Nottingham Community Network

Linking the voluntary sector and neighbourhood renewal

Community Network open meeting, March 2008

Helen Voce welcomed everyone and gave a quick introduction to the open meetings. Click here to see who came along.

Today's meeting looked at Community Network and what we all want from it in the future.

Community Network - looking forward to the future

Jo Dean, Community Network, and Aneela Asim, Nottinghamshire Black Partnership, gave a presentation about what Community Network does and what it doesn't do.

You can read the presentation here.

The session at this open meeting asked the sector to help shape the future of Community Network. We're not working from a blank sheet though, as our funder One Nottingham has expectations, and there were some suggestions raised at our annual meeting last June.

The room was split into groups and asked to discuss the following topics:

Communications and events
One Nottingham and its theme partnerships
Training and capacity building
Equalities and reach

Full notes from each of the groups will be available shortly. Here's a few of the key points made on each topic:

Communications and events

Our communications are a strength which we need to maintain
We don't communicate with enough faith groups or disability groups
Need to get new groups involved in the open meetings
Explore new formats for getting information to groups - not everyone has internet access
Host the open meeting at different venues around the city

One Nottingham and its theme partnerships

Need clearer communications about what the theme partnerships do
Updates on the theme partnerships are needed at each meeting - there were very few updates given at the last meeting

Training and capacity building

Signpost small groups for help and support
Do not provide training - this is for the CVS
We should be training statutory partners in how to engage the voluntary sector
Need to provide training on how to get connected to One Nottingham and the theme partnerships

Equalities and reach

Need to make links with new and emerging communities
We should use existing groups to ensure the word gets out
Concerns that small groups are excluded as they do not have enough staff to attend meetings

Jo will pull all the feedback together and negotiate with funders to take this forward.

Speedy updates on the theme partnerships

One Nottingham - Helen Voce and Afzal Sadiq

Work continues to agree the priorities for the Local Area Agreement
State of Nottingham report - this looks at underlying issues but gives no solutions or action plans. Helen will ask One Nottingham to talk to us about this at a future open meeting. It was suggested that Nottingham is a deprived city with pockets of affluence, rather than the other way round.
Funding for projects has been confirmed for next year using the new Working Neighbourhoods Fund

Communities and Neighbourhoods Partnership - Mark Bowyer

Considering various draft reports - community cohesion, empowerment and engagement, neighbourhood working etc - to improve and ensure good practice and partnership working.
Voluntary and community sector have four Local Area Agreement targets which it is very important that we all work together to meet.

Liveability Partnership - Jo Dean

This partnership will shortly close.
Its work will now be split between other partnerships, such as the Housing Strategic Partnership.
Ruth Greenberg has been our voluntary sector rep on this board. Thanks to Ruth for her commitment over the past few years.

Crime and Drugs Partnership - Anna Ratcliff

There are now 14 people on the independent advisory group to this partnership. They are from a wide range of backgrounds and are all passionate about Nottingham and making a change. Their first meeting on 1 April will include agreeing terms of reference for the group.
Weeks of action continue in Bilborough and Aspley, and this week in St Ann's.
The Street Pastors project is starting in Radford, led by the Interfaith Council. If you are interested in getting involved, speak to Anna on 0115 979 1234 or anna@n-b-p.org

Children, young people and families partnership - Muhaj

The final draft of the Children and Young People's Plan will go to the Strategic Board for approval on 20 March. There will be a launch event for it on 9 June. The plan is available on the Integrated Children's Services website.
There will be a gap analysis with the national children and young people plan, and there will be different versions for different audiences so that everyone can fully understand the plan.
There is an increasing focus on partnership bids in service specifications. Jon Stevens, Commissioning Manager, is helping to support that work.
The Shadow Board meets monthly and is open to anyone working with children, young people and families. The dates of future meetings are here. The next is on Thursday 3 April, 10.00am at the Sandfield Centre off Derby Road.

There is an Early Intervention Launch Event on Monday 28 April at the Albert Hall - here's your invitation.

Health Partnership

There was no-one available to give an update at this meeting. Keep your eye on the e-bulletin for more.

Housing Strategic Partnership - Jo Dean

Dorian Leatham, the chair of this partnership, spoke at the last meeting. There will be a launch event this summer - watch the e-bulletin for details.
From April 2009 the Supporting People budget will be part of the Local Area Agreement. There will be a transition process to move to this new way of working, and we will organise meetings between One Nottingham, the Supporting People Team and the voluntary sector to talk about what the impact might be on voluntary groups. We'll keep you posted.

Skills Board - Hannah Wharton

Currently focusing on strategy and business planning. This incorporate the new Local Area Agreement targets and how to integrate government strategies into a Nottingham context.
The Board has established a committee to increase its private sector membership.
Key business sectors have been identified in the Strategic Plan and working groups have been set up to move forward development plans for each sector.

Any other bits n bobs

The Neighbourhood Renewal Small Grants Programme is continuing in the next financial year, and will follow similar criteria for applications. Download an application from the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation or contact the Cathy White, Funding Advisor at the Council for Voluntary Service, on cathyw@nottinghamcvs.co.uk or 0115 934 8426.

Come along to our next meeting

This meeting will focus on worklessness - come along and put your questions to the Skills Board.

Monday 12 May 2008
2.00pm to 4.30pm
Voluntary Action Centre, Mansfield Road