Homeless help ideas grant up for grabs

5:26pm Thursday 27th December 2007

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A NATIONAL project to prevent and tackle homelessness is calling for organisations in York to get involved.

Spark, an initiative between the Government, the private sector, the Big Issue and The TREES Group - a social enterprise organisation - is calling on local organisations to pitch for a share of a £500,000 grant to offer more people a permanent route off the streets.

Eligible organisations include those who provide accommodation, training, employment and well-being services for homeless people in the city.

Social enterprises need to submit their business case to the project's website, www.sparkchallenge.org before February 18.

A shortlist of the top 15 applicants will be announced after that date and each will receive coaching in preparation for a Dragon's Den-style pitch in April.

The organisations will pitch their business case to a panel including experienced social entrepreneurs John Montague, TREES chief executive, and John Bird, the founder of The Big Issue, plus representatives from the project's corporate partners including PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The five best ideas will win a share of the £500,000 mentoring from the panellists and benefit from a one-day enterprise makeover.

Mr Montague said: "We've seen first hand how social enterprise can have a massive impact on communities and individuals, offering training, employment and development, creating wealth and raising self-esteem."