Catch Up Project: helping reading skills

During 2005 ACT Trustees decided to support four new partners, all based in the UK and some working internationally.

Pictures to Share

Pictures to Share is a Community Interest Company set up to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers by providing high quality, innovative, art based, illustrated picture books and other materials.

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability in later life and affects about 700,000 people in the UK. Helping people to continue to remain occupied and to communicate for as long as possible is an important part of dementia care. However, traditional books, magazines and television gradually become confusing and unintelligible to those living with dementia.

The Pictures to Share books offer people with dementia the opportunity to once again appreciate and enjoy reading and are ideal for sharing with relatives and carers. The books are designed to be easily understood and comforting without being patronising. ACT is supporting the establishment of this social enterprise, including the production of 13 books by December 2010.

Excellent Development

Excellent Development was set up to support people living in rural parts of Kenya. Working closely with a network of self-help community groups, it strives to improve the livelihoods, health and incomes of one of Africa’s poorest populations. The projects enable them to take greater control of their environment through improved soil and water conservation which, in turn, increases the production of food and improves general health. With the time previously spent collecting water now freed up for example, adults are now able to work profitably whilst their children attend school, all of which dramatically improves the long-term prospects of entire families and communities as a whole. ACT is supporting Excellent Development to secure a sustainable management and fundraising future through a four year funding programme of their overall business plan in collaboration with the Four Acre Trust.

Advantage Africa

Advantage Africa identifies and supports the development of the skills and confidence of inspirational men and women to tackle community-based issues affecting the most disadvantaged. They work principally with those who are disabled and/or HIV/AIDS affected (directly or indirectly). The development of skilled people/communities ensures real skills are grown by communities to themselves identify and deliver change. Their approach or model is an innovative bottom-up community one but, in doing so, they also seek to record experience and influence policy so as to create debate/change in a wider policy and funding community.

Kainos Community Project

Kainos Community works within prisons and with prisoners, with a programme aimed at improving their social and life skills in order to reduce the potential and actual re-offending rate.  We are working with Kainos Community Project in 2005 to support their business review and planning processes for the coming 3-5 years.

Robin Hood Ministries

The purpose of RHM is to bring business and charity together to make change in this world. Both parties benefit from the exchange (in kind and financial donations) and greater staff loyalty, participation and higher morale is created. Focussing their innovative fund-raising model on UK based Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's) to help alleviate poverty in Eastern Europe and East Africa.

Protimos Educational Trust

Protimos has been established to address community issues of biopiracy (the theft of plant properties/seeds, knowledge and expertise), corruption and bio-diversity that affect the most disadvantaged communities in Africa. Based in the UK, they work with in-country partners to create, maintain and access the legal statutes for the protection and sustainable benefit of the local communities. Sustainability for this innovative work will be developed by supporting and training an in-country local network of legal representatives to ensure long term, local capacity is built and protection occurs.