Sharing power more equally with residents
We believe our residents who take part in, and benefit from, the groups and projects we fund should also participate in the decision-making about how our grants are awarded. This is where residents’ panels can help.
We want more people across Islington to develop new skills in order to influence decisions and have more involvement and a stronger voice with local matters that affect their lives. What’s more, we would like to see more public and voluntary sector employers listen to local voices and work more closely with residents.
At Islington Giving we’re committed to making Islington a more equal place where everyone has the opportunity to live a good life. To get there, we believe that residents who take part in, and benefit from, the groups and projects we fund should also participate in the decision-making about how our grants are awarded. This is where residents’ panels can help.
We do this by:
- Engaging more people who live and work in Islington in decision-making, through our resident-led grant-making panels and governance roles.
- Listening and learning from the community and other partners.
- Conducting and disseminating research about local matters and sharing what we have learned from our programmes.
As of September 2024, we have engaged over 100 residents who have now made decisions about funding, awarding over £1.14 million to 60 local organisations to deliver 81 projects.
Our Community Panel brings together people of all ages, backgrounds, and life experiences to discuss, debate, and decide how best to support our community.
The Family Panel is a group of eight residents who run a funding call for projects that benefit families and parents in Islington.
Young Grant Makers is a panel of 12 young people aged 17 to 24 who come together over five months to make decisions about funding for local projects for children and young people in Islington.
The Golden Grant Makers are a group of Islington Residents aged 55 years and over who design and run a funding call for projects supporting older residents in our borough.
We are pleased to announce the launch of our Carers’ Panel! With the essential support of local carers, over the coming months we will be offering grants to a range of existing carers’ groups in Islington.
