Lottery boost for Thenue's personal development course

Thenue Housing is continuing to support its communities during the coronavirus emergency, thanks to National Lottery funding. 

 Thenue has received further support of £37,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund to ensure its popular Choices for Change personal development and wellbeing programme can adapt as necessary.

The money provides much-needed additional support to existing participants experiencing difficulties as a result of the health emergency. It will further allow the original project plan to be completed when it is safe to do so.

Choices for Change had already received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund for the course, and the additional money will cover costs associated with responding to the pandemic and its local implications.

Choices for Change – now delivering its seventh course since it began – aims to improve people’s health and wellbeing and supports them to make positive choices in their lives. Thenue delivers it in partnership with Glasgow Kelvin College.

Government social distancing rules meant the course could not continue given its classroom learning structure, so the original project plan had to be put on hold in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of participants.

The money will be used to fund the staff costs to enable the team to turn their attention, on a temporary basis, to provide support to past and present participants.

The team will provide additional support using the Zoom video communications platform, so they can interact with students, and wi-fi dongles will allow students to get online.

Choices for Change has been delivered in various Thenue communities, notably Bridgeton, Calton, Dennistoun, Cranhill and Castlemilk.

Course content includes computer skills, personal development, community achievement as well as fun, informal activities to promote both physical and mental health and wellbeing such as energy advice, stress management and visits to local places of interest.

Ruth Adam, Thenue’s Community Regeneration Manager, said: “Choices for Change is yet another example of the work Thenue is doing to help our communities – delivering real benefits at grass roots level and improving people’s lives.

“The National Lottery Community Fund is a generous funder of the course, and this extra money helps mitigate the effects of the health emergency. It will allow people to complete two ongoing courses and reap the benefits it brings to their lives. We are immensely grateful for the money.”

Neil Ritch, Scotland Director, the National Lottery Community Fund, said: “In these uncertain times, our priority is to ensure that National Lottery money continues to flow to charities, voluntary sector organisations and grassroots groups.  

“I would like to congratulate Thenue Housing on the work they are doing. Theirs is an important project that will support people now during the current crisis, and in the future when they can physically come back together to make great things happen in their community.”

Over the next six months, the National Lottery Community Fund is prioritising grant application for community activity related to coronavirus. To find out more visit www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk