Participatory Budgeting returns in 2017
On Wednesday 13th September we saw the return of the hugely popular participatory budgeting event that was such a success last year! Once again tenants got together to come up with an idea of how they would spend £500. This year the theme was community inclusion meaning the money had to be spent on an event that would encourage the tenants to get out and integrate into their local communities.
Support Services hosted the event at Ballymena North and tenants from each scheme ‘pitched’ their ideas to their fellow supported living tenants in the room and everyone then voted for who should win the money. We had some truly fabulous ideas, each scheme took part and the ideas were extremely well thought out and costed to perfection!
Winners from the Ballymena region was Tower Court who plan to donate their winnings to the Ballymena Dogs Trust and then the service users will volunteer as dog walkers.Winners from the Belfast region was Baronscourt who are going to use the money to purchase items and resources to make up 40 packs for homeless people in Belfast.
Next up it’s the turn of Coleraine/Causeway and Ballymoney regions to pitch their ideas at Ballymoney Town Hall on 28th September.
Good luck to everyone… we are looking forward to more fantastic ideas!
