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Collaboration is key to reducing family poverty
A unique collaboration between North Ayrshire Council and the community and voluntary sector will offer a new approach to help tackle child poverty.
Through the Council’s Child Poverty and Early Intervention Fund, more than £200,000 is being invested in a unique collaboration with key community and voluntary sector partners to take a further step in providing a whole system and person-centred approach to early intervention and child poverty.
The partnership with the Council includes local partners 1st Alliance Community Bank, Beith Community Development Trust, CHAP, Right Options and The Ayrshire Community Trust (TACT).
The funding will be used to provide additional capacity within each partner organisation as part of a 12-month pilot project.
Working as one team, the partners will aim to make it easier for households to access the right help at the right time, boost financial resilience, improve routes into learning and work, and provide clear and consistent wider support and advice as part of a tailored approach.
Each partner brings years of direct experience working alongside local people - understanding the realities of daily life, the barriers that can feel overwhelming and the practical fixes that make a real difference.
The individual organisations will use their area of expertise for the greater good of local communities in a coordinated way to test the positive impact of sharing grassroots knowledge.
By sharing monitoring, evaluation and learning, it is hoped the collective can see what works well locally in tackling child poverty, where change is needed and what can be done to improve services and support going forward.
Community knowledge will be key to the programme’s success, with the main priority being reducing child poverty by improving household stability, income security and access to timely support.
Quote: The five organisations working alongside us on this programme already have a wealth of knowledge about their communities and the barriers that are standing in the way of the aim to improve local wellbeing. What we are hoping to see is more referrals to existing services that can offer support, and more residents actually engaging with services and positive results for our residents. Navigating the various services can be daunting for many people, and we need to break down the barriers that are preventing people from asking for – and receiving – support that will boost their household income. And this new network approach, with all organisations involved sharing their experience and ideas, is expected to give us helpful foundations for long-lasting system change that ensures that we reach the most isolated people in North Ayrshire who are at risk of poverty – and reach them in time. I am also pleased to see this unique partnership taking place with community and voluntary organisations that have firm roots in North Ayrshire - furthering our Community Wealth Building approach.
Quote from: Councillor Marie Burns, Leader of North Ayrshire Council
A broad range of services – from debt management and employability support to childcare and assistance in applying for benefits – will be made available.
Quote: This partnership brings together five trusted local organisations under one coordinated project, combining our expertise to make it easier for households to get the right help at the right time. Together, we will aim to boost financial resilience, improve routes into learning and work, and stabilise families who are furthest from services. Each of us have deep roots in our communities, working alongside local people. By uniting our strengths, we’re building a more connected, responsive and person-centred network of support, shaped by what truly matters to those we serve.
Quote from: Kaileigh Brown, TACT Executive Director
Published: 10 October 2025