Riverside Foundation exists to provide practical support to help people overcome obstacles for a better quality of life.  It supports diverse range of projects aimed at promoting community action and cohesion, and breaking the cycle of poverty in our neighbourhoods.

The projects cover three key areas:

• Employment and training opportunities: Helping people to fulfil their potential by supporting their academic and professional goals through advice, training and volunteering opportunities.
• Neighbourhood and environment: Ensuring Riverside communities remain sustainable, inclusive and safe places for people to live, work and play, and which inspire a sense of neighbourhood pride and togetherness.
• Supporting people facing challenges: Giving customers in Riverside communities and schemes the opportunity to improve their health, wellbeing and inclusion, and to maintain a safe and stable home.

Key Facts
During our last financial year (April 2019 to March 2020) we supported 3356 people or households through the projects that are fund by the Riverside Foundation.

• Employment & training advice and guidance – We’ve helped 385 customers develop their employment skills and 238 customers have moved into employment. We’ve also helped 147 into formal training or volunteering and 11 into apprenticeships.
• Through our Money Advice service we’ve had 1346 referrals and helped increase income for customers by £1,162,447.
  Our Helping hand hardship fund has assisted customer to buy new clothes or pay for travel cost to job interviews.
• While a further 357 customers benefited by getting essential furniture like a bed, fridge or sofa. We’ve also helped 106 customers to get emergency energy top ups.
• Affordable warmth advisors have helped 500 customers to save over £197,449 on energy bills.
• We’ve helped support 128 vulnerable customers to live independently and receive support for their needs through our Intensive Intervention scheme.