MINUTES OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND COMMITTEE BUSINESS MEETING HELD ON FRIDAY 16 JUNE

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1 MINUTES OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND COMMITTEE BUSINESS MEETING HELD ON FRIDAY 16 JUNE 10:00 am AT BIG LOTTERY FUND, BELFAST Present: Julie Harrison - NI Chair Sandra McNamee - NI committee member Michael Dobbins - NI committee member Eileen Mullan - NI committee member In Attendance: Joanne McDowell - Northern Ireland Director Amanda Doherty - Head of Communications & Press (until 11:45) Alison Fraser - Senior Head of Funding Deirdre Barker - Head of Corporate Management Michael Liggett - Head of Knowledge & Learning Eileen Jack - Knowledge & Learning Manager (for item 7) Mark Creaney - Funding Manager (for item 7) Janine Knox - Funding Manager (for items 5 & 7) Lucy Gollogly - Communications Manager (for item 7) Laura Murray - Funding Manager (for item 7) Derek Bardowell - Senior Head of UK Portfolio (until 12:00) Linnet Giffin - Corporate Assistant (Observer) Jacqui Maxwell - Corporate Officer (Governance & minutes) External Guest: Janene Ware - Young Foundation (for item 5) 1. OPENING REMARKS & UPDATES 1.1 Welcome The Chair opened the meeting and welcomed Derek Bardowell Senior Head of UK Portfolio and Linnet Giffin Corporate Assistant, attending as an observer. 1.2 Corporate Updates Communications update Committee noted developments regarding the recent Westminster elections and ongoing political uncertainty in relation to the restoration of the NI Assembly. Camelot Strategic Review Committee were briefed on Camelot s recent press release and forthcoming review, which included 4 key areas. (More information is available on their website). The NI Lottery Forum will discuss further at a meeting next Wednesday and a scenario planning paper was being presented to UK Board on 28 June. Big Lottery Fund Corporate Identity Committee noted that the Big Lottery Fund has recently been rebranded and a new logo has been developed with a stronger reference to National Lottery. 1

2 2. APOLOGIES & DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 2.1 Charles Mack and Tony Doherty, Northern Ireland Committee members. 2.2 There were no declarations of interest. 3. PREVIOUS MINUTES AND ACTIONS FROM THE MEETING HELD ON 21 APRIL The minutes were agreed, albeit with a few style changes requested by the Chair. 3.2 Committee noted progress of the actions. 4. CHAIR & COMMITTEE MEMBER UPDATES 4.1 Great Big Walk/Big Lunch The Chair and Joanne McDowell updated committee on their involvement in the Great Big Walk in memory of MP Jo Cox, which was culminating in Big Lunch events this Sunday across the UK. Committee noted that the Big Walk had been a successful campaign with support from local projects and will leave a lasting legacy. Collaboration in Northern Ireland had been through Grainne McCloskey, the Big Lunch Northern Ireland Manager, who had worked closely with local staff. There was great value in bringing people together and getting the Big Lunch into neighbourhoods and involving Lottery players. 4.2 Committee Members Big Lottery Fund Activity May/June The Chair and Joanne had met with the Heritage Lottery Fund s Chair and Director. The Chair had also attended the Young Foundation Amplify event at the University of Ulster and will be attending the Big Lunch event this Sunday in Belfast. Eileen Mullan had visited the Positive Life project in Belfast. Sandra McNamee had attended a Foyle Women s Aid event (not on behalf of the Big Lottery Fund). 5. YOUNG FOUNDATION AMPLIFY NI PROJECT 5.1 The Chair welcomed Janene Ware, Programme Manager NI to the meeting. Janene briefed attendees on the project, which was funded under the Accelerating Ideas NI programme. Communications a new plan was developed in 2017 On-line statistics The Amplify methodology and research completed to date Young Foundation work across Ireland Lego methodology starting blocks and a responsive asset based approach Empathy mapping; capacity affirming rather than building (there are currently good links liaising with local Big Lottery Fund staff to connect with projects not yet ready to apply to the Big Lottery Fund and working with groups to get the message out there). Confidence building of people using small steps in communities and trying to take people out of their comfort zone. Community narratives are evolving. Listening to local people to take action to widen community engagement and giving people the tools to go out and engage. Reframing responses and engaging with people in different ways, not just using traditional models; for example using public transport to talk to people in various communities. UK, Ireland-wide and global recognition of ideas and having an Ashoka Fellow in Northern Ireland. 2

3 5.2 Committee thanked Janene for the briefing. It was recognised that there were various opportunities in the future to work together to help develop local knowledge. 6. UK PORTFOLIO DISCUSSION 6.1 Derek Bardowell, Senior Head of UK Funding gave an overview as follows: The 3 themes for the UK portfolio are: - Bringing People Together - supporting local projects to improve the quality of life for people and communities. - Growing Great Ideas - supporting collective responses to tackling important social issues from the perspective of those most impacted by them. - Exploring New Approaches - testing new approaches to grant-making and non-financial support. Need to consider both the uniqueness of the countries and UK-wideness. Some immediate work will be around transition and to understand the learning. Getting out more into communities and not necessarily using application forms. Looking at different ways of working with various sized organisations, making the portfolio more transparent and aligning messaging with the countries. Future activities include: World War 1 concept for 2018; wellbeing campaign; social prescribing; gather the learning from People s Projects; international campaign (awaiting policy directions); reaching people in communities outside of our funding who are doing amazing work and getting support to them; building on frameworks to get appropriate levels of support; working with Ashoka; will be working on messaging in the next few months to be uploaded to the website. 6.2 The main points of discussion were as follows: The changes to the UK-funding portfolio were welcomed and there is a need to explore how best to reach the people most in need. The portfolio is working to the strategic framework and people in the lead. Implementing a new conversational style, working more in the communities and being able to talk to the right people. In certain applications it has sometimes been difficult to see the UK-wideness and involvement of NI partners, although it was acknowledged that projects don t need to work across the whole of the UK. Look for opportunities for NI organisations to proactively engage in UK-wideness and increase confidence. People to share their stories UK-wide, to have some exposure to different networks and communicate what is working. Derek Bardowell left the meeting 7. NI PORTFOLIO TEAM PRESENTATIONS 7.1 Awards for All (paper 06) Mark Creaney Funding Manager and Claire Meighan Knowledge & Learning Officer presented the paper. Committee noted the Awards for All infographic and recognised the great reach of the programme. They liked the format of the report and requested that some sections be slightly reworded. Lucy Gollogly confirmed that the customer journey will initially be mapped out for Awards for All and some communications guidance will be produced for the smaller groups, which will improve their ability to share the impact of our funding, 3

4 7.2 Reaching Out Supporting Families (paper 07) Eileen Jack Knowledge & Learning Manager, Laura Murray Funding Manager and Lucy Gollogly Communications Manager presented the paper, which outlined the key criteria to be used to assess which ROSF projects will receive additional funding. The main points of discussion were as follows: Sandra McNamee (programme lead committee member) confirmed that her discussions with staff were fully captured in the paper. Work on the communication plan and messaging would be started as soon as possible and conversations had already taken place about the competitive nature of the process. Formal discussions with grant holders will convene in October and a more comprehensive timetable will be shared with committee. Some project partnerships had evolved and there is learning to be gained on how they had added value. Staff and Committee members will visit projects throughout the grant management phase and will gain an understating of how the partnerships have worked. It was agreed that the criteria wording around partnerships should be re-worded to include where applicable. It was recognised that connectiveness was not only in relation to partnerships, it was also about relationships Committee agreed: (1) The assessment criteria and next steps. (2) That NI Committee will make the decisions for the additional funding applications. (3) That project visits will be arranged for committee members before decision making. 7.3 Reaching Out Connecting Older People Events Alison Fraser reported that the events had received positive feedback and gave an opportunity for people to network and discuss joint working. Some project personnel had used the development and support contract more than others and there were different levels of participation. There had been some useful discussions regarding strengths and making changes to internal practice. 8. BUSINESS & PLANNING 8.1 Grants Budget & Income (paper 08) Committee noted the paper, which reported on the period ending 31 March 2017 and updated budgets for 2017/18 and beyond Committee agreed: (1) The grant budget for 2017/18 onwards and noted that a re-forecasting exercise was currently taking place and may change some figures. (2) That the budget will be kept under review and presented at all future business meetings to inform decision making. ACTION: A. Fraser 8.2 NIC Terms of Reference (updated) The draft terms of reference were tabled for committee to note the changes, especially those in relation to the Chair s Action process. The Chair confirmed that the terms of reference will be presented to UK Board on 28 June for agreement and will be re-issued to NI committee when finalised. 8.3 NIC Forward Plan Committee noted the work plan up to the end of Deirdre Barker confirmed that there will be no August business meeting and some of that agenda will be discussed at the September NIC 4

5 Away Day. The Tullylagan Hotel had been booked for 7 & 8 September and more details will follow in due course. 8.4 NIC Meetings Timetable Committee noted the timetable and agreed the dates of the EYP meetings and timings of the People & Communities meetings. Jacqui Maxwell confirmed that she will be looking at dates for business meetings in 2018 and will send these out for agreement as soon as possible after discussions with staff and the Chair. 9. COMMUNICATONS 9.1 Communications, Public Affairs and External Relations Report Committee noted the contents of the report which covered the following activities: Connecting Older People events People in the Lead animation. National Lottery promotion in the media Boardroom Apprentice launch Reviewing EYP application material using a customer panel The Great Big Walk 10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 10.1 Non-Lottery Update Joanne McDowell reported on the current situation regarding Dormant Accounts and that committee will be kept updated on any developments Strictly Boardroom/Boardroom Apprentice Eileen Mullan (Strictly Boardroom s Principal Consultant and founder) reported that the digital campaign had been very successful with over 8,000 interactions on the Strictly Boardroom s website. This had resulted in 207 applications and 29 apprentices recruited to 24 Boards. The Big Lottery Fund apprentice will officially start on 1 September 2017 for one year. They will attend committee meetings as an observer and their induction and training will be progressed in due course. The Chair, Joanne McDowell and Sandra McNamee (BLF apprentice mentor) will attend the launch event on Tuesday 20 June at Stormont. Eileen thanked staff and committee for their support in this matter and agreeing to be a host Board. The meeting closed at 1:15pm Signed: Northern Ireland Chair Date: 5