New funding available for projects fighting hate in Northamptonshire
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Community projects working to tackle hate crimes and incidents are being invited to apply for a share of an £11,000 funding pot.
The cash is being made available through the Hate Crime Delivery Group, part of the Northamptonshire Community Safety Partnership, and is intended to support groups working across the county.
Applications are invited from any non-statutory organisations that support victims of hate crime or hate incidents, support confidence in reporting, or that support work with offenders to successfully change behaviour.
Laura Jones, of Northamptonshire Police, who chairs the Hate Crime Delivery Group, said: “I’m really pleased to be able to engage with Northamptonshire’s communities in tackling hate crime across the county through this funding opportunity.
“We want to work with groups who are embedded within local communities, who can assist in developing an understanding of different cultures, beliefs, abilities and lifestyles and improve community cohesion and tolerance.
“The impact of being targeted because of who you are is significant. We want to invite communities to work with us, to help support people in Northamptonshire to feel empowered to report hate crime, to help us improve our services to victims, and to help us tackle offenders and educate against prejudice.”
A hate crime or incident is any criminal offence or incident that is perceived by the victim or anyone else, such as a witness, friend or family member, as being motivated by prejudice or hate.
This could be because of a person’s disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or transgender identity. Other reasons could include individual characteristics such as an alternative lifestyle, culture or physical appearance, and Northamptonshire Police also classes gender-based hostility as a hate crime.
Bids for the funding must address hateful behaviour towards at least one of these personal characteristics, with bids which cover more than one particularly encouraged.
Applications for the funding are made via the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Communities Fund. Find out more and apply – the deadline for applications is May 31, 2019.
The Tackling Hate Crime Fund is one of three different funds available through the office of the Northamptonshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner that will give a wider range of community groups, charities and other voluntary organisations options to seek funding, with more than £250,000 being made available.
Hate crime and hate incidents can be reported to:
- Police – call 101, or 999 in an emergency
- True Vision - report-it.org.uk
- Any local council (non-emergency reporting only)
Support is available for victims of hate crime via;
- Voice – 0300 303 1965
- Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council – 01604 400808
- Northampton Interfaith Forum - 07757 020346
- Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire - 01604 637522
- Disability Resource Centre Bedfordshire - 01582 470 900
Find more information here.