VCSE Panel News (June 2021)

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Email Newsletter (June 2021)

Contents


A Year in Review: Marking 1 year of the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel

The 10th of June 2021 marked the 1-year anniversary of the first meeting of the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel. In celebration of this milestone, we are taking a look back at some of highlights and achievements from the past year. Whilst formally established in the Spring of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we came together virtually for the first time in June 2020 and have worked continuously since.


First VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel meeting held via Zoom in June 2020



A foreword from VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel Chair – Irene Sherry 

The establishment of the VCSE Advisory Panel to the Belfast Community Planning Partnership early in 2020 was a welcome development, signalling as it did, a commitment by Council and CPP members to partnership working with a sector that plays a vital role in the life of this city.

Whether it is the provision of essential services, the economic contribution of our payroll and spend or the sheer fun of sports and play groups, the VCSE sector, from small community groups to larger charities have the expertise and experience essential to the development of this city.

Little did we or anyone else know what was ahead of us from March 2020. Following the initial wave of crisis response, panel members were able to gather for the first time virtually in June 2020. And we haven’t stopped since.

Before discussing our activities, it’s worth reflecting on the purpose of the panel, which is to enhance participation of the community, VCSE sector in community planning. Sitting alongside the panel is a wider network of organisations from across the city’s VCSE sector and key to the panel’s work is improving communication and providing feedback to this network on panel activity, achievements, and impact.

Speaking at the time, I said “We are all looking forward to the challenges ahead as we bring our experience of working with people and communities to the heart of decision making in this city. There is an opportunity for the community planning partnership to build on the great work that took place in recent months as neighbours, families and communities reconnected during difficult times. 

“As we emerge from COVID 19, we want to build on the cross sectoral working that we have all committed to over the last number of months. We want to maintain this momentum and will be meeting over the summer to ensure that the voice of communities shape this city’s recovery and beyond.”

Since then the Panel have concentrated our efforts on a number of key strategic areas including continuous engagement with Government on the issue of procurement and support for the sector on the issue of cyber security. Our specific engagement with both the Finance and Communities Ministers was supported by our response to the Programme for Government Consultation.

The conversation and inputs from our inaugural sector wide conference have helped inform our contribution to CPP working groups and boards, and most recently our role in the review of Belfast Agenda to refocus priorities for the city of Belfast.

I hope you enjoy this special anniversary edition of the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel newsletter, and we will continue to keep you updated on the Panel’s activities in the months to come.

Inaugural VCSE Community Conference

On 30th November 2020, the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel held its inaugural Community Conference, ‘Putting Community Wellbeing at the Heart of Community Planning’. Delivered virtually, the conference provided the opportunity to hear about our work, learn from community wellbeing approaches in Scotland and Wales, and to discuss implications for the community planning process in Belfast.

Keynote speakers included Carál Ní Chuilín (then Minister for Communities), Suzanne Wylie (Chief Executive of Belfast City Council and Chair of Belfast Community Planning Partnership), Sophie Howe (Future Generations Commissioner for Wales) and Sarah Gadsden (Chief Executive of the Scottish Improvement Service).


Attendees gathered for the inaugural VCSE Conference, which was facilitated virtually



Attendees also heard perspectives on community planning themes being taken forward under the Belfast Agenda, from the Chairs of the Community Planning Partnerships Delivery Boards - Alistair Reid (Growing the Economy and Working & Learning Boards), Ryan Black (Living Here Board), and Grainia Long (Resilience and Sustainability Board) as well as from John Tully, the Council’s Director of City and Organisational Strategy.


Dr Sarah Gadsden, keynote speaker spoke of her role as Chief Executive of Improvement Service Scotland



Attendees had the opportunity to discuss key themes of interest to the sector with the VCSE Panel, who used the feedback to shape their future work. Themes discussed included approaches to decision making and accountability, partnership and impact, engagement, and participation. You can read the conference report in full here.


The Panel’s consultation response on the Programme for Government Outcomes Framework

In March 2021, the Panel had the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the draft Programme for Government (PfG) Outcomes Framework. The Panel welcomed the ambition to use the Outcomes Framework to demonstrate progress locally towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and offered six key areas of consideration in their response. Full details of the consultation response can be found here.


Summary of the Panel's PfG response




Strategic issues: procurement and cybersecurity 

Our shared experience since March 2020 confirmed what many of us in the sector know – that public services developed and delivered in communities not only meet health and social needs but they also generate community wealth and develop skills. This is supported by research from leading organisations including the Carnegie UK Trust and outcomes from other jurisdictions including Scotland and Wales.

We all know the profound impact that procurement has on the VCSE sector and as a panel we have been thinking and engaging on the issue recently. In fact, it has taken up a considerable amount of our attention given how important it is for the sustainability of the sector across the city.

We have been progressing strategic conversations on the issue of procurement, with a number of meetings with the Minister of Finance to date. A roundtable event in May 2021 saw representatives from a number of departments, statutory organisations, the Procurement Board and the Minister of Finance, Conor Murphy MLA come together on the issue.

The Panel have made good progress in raising awareness of difficulties many VCSE organisations face however the work is not done yet. We are continuing to engage on the issue and are looking forward to progressing these conversations, especially with members of the Ministerial Procurement Board, to ensure that the concerns of the VCSE sector are understood and solutions found.

We all appreciate the increased threat of cybercrime and are working hard to ensure that our organisations and the people we support are protected. Its increasingly important that the sector has the right resources (human, digital and hardware) in place for both protection and security requirements. We have been working with NICVA and the Department of Finance to develop and deliver practical support for VCSE organisations to enable them to secure required cybersecurity certifications and standards. On 1st March 2021, the VCSE Panel organised training for 11 groups across the city, ‘An Introduction to Cyber Security: Getting you on the path to cyber essentials’ with Joe Dolan, Head of NI Cyber Security Centre.

As well as extensive engagement with the Department of Finance, engagement with the Department for Communities, including meetings with two Ministers – Carál Ní Chuilín and Deirdre Hargey. We were delighted that Minister Ní Chuilín was able to join our inaugural conference and that we were able to continue our conversations with Minister Hargey upon her return to office at the start of 2021. As the sponsoring department for both Community Planning and the VCSE sector, we know that DfC has a critical role to play in the future of the sector across Belfast and at a regional level.


VCSE Panel Board Representation

As well as regular meetings and engagement with the sector, several Panel members represent the wider community’s interests as members of Community Planning Partnership Boards.


Looking forward: The Belfast Agenda Review

The Belfast Agenda is currently being reviewed in partnership with community planning partners from across the city via a co-design process. First published in 2017, The Belfast Agenda sets out a joint vision for the city up to 2035. It includes a number of ambitions including creating 46,000 new jobs, attracting 66,000 people to live in the city, reducing the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived neighbourhoods by 33 per cent, and ensuring every young person leaving school has a destination that fulfils their potential.


The Belfast Agenda co-design process



Phase 1 of the Belfast Agenda engagement plan has now been agreed and will aim to reach consensus on the following:

  • The long-term vision and outcomes for Belfast (to 2035)
  • The short-term priorities, which will form the focus of community planning activity over the period 2022-2026

Area-based engagement events are expected to take place throughout August 2021 via a number of virtual events. Take a look at the launch video here.

Members of the public can engage via the Belfast Agenda Review hub page, found on the Your Say Belfast engagement platform here.


Get in touch

Have a question for the panel or want to comment on some of the work to date? Follow the link here and submit your question at the bottom of the page.

Email Newsletter (June 2021)

Contents


A Year in Review: Marking 1 year of the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel

The 10th of June 2021 marked the 1-year anniversary of the first meeting of the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel. In celebration of this milestone, we are taking a look back at some of highlights and achievements from the past year. Whilst formally established in the Spring of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we came together virtually for the first time in June 2020 and have worked continuously since.


First VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel meeting held via Zoom in June 2020



A foreword from VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel Chair – Irene Sherry 

The establishment of the VCSE Advisory Panel to the Belfast Community Planning Partnership early in 2020 was a welcome development, signalling as it did, a commitment by Council and CPP members to partnership working with a sector that plays a vital role in the life of this city.

Whether it is the provision of essential services, the economic contribution of our payroll and spend or the sheer fun of sports and play groups, the VCSE sector, from small community groups to larger charities have the expertise and experience essential to the development of this city.

Little did we or anyone else know what was ahead of us from March 2020. Following the initial wave of crisis response, panel members were able to gather for the first time virtually in June 2020. And we haven’t stopped since.

Before discussing our activities, it’s worth reflecting on the purpose of the panel, which is to enhance participation of the community, VCSE sector in community planning. Sitting alongside the panel is a wider network of organisations from across the city’s VCSE sector and key to the panel’s work is improving communication and providing feedback to this network on panel activity, achievements, and impact.

Speaking at the time, I said “We are all looking forward to the challenges ahead as we bring our experience of working with people and communities to the heart of decision making in this city. There is an opportunity for the community planning partnership to build on the great work that took place in recent months as neighbours, families and communities reconnected during difficult times. 

“As we emerge from COVID 19, we want to build on the cross sectoral working that we have all committed to over the last number of months. We want to maintain this momentum and will be meeting over the summer to ensure that the voice of communities shape this city’s recovery and beyond.”

Since then the Panel have concentrated our efforts on a number of key strategic areas including continuous engagement with Government on the issue of procurement and support for the sector on the issue of cyber security. Our specific engagement with both the Finance and Communities Ministers was supported by our response to the Programme for Government Consultation.

The conversation and inputs from our inaugural sector wide conference have helped inform our contribution to CPP working groups and boards, and most recently our role in the review of Belfast Agenda to refocus priorities for the city of Belfast.

I hope you enjoy this special anniversary edition of the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel newsletter, and we will continue to keep you updated on the Panel’s activities in the months to come.

Inaugural VCSE Community Conference

On 30th November 2020, the VCSE Sectoral Advisory Panel held its inaugural Community Conference, ‘Putting Community Wellbeing at the Heart of Community Planning’. Delivered virtually, the conference provided the opportunity to hear about our work, learn from community wellbeing approaches in Scotland and Wales, and to discuss implications for the community planning process in Belfast.

Keynote speakers included Carál Ní Chuilín (then Minister for Communities), Suzanne Wylie (Chief Executive of Belfast City Council and Chair of Belfast Community Planning Partnership), Sophie Howe (Future Generations Commissioner for Wales) and Sarah Gadsden (Chief Executive of the Scottish Improvement Service).


Attendees gathered for the inaugural VCSE Conference, which was facilitated virtually



Attendees also heard perspectives on community planning themes being taken forward under the Belfast Agenda, from the Chairs of the Community Planning Partnerships Delivery Boards - Alistair Reid (Growing the Economy and Working & Learning Boards), Ryan Black (Living Here Board), and Grainia Long (Resilience and Sustainability Board) as well as from John Tully, the Council’s Director of City and Organisational Strategy.


Dr Sarah Gadsden, keynote speaker spoke of her role as Chief Executive of Improvement Service Scotland



Attendees had the opportunity to discuss key themes of interest to the sector with the VCSE Panel, who used the feedback to shape their future work. Themes discussed included approaches to decision making and accountability, partnership and impact, engagement, and participation. You can read the conference report in full here.


The Panel’s consultation response on the Programme for Government Outcomes Framework

In March 2021, the Panel had the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the draft Programme for Government (PfG) Outcomes Framework. The Panel welcomed the ambition to use the Outcomes Framework to demonstrate progress locally towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and offered six key areas of consideration in their response. Full details of the consultation response can be found here.


Summary of the Panel's PfG response




Strategic issues: procurement and cybersecurity 

Our shared experience since March 2020 confirmed what many of us in the sector know – that public services developed and delivered in communities not only meet health and social needs but they also generate community wealth and develop skills. This is supported by research from leading organisations including the Carnegie UK Trust and outcomes from other jurisdictions including Scotland and Wales.

We all know the profound impact that procurement has on the VCSE sector and as a panel we have been thinking and engaging on the issue recently. In fact, it has taken up a considerable amount of our attention given how important it is for the sustainability of the sector across the city.

We have been progressing strategic conversations on the issue of procurement, with a number of meetings with the Minister of Finance to date. A roundtable event in May 2021 saw representatives from a number of departments, statutory organisations, the Procurement Board and the Minister of Finance, Conor Murphy MLA come together on the issue.

The Panel have made good progress in raising awareness of difficulties many VCSE organisations face however the work is not done yet. We are continuing to engage on the issue and are looking forward to progressing these conversations, especially with members of the Ministerial Procurement Board, to ensure that the concerns of the VCSE sector are understood and solutions found.

We all appreciate the increased threat of cybercrime and are working hard to ensure that our organisations and the people we support are protected. Its increasingly important that the sector has the right resources (human, digital and hardware) in place for both protection and security requirements. We have been working with NICVA and the Department of Finance to develop and deliver practical support for VCSE organisations to enable them to secure required cybersecurity certifications and standards. On 1st March 2021, the VCSE Panel organised training for 11 groups across the city, ‘An Introduction to Cyber Security: Getting you on the path to cyber essentials’ with Joe Dolan, Head of NI Cyber Security Centre.

As well as extensive engagement with the Department of Finance, engagement with the Department for Communities, including meetings with two Ministers – Carál Ní Chuilín and Deirdre Hargey. We were delighted that Minister Ní Chuilín was able to join our inaugural conference and that we were able to continue our conversations with Minister Hargey upon her return to office at the start of 2021. As the sponsoring department for both Community Planning and the VCSE sector, we know that DfC has a critical role to play in the future of the sector across Belfast and at a regional level.


VCSE Panel Board Representation

As well as regular meetings and engagement with the sector, several Panel members represent the wider community’s interests as members of Community Planning Partnership Boards.


Looking forward: The Belfast Agenda Review

The Belfast Agenda is currently being reviewed in partnership with community planning partners from across the city via a co-design process. First published in 2017, The Belfast Agenda sets out a joint vision for the city up to 2035. It includes a number of ambitions including creating 46,000 new jobs, attracting 66,000 people to live in the city, reducing the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived neighbourhoods by 33 per cent, and ensuring every young person leaving school has a destination that fulfils their potential.


The Belfast Agenda co-design process



Phase 1 of the Belfast Agenda engagement plan has now been agreed and will aim to reach consensus on the following:

  • The long-term vision and outcomes for Belfast (to 2035)
  • The short-term priorities, which will form the focus of community planning activity over the period 2022-2026

Area-based engagement events are expected to take place throughout August 2021 via a number of virtual events. Take a look at the launch video here.

Members of the public can engage via the Belfast Agenda Review hub page, found on the Your Say Belfast engagement platform here.


Get in touch

Have a question for the panel or want to comment on some of the work to date? Follow the link here and submit your question at the bottom of the page.