We are focused on tackling inequalities in Hackney, working with community groups, charities and voluntary organisations to help local residents.

We do this in many different ways – we provide advice and training and we also act as a bridge between the public sector and local community groups, allowing them to influence how the public sector does its work. Examples include:

• Through our successful funding application to the Big Lottery Fund’s Ageing Better programme we have brought £5.8m to the borough to tackle social isolation among older residents. Our Connect Hackney Ageing Better programme has involved more than 900 older residents in commissioning decisions;
  
• Through the Talent Match and Moving On Up employment programmes we have developed relationships with 445 young people and helped 171 into employment;
• Through our information and signposting project we supported more than 1,500 people with English as second language to help them reach the right parts of the NHS and social care services;
• Through Hackney Giving we have helped raise over £300,000 for local groups to deliver projects for people in Hackney, including a therapeutic gardening project for people living with HIV, an advocacy project for local disabled people and a music project for young people with autism;
  
• Through our condom distribution scheme we have reached 1,104 people from African communities and signed them up to our sexual health programme;
• Through our Families First education programme we have supported 725 children and families from black and minority ethnic backgrounds to achieve better outcomes at primary and secondary school.
  

We have many other programmes and projects, making a difference to people across Hackney.