Partner Article

Safe in Tees Valley secures £870k funding package

Not-for-profit enterprise Safe in Tees Valley (SITV) thas landed an £870k investment from the North East Social Investment Fund, managed by Northstar Ventures.

The organisation, which secures and manages contracts to reduce crime and unemployment rates in the Teesside area, has forged various partnerships with local organisations and members of the community, working together to implement the contracts.

The investment will be used to deliver a £2.25m contract with the National Citizenship Service and a £2.4m contract with Youth Employment Initiative.

Combined, the contracts will see over 1000 individuals a year benefiting from improved employment and training prospects and increased community engagement.

SITV was formed in 1996 following widespread concern about the level of crime being seen in the Tees Valley area.

After successfully winning a substantial regeneration budget, it encouraged communities and organisations to work together, developing a range of projects to reduce crime.

John Bentley, CEO at Safe in Tees Valley said: “Tees Valley is a fantastic place to live with a thriving business community. However there are still issues that need to be tackled to reduce youth unemployment, promote training opportunities and generate local enterprise.

“Up against a tight deadline we were in danger of missing out on a major contract until we linked up with Northstar Ventures. They were the only social investor we approached that understood our needs and were able to offer the flexibility we were looking for in an investment.

“We’re excited now to work with Northstar and the local community to create positive outcomes and address the needs of the region.”

Peter Gilson, Investment Manager at Northstar Ventures, added: “Safe in Tees Valley has 20 years’ experience of delivering projects that have positively impacted crime rates and improved employment prospects for people living in Teesside.

“We have been impressed with the collaborative approach it takes, and the new national contracts are testimony to the organisation’s success so far.

“Safe in Tees Valley is a great example of how the local community can work together to create social impact and we are proud to be part of this partnership.”

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