Developing new approaches to local issues

Help on Your Doorstep

Help on Your Doorstep

Cripplegate Foundation identifies and targets important local needs.


Around 30% of the Foundation’s funding is currently allocated this way. This is central to the Foundation’s approach to funding.


In 2008 Cripplegate Foundation commissioned research to shine a light on the hidden poverty in Islington. The report Invisible Islington: Living in Poverty in Inner London tells the stories of Islington’s residents. It examines the inter-connected factors that makes their deprivation so entrenched. The report reveals that:

  • debt is a fact of life for many residents
  • that being out of work is the norm
  • family, friends and community are crucial
  • ill health causes isolation and unhappiness.

In response to these findings we have helped to set up:

  • Help on Your Doorstep, a charity to run the ‘Connect’ door-knocking services in Islington
  • Access to a Wider Life – to link ESOL to wider opportunities
  • Catalyst
  • Islington Debt Coalition.

Our recent initiatives include:

Help on Your Doorstep

One of the headline findings from Invisible Islington was the isolation experienced by the poorest residents. It prevents people from discovering opportunities to improve their life.

Help on Your Doorstep tackles isolation head-on. It identifies the poorest residents and brings advice, information and support directly to their homes. It knocks on the doors of residents and steers them to services, education and opportunities for employment and volunteering.

Help on Your Doorstep works in EC1, Canonbury, Finsbury Park and Caledonian. For more information see the Help on Your Doorstep website.

Access to a Wider Life

“I can’t speak English and I have problems, for example going to the doctors I can’t explain what I need, so I have stopped going. I can’t work and I worry about providing for my children. I would love to go to work and I am trying to find a new job.”

Invisible Islington interviewee

In 2009 we set up an action research project with City and Islington College. The project is testing what support residents need to increase their successful participation on English language courses and to improve their prospects of employment.

Catalyst

In January 2009 we set up the Catalyst Programme to provide one-off grants of up to £500 to residents. Grants help people achieve their personal goals. Grants are for training and employment, life skills, hobbies and confidence building.

The Catalyst Programme is run with six local organisations: Umbrella, School Home Support, Hillside Clubhouse, the Manna, Single Homeless Project and The Parent House.

“‘D’ has an eight month old baby and suffers from post-natal depression. She has no family support and feels very isolated. She has a keen interest in design and dress making, and made clothes for several years. A grant would be used to buy a sewing machine which would help her re-establish her creativity and promote a positive focus in her life and potentially allow for future career opportunities. She is very ambitious and has a strong determination to make a better future for herself and her child.”

Catalyst participant

For more information on the Catalyst Programme contact Chris Hobbs.
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Islington Debt Coalition

Islington Debt Coalition (IDC) was set up in January 2009 to address the causes and symptoms of debt. It includes Islington Council Departments, the Department of Work and Pensions, social landlords and voluntary organisations.  The coalition is led by Islington Council.

We believe that this partnership is unique in the UK.

IDC aims to:

  • support individuals in debt
  • improve access to good quality local advice
  • promote financial inclusion and capability amongst Islington residents through skills development in schools and voluntary and statutory organisations
  • help the poorest residents access affordable credit.

So far, IDC has:

  • Drawn up a directory of money and benefit advice services in Islington.
  • Mapped financial capability training in Islington.
  • Used financial service providers outside Islington to learn from their experience.
  • Developed the ‘training the trainers’ programme. Key members of 200 voluntary and community groups will be trained in financial capability. They will train their own staff and volunteers.
  • Made links with the private sector to bring additional resources and volunteers into IDC’s financial inclusion programmes.

Islington Council has set up a Total Debt Management project for customers who have more than one debt with Council departments. It enables them to consolidate their debts and have a single contact point within the Council.

For more information see Islington Council’s website.

For more information on Islington Debt Coalition contact Chris Hobbs.
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