and effective contributions as equal partners to the governance of the city.
• To work more effectively together: sharing resources, skills and cross-sector working.
• To ensure that the community and voluntary sectors fully participate in the work of the Newcastle Partnership.
• To ensure effective and appropriate involvement of voluntary and community sectors in regeneration activity in the City.

Where does the InfraNet work?

The “InfraNet” partners work in existing neighbourhood renewal areas. But they also are doing some capacity building work outside of these, in the most deprived parts of the North and Outer West. The Outer West has joined the InfraNet.

Does the InfraNet give grant aid?

No, the partners have received funding to March 2008 to provide staffing support for development and co-ordination work. But some of the money given to WECDC and EECDA forms the basis of locally administered grants programmes for work in the West and East of Newcastle. Information about this can be obtained directly from WECDC and EECDA.

Contact Information

Andy Gibson
West End Community Development Consortium
447-449 Armstrong Road, Scotswood, NE15 6HS

phone: 0191 274 2429
email: andy.gibson@unn.ac.uk