Ermine Community Partnership selected as one of just 20 projects nationwide for government housing innovation funding
The Ermine Community Partnership has secured £104,049 in government funding after being selected as one of just 20 projects across the country to benefit from the new Social Housing Innovation Fund.
Backed by a £2 million national programme, the fund is designed to trial bold new approaches that give social housing tenants stronger opportunities to influence decisions made by landlords and shape the future of their communities.
A successful bid was submitted by City of Lincoln Council’s Neighbourhood Team on behalf of the Ermine Community Partnership, with the project now set to deliver a 12-month programme focused on strengthening tenant voice, building community leadership and improving participation at the neighbourhood level.
The project aims to overcome barriers and will focus on tackling long-term deprivation, digital exclusion and low participation on the Ermine Estate by creating sustainable, resident-led structures and giving tenants clearer opportunities to influence decisions affecting their homes and community.
A major part of the programme will involve creative engagement through participatory photography projects. Residents will receive photography training before taking part in the Inside Out project in the Ermine area, which was previously delivered in the Sincil Bank area, capturing and displaying 300 portraits across the neighbourhood to encourage conversation, connection and community pride.
The partnership will also work with primary schools in the area, encouraging children and young people to explore and photograph what living in a council home and community means to them, while inspiring future community leaders.
Alongside this, a new digital hub will be created at Ermine Library in partnership with Bishop Grosseteste University. The hub will support residents to create a resident-led newsletter, website and social media channels, while offering training in digital skills, photography, journalism and content creation.
The project aims to move beyond traditional consultation by embedding resident-led social action and giving tenants the tools, confidence and structures needed to influence decision-making in the long term.