VCSE workshop discussion

On 10th July a workshop took place with the purpose of bringing together a group of stakeholder experts from voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises to discuss and agree how the sector might be involved in the next stage of developing the GM Spatial Framework, with a particular focus on how the Framework describes the process and arrangements for ‘Shaping Places with Communities’. A number of tasks / asks arose:

1. Develop a Community Impact Assessment tool, building on identification of what makes a ‘good place’.

2. Define community anchor organisations including VCSE ones, map them and designate them across the patch. This should include geographic and equalities VCSE institutions.

These tasks build on a commitment from the spatial strategy team to working with the VCSE sector and establishing an informal task and finish group building on the previous consultation workshop. The previous session identified a number of areas for consideration, which these tasks look to build on.

Our CEO, Warren Escadale, who attended the meeting on behalf of VSNW, commented:
“VCSE organisations play a pivotal role in supporting communities and community action. We need a way to identify and safeguard those pivotal community centres, hubs, anchors and similar spaces, and think how we respect their role and importance in our spatial planning, in building thriving communities. Clearly the LGBT foundation should not be squeezed out of Central Manchester and St Thomas Centre should not lose heritage lottery funding while land next door goes unused. We should understand the role that Bolton CVS and their building plays in the social economy of Bolton, ask how we could develop a region-wide hub for BME VCSE activity, and look to designate one VCSE community anchor organisation in each health neighbourhood.”
 
To view the slides from the event, please click on the link here.