Be a Voluntary Sector Representative
Support Cambridgeshire recognises that voice and influence is vital in representing the voluntary sector.
Why is voice and influence so important?
- It enables seldom heard groups to state their case.
- It ensures that the sector has a place at the highest tables.
- It enables voluntary groups to enter into meaningful discussions with stakeholders on all aspects of service delivery.
How to do you gain voice and influence?
Voice and influence is best gained through Representation.
Support Cambridgeshire has just designed a new training course specifically around the issues of Voluntary Sector Representation (or VSR). Participants from the first session in April noted:
A very good training session, well delivered with lots of practical examples on how to represent the sector.
Excellent tips on how to deal with difficult situations when representing the sector.
It was a great opportunity to meet other voluntary sector representatives.
The facilitator was friendly, approachable and knowledgeable of the voluntary sector.
A professional and well organised course.
Support Cambridgeshire wants to run this course across the 5 districts of the County, but needs participants. If you are interested in learning more about how to represent the sector (as distinct from representing your own organisation), then please contact Support Cambridgeshire in the first instance. We can talk you through the course preview to ensure its right for you.
Course content includes:
What is Representation?
What is involvement?
Supporting Representation through evidence?
How to deal with difficult aspects of representation when the voluntary sector has no voice or perceived value?
Roles and Responsibilities?
Expectations?
A Voluntary Sector Representative Role Description is available to view here:
The Code of Conduct is available to view here:
The types of Stakeholder Meetings you can involve yourself in are listed below (this is not an exhaustive list but simple provides some examples):
Community Hubs:
This meeting discusses the importance of community space and focusses on one point of contact for communities within their neighbourhoods.
The Health and Well-being Board
This overarching board investigates health and well-being issues across Cambridgeshire.
The Learning and Skills Board
This overarching board examines issues and barriers for job creation, how to bring people closer to the job market and analyses skill and learning requirements.
The Making Assets Count Programme Board
This board analyses the use of public assets (such as buildings, open space and places used by communities to ensure they are used in the most effective and worthwhile manner.
The Parish Council Liaison Group
This meeting discusses the development of the Town and Parish Council network, a vital strand in local service delivery within communities.
The Cambridgeshire Children’s Trust
The Cambridgeshire Children’s Trust is a partnership which brings together all organisations that work with children, young people and families in a shared commitment to improving children’s lives and life chances, through working collaboratively or collectively to achieve improvements.
The Trust Board provides leadership to the partners across Cambridgeshire and works to understand the needs of children in order to provide strategic direction to those providing or commissioning services so resources are targeted to meet needs more effectively.
The Early Help Hub
An exciting new approach to children’s social care and early help for children and families, the Early Help Hub is effectively a one stop shop for accessing child social care services (a one front door approach). Support Cambridgeshire has been invited to the steering group for this project, and will be involved in the co-design of systems and policies.
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough LSCB Joint Training, Development and Workforce Strategic Group
This strategic group examines child protection training and related issues in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Huntingdonshire Community Safety Partnership
A partnership that examines ways of delivering safer communities across Huntingdonshire.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Adults Training Sub – Group
This Sub – Group examines training needs, latest protocols and policies around the safeguarding of adults.
Huntingdonshire Community Learning Partnership
This partnership examines ways in which community learning and skills accreditation can aid access to job-markets and employ-ability.
