VCS CEO LEADERSHIP NETWORK

An early start this morning with a breakfast meeting of the Voluntary and Community Sector Chief Executive Officers (VCS CEO) Leadership Network. We're meeting at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL), starting at 0745. I've been in Caffe Nero, Market Street, since half an hour before, going over the paperwork.

I've mentioned before that we don't have a Chief Executive Officer at Leicester Council of Faiths. It might appear daft if we did, with only 1.5 full time equivalent (FTE) staff (the likely CEO being the 1). However, not all the organisations involved in this network (certainly not all of those here this morning) have someone with the actual title of CEO, so I'm not the only one in this position (also, I've got the agreement and support of our Chair to do this).

When I attended the last meeting of this network, I was the only one (well, the only male) not in suit and tie. In keeping with that well known phrase, "If you can't fight, wear a big hat" (a good piece of wisdom that I first heard from one of my ex-mothers in law) I've decided to raise my game, sartorially, for this one.

As well as ourselves, there are ten VCS organisations represented here this morning:

• Action Deafness
• Action Homeless
• Apex
• Care and Repair
• Community Advice and Law Service
• Emerald Centre
• Giving World Online
• Leicestershire Aids Support Service (LASS) 
• LeicestHER Day Trust
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
• Lighthouse Learning
• MRC Community Action
• The Race Equality Centre (TREC)
• Stride

We review notes of our meeting with the Mayor (Sir Peter Soulsby) and Deputy Mayor (Councillor Rory Palmer) at our last meeting (at LASS on 18 August) and a number of actions decided on then and shared among the members.

Beyond these, we discuss what this network is for and how it should go about achieving its aims as it expands. When asked to consider the question, "Why are we here?", these are the answers that spring to mind from my perspective with the Council of Faiths: Leicester's faith communities are often isolated - not only from each other, but also from other agencies, groups and organisations in the city; even the networks that faith communities have established among themselves tend to be isolated from other networks; faith communities are too big, too important and make too distinctive a contribution to the image, life and reputation of Leicester to continue to be isolated in this way. They should have someone here who can represent them and speak up for them.

This network may work best by sharing support and learning for its members. We consider how formal it might need to be in order to serve these ends. in the end, we agree that it's better for us to be driven by interest and action rather than the "gubbins" of running an organisation.

We finish shortly after 0930 - just in time to dash across the road to Voluntary Action LeicesterShire and join in the latest in a series of meetings on Transforming Local Infrastructure.

Transforming Local Infrastructure in the county

Fourth meeting of the day: 1400 at Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL). This si the second part of today's  meeting to discuss Transforming Local Infrastructure, the latest tranche of money to be released by The Big  Fund. If you want to find out more about The Big Fund and what it's funding in a big way, faithful reader, then visit the Transforming Local Infrastructure website. I'm not going to try and explain how this one works here - my head hurts enough trying to understand it myself.

As well as ourselves and VAL, there are ten infrastructure service support groups represented here this afternoon, each of which has expressed an interest in this bid:

• Communities in Partnership (CIP)
• East Midlands Racial Equalities Consortium (EMREC)
• Imagine LeicesterShire
• Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL)
• Leicestershire Ethnic Minority Partnership (LEMP)
• The Race Equality Centre (TREC)
• Voluntary Action Charnwood
• Rural Community Council
• Voluntary Action Melton

This is the second of two meetings at VAL on this topic today. The morning meeting looked at a potential bid for this funding in relation to the city; the afternoon meeting is doing the same, but for the county.

Stronger Communities Partnership

Third meeting of the day - and it's still only 1100. I'm at 16 New Walk for the Stronger Communities Partnership. Iris Lightfoote (who chairs the Partnership) and I have dashed over here from the meeting on Transforming Local Infrastructure at Voluntary Action Leicestershire (which will go on till 1300 in our absence).


Leicester Council of Faiths has been represented on the Stronger Communities Partnership by our Chair, Councillor Manjula Sood. However, Manjula was appointed one of six Assistant Mayors who make up the Cabinet of Leicester City Council. The Assistant Mayors are being asked to attend meetings of the Stronger Communities Partnership when it discusses topics realted to their portfolios. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, Manjula asked if I would take her place in representing Leicester Council of Faiths on this body. I have attended these meetings several times in the past, but then I was representing the late lamented Equality and Diversity Partnership (EDP).


The theme for today is Children and Young People. There are several members of the City Council's Children's Trust here today, to make a presentation and to asnser questions. We also have the benefit of Assistant Mayor Vi Dempster attending (she is Cabinet Lead for Children and Families). Other community groups represented here today:

• Leicester Multicultural Advisory Group
• Refugee Action
• The Race Equality Centre

Transforming Local Infrastructure in the city

Second meeting of the day: 1000 at Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL). We're meeting to discuss Transforming Local Infrastructure, the latest tranche of money to be released by The Big Fund. I'm not going to try and explain how this one works here - my head hurts enough trying to understand it myself. If you want to find out more, faithful reader, then visit the Transforming Local Infrastructure website.


As well as ourselves and VAL, there are nine infrastructure service support groups represented here this morning, each of which has expressed an interest in this bid:

• Communities in Partnership (CIP)
• East Midlands Racial Equalities Consortium (EMREC)
• Imagine LeicesterShire
• Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation
• Leicestershire Cares
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL)
• Leicestershire Ethnic Minority Partnership (LEMP)
• Mainstream Partnership
• The Race Equality Centre (TREC)

This is the first of two meetings at VAL on this topic today. The morning meeting is looking at a potential bid for this funding in relation to the city; the afternoon meeting is doing the same, but for the county. I have to dash out of this meeting after only three quarters of an hour (along with Iris Lightfoote) to get to the meeting of the Stronger Communities Partnership at 16 New Walk. I'll be back at VAL for part two of this meeting in a couple of hours though!

"We must show united front"

I posted yesterday about members of Leicester Council of Faiths and of St Philip's Centre out and about in the city centre, during the clean up after the disturbances on Tuesday evening. Here's how that's reported in today's Leicester Mercury, linking it up with other positive responses by the community in general.

"We must show united front" 

Peaceful protestors were among those out on the streets of Leicester yesterday to try to prevent further violence. 

A group of about 30 people gathered at the Clock Tower waving banners and playing music from about 3.30pm. 

They were led by 18-year-old Austin Williams, of St Mark's, Leicester, who helped organise the demonstration following a meeting of residents and community groups in Highfields. 

Mr Williams said: "We've been voicing how we feel about the riots and doing what we can to prevent them. 

"We're all about getting kids to harness their energy and make a difference." 

Faith leaders also joined together to offer comfort and support to people and businesses affected by Tuesday night's violence.

Representatives from the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh faiths visited some locations which saw trouble, including Granby Street, the cultural quarter and the Highcross [no mention of the Bahá'í community being involved, although Minou Cortazzi, who represents the Bahá'ís on the Board of Directors of Leicester Council of Faiths - and is its immediate past Chair - is at the front of the photo.]

The event was organised by Riaz Ravat, of the St Philip's Centre, an Evington charity which promotes inter-faith relations in Leicester. 

He said: "We've been appalled by the incidents that have taken place. There's quite a bit of anger and, as faith communities, we need to show a united front." 

Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: "We need to send a message that an attack on one section of the community is an attack on us all." 

Resham Singh Sandhu, chairman of the Sikh Welfare and Culture Society [sic], said he had spoken with Sikh youths in East Park Road on Tuesday evening who were guarding not only their temple and shops from potential attack, but also the mosque. 

He said: "I'm saddened this has happened but we're lucky we respect each other in Leicester, because we have to look after each other." 

The Right Reverend Christopher Boyle, assistant Bishop of Leicester, said: "We've endeavoured to show solidarity for the city of Leicester and its citizens" 

Volunteers also took to the streets during a clean-up operation in the aftermath of the trouble. 

About 15 volunteers met at the Clock Tower at 9am after word of the event spread on social networking websites. 

Aimee Packwood, 25, of Clarendon Park, a member of Voluntary Action Leicestershire, said: "The fact people have come out to clean up shows more want to make this kind of difference, rather than what happened last night. There was a peaceful protest but it was hijacked by people who wanted to cause trouble." 

Representatives from the city wardens were also on hand to help out.
Fosse warden Jethro Swift said: "What happened last night was atrocious but cleaning up is the right thing to do. It shows the great community spirit we have in Leicester." 

City MPs condemned the violence and praised police. Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth was due to speak in Parliament today to put pressure on the Prime Minister to confirm Leicester had all the resources to support police dealing with incidents. 

He said: "What we have seen by a small minority is shocking and, though we have not witnessed the criminality of the scale of other cities, there must be no excuse for the burglary and vandalism our city experienced last night. 

"I want to commend the bravery of the police in Leicester who have been consistently excellent on the frontline." 

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz said: "The damage this senseless criminality has caused will not be tolerated, however, we need to get to the bottom of the reasons why this tiny minority have behaved in this disgraceful way."

Community Groups Speak with Public

Here's how the Leicester Speaks pre-launch event was covered online by Citizens' Eye Community News Agency:

Community Groups Speak with Public

By James Black

Community groups across Leicester had the chance to spread the word about their organisations at the Leicester Speaks pre-launch event on Gallowtree Gate. The event which took place on Wednesday [sic] was also an opportunity to raise the profile of Leicester Speaks, an initiative to get members of the public to voice their opinions about the issues that matter to them.

Stall holders included the NHS, mental health group LAMP, The Curve theatre, Voluntary Action Leicestershire, The Leicester Council of Faiths and asylum and refugee support service City of Sanctuary.

Simon Parker from Leicester Libraries said “we were involved with Leicester Speaks when it started last year in 2010. The library service offers our locations for groups to host their Leicester Speaks events. I recall last year we hosted an event by The LeicestHERday Trust. Leicester Speaks also allows us to engage with the community and other organisations.”

Mike Burden, Chair of the Leicester Secular Society said “We took part in Leicester Speaks last year by organising five lectures during the week and we will be doing that again this year. Leicester Speaks is a wonderful opportunity for all of the different communities in Leicester to come together and share ideas, exchange thoughts, debate and discuss. The most important thing in a secular state is that we share a common space and respect each other.”

The project co-ordinator of Leicester Speaks Parmjit Basra said “This event is all about building the momentum for this year’s Leicester Speaks. We have the platform in place, what we need is content. Without the participation of the citizens of Leicester the event won’t be successful. If you don’t get involved, then your voice will not be heard. In the meantime we are asking people to get involved by going to the Leicester Speaks website to create an event or to voice their opinion.” This year Leicester Speaks takes place from October 12th – 19th.

In the photo above (from left): Leicester Speaks Project Co-ordinator Parmjit Basra, Leicester Adult Education College Head of Service Chris Minter, Leicester Council of Faiths Equality and Diversity Officer George Ballentyne and Adrian Wills Head of Leicester Libraries. Photo by touchRainbow

Voluntary & Community Sector Assembly

Back at Voluntary Action Leicester (VAL) after lunch, for another last meeting. This time it's the final meeting of the Steering Group for the Voluntary & Community Sector Assembly. This is another group whose early meetings I'd attended (on behalf of REDP), then been unable to do so for the past several months. In that time, the Steering Group has appealed for nominations for election to VCS Assembly Board, then arranged for elections to that Board take place and for those elected to vote for their own officers. The Board of the Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly is made up of representatives from the following bodies:

• Apex
• The Bridge
• CrossRoads Care
• Diversity Hub
• Focus
• Futures Unlocked
• Groundwork Leicester & Leicestershire
• Leicestershire Aids Support SErvice
• MRC Community Action
• RCC Leicestershire & Rutland
• Voluntary Action LeicesterShire
• Voluntary Action South Leicestershire

In the earlier meetings I attended, my continual refrain was that this Assembly should take care not to duplicate or shadow the operations of Leicester Partnership's Host Organisations for the various Communities of Interest, or their appointed representatives. I must have sounded like a one-note piano, I I spoke about this so often. Well, here we are, several months down the road: the VCS Assembly is a reality and Leicester Partnership's Host Organisation system is about to pass into memory.

Those bodies which had been serving as the Host Organisations never made a deliberate, minuted decision to stand aside from nomination and election for the VCS Assembly, but we all had our own business to get on with. The process went ahead and we weren't really able to get involved, but we were glad to see the work being shared out among the many competent and capable organisations in the city and county.

Now the VCS Assembly is the only game in town (and county) and those seven organisations who came to the fore as the most capable bodies to represent the various "protected characteristics" (as identified in legislation) find themselves distant far from the centre of this work. The VCS Assembly did not deliberately set out to represent the various "equality strands" or "protected characteristics" as Leicester Partnership did, with its designation of Communities of Interest and Host Organisations. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that we got a small amount of funding over two years for the work we did. The organisations represented on the board of the VCS Assembly are not getting any such remuneration for their work.

Certainly, those around the table don't seem at all bothered about this - and that's probably quite right too. I'm sure that the organisations elected to the VCS Assembly Board (and the individuals carrying out those responsibilities on behalf of their groups) can represent the Voluntary and Community Sector in city and county perfectly well. I hope that the rest of us can take our place in supporting them.

Leicester Partnership Host Organisations briefing

Attending a briefing for Leicester Partnership's Host organisations, which is regularly held two weeks or so ahead of the full meeting of the Partnership itself. This meeting, at Voluntary Action Leicester, is being done twice today, 1200-1300 and 1800-1900. I come to the latter, but I'm the only one! Philip Parkinson (Chair of Leicester Partnership) is gracious enough to give me the full briefing on the agenda etc with support from James Schadla-Hall (Project Support Officer, Performance Management and Democratic Services). We manage to fit this into half an hour, since there aren't so many questions as there would have been at the lunchtime briefing, which many of my colleagues and coworkers from the other Host Organisations attended.

host organisations meeting

At The Race Equality Centre (TREC) this afternoon, for a meeting of the Host Organisations for Leicester Partnership. These are the groups which liaise between the strategic partnership and the so-called "communities of interest", which identify around the protected characteristics: age (Age Concern for older people, Young People First for younger people), disability (Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living), gender (LeicestHER Day Trust), race (The Race Equality Centre), religion or belief (Leicester Council of Faiths) and sexual orientation (Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre). We also have with us a representative from Voluntary Action Leicester, which is responsible for training and support of the Host Organisations, so that we can help train and support the reps.

We consider representation for the communities of interest on Leicester Partnership at different levels (its Board, its various thematic groups). We're interested in identifying potential reps for the future, refining their roles and on contributing to a handbook which would describe best practice for representing the interests of the Voluntary and Community Sector (no one I know is using that new term, "Civil Society Organisations" - yet).

community cohesion charter

A one-hour briefing session at Voluntary Action Leicester (12 noon, then repeated later today, starting 1800), for those bodies appointed Host Organisations for communities of interest in the city and for those individuals appointed representatives for those communities. Within this structure, Leicester Council of Faiths is the Host Organisation for issues of religion and belief. Our two representatives are unwell today, so I'm holding the fort. Other Host Organisations and their representatives are here for the other communities of interest: age (different organisations for young people and old people), disability, gender (i.e. women),  race, sexual orientation.

This briefing is in preparation for a meeting of Leicester Partnership on 23 June. Today we get sight of paperwork for that meeting and have the opportunity to comment on it if need be. One such document is the "Community Cohesion Charter for Leicester and Leicestershire", the text of which is set out in full below. This version will be signed by representatives of the city and county and of the Strategic Partnerships covering them both; a shorter version is to be signed by city and country organisations involved in those partnerships.

COMMUNITY COHESION CHARTER FOR LEICESTER & LEICESTERSHIRE

"We, the people who live and work in Leicester and Leicestershire are proud of our city and our county, our history and traditions, and value the diversity of our people and communities.

"We are committed to the development of Leicester and Leicestershire as a thriving and cohesive society of many faiths and cultures and we will work together for its continued success for ourselves, our children and for future generations. We all have an equal stake in our future.

"We believe in the importance of peaceful, harmonious and creative relations between our diverse communities. WE are committed to creating a positive and productive environment where difference is valued and celebrated and we ill take every opportunity to work to improve those relations and encourage greater understanding and contact between people and communities.

"We cherish and will uphold our long tradition of welcoming and respecting visitors and newcomers to Leicester and Leicestershire and those who seek refuge in our community.

"We recognise the need to remain vigilant to any threats or challenges to good community relations and will guard against complacency. We have a moral responsibility to speak out, to show visible leadership, and to respond to challenges to the peace and harmony of Leicester and Leicestershire.

"We, therefore, make the following commitments:

"We reaffirm what we have in common and what unites us, a wish to live in peace and security together, to be free from poverty, to have a decent standard of living and a fair share of resources, to have equal chances in life and enjoy good health.

"We celebrate all that is good about Leicester and Leicestershire, our wonderful heritage, our many cultures and beliefs our unique neighbourhoods and the energy, character and diversity of our people.

"We recognise and support the equal rights of everyone in Leicester and Leicestershire.

"We reject any form of discrimination, prejudice, harassment or violence.

"We will work to build bridges of understanding, friendship, cooperation and mutual respect between all the people and communities who belong to Leicester and Leicestershire."

It should be said that this is not necessarily the final form of words. Nor has it been agreed that there should be two different versions for signature by different organisations. There may yet be some debate over just what this should say in the end.

volunteering strategy working group (1)

A quick dash across the road from Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL) to Voluntary Action Leicester (VAL) for the first meeting of a small group working on bashing out a strategy for volunteering that will work in both city and county. This follows on from a paper presented by Jim McCallum of VAL at the most recent meeting of the Stronger Communities Partnership (see blog entry, 08 Apr). Since I gained some experience in this area when helping with Volunteering England's "Volunteering and Faith Communities" project last year, I put myself forward to be on this group. Although Jim had a copy of the report of that project to hand when he presented that paper in April, I wasn't convinced that the benefits of that project had been included in the proposed strategy, an omission that I wanted to help put right (particularly in relation to the rich experience and potential of Leicester's faith communities).

There are five of us round the table, for this one-hour meeting: two from VAL (including Jim who leads the discussion), Jai Parmar, Project Officer from the Equality and Diversity Partnership (EDP), Jade Walsh (Volunteer Coordinator at Vista), Suna Tilley (Side-by-Side Service Manager at the Alzheimer's Society), and David Smith from Connexions.

We take one topic and brainstorm it: How to inspire people in Leicester and Leicestershire to volunteer. WE come up with 20 or more idea worth noting. They'll be written up, shared with the group, then each of us can circulate them within our own "hinterland" (as Jim put it) and come back for another meeting, to brainstorm another of the strategy's five principles in our second meeting next month. We're hoping to finalise the strategy by October at the latest.

EDP monthly meeting

We get hardly a quarter of an hour after the REDP meeting finishes at 1230 then we're into the regular monthly meeting of the Equality and Diversity Partnership. For this expanded meeting we're joined by Saeed Malek, representing Age Concern, as well as colleagues from the public sector Leicester City Council (Irene Kyszk, Head of Equalities), Leicestershire Constabulary (Lynne Woodward, Head of Diversity), Leicester City NHS (Abida Hussein, Diversity Officer). Our main topic of conversation is the expansion (in role and, possibly, in the membership) of EDP in its work with Leicester City Council and the Local Strategic Partnership. Jai Parmar and I have to leave early to make our way over to Voluntary Action Leicester to join in the first session of a working party to help formulate a volunteering strategy for the city and county.

IMPROVING STANDARDS OF CONSULTATION AND ENGAGEMENT: 2

To Leicester Town Hall at lunchtime for the second meeting of a Task and Finish Group on Improving Standards of Consultation and Engagement across Leicester Strategic Partnership. Among those attending on behalf of bodies involved with the Local Strategic Partnership, there are representatives of the City Council, Leicester City NHS, University Hospitals Leicester (UHL), Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Trust, Leicestershire Constabulary, Voluntary Action Leicester, I'm there on behalf of the Equality and Diversity Partnership (EDP) as well as flying the flag for Council of Faiths of course.

This piece of work is intended to improve the level (and kind) of consultation processes entered into by all the member organisations that comprise the Local Strategic Partnership - well, the public sector organisations at least, since those from the private sector have unanimously declined to take part. In terms of the Voluntary and Community Sector, we're making input as participants in the consultation and engagement processes as well as beneficiaries of the outcomes. Our boards (where we have them) are being invited to sign up to these documents too.

Something different from the first meeting: we started discussing the use of social media for this project, how to apply Facebook, Twitter, blogging ("Hel-lo-oh!") to making it a success. Leicester City Council has a twitter account, but we were told that the most recent tweet was a month ago. The City Council has 30 followers; Council of Faiths has 32! In this context, we discussed future involvement of Citizens' Eye Community News Agency and Leicester on the Map, possibly from the beginning of the public consultation stage.

Infrastructure Providers Group

At Voluntary Action Leicester this morning, for a meeting of the Infrastructure Providers Group. We don't get very much done today. Most of the conversation is on the threats to this kind of work represented by the forthcoming Emergency Budget. I leave the meeting half an hour early, a first for me.

so, farewell then NI140

To Leicester City Council (B Block, New Walk Centre) for the second day running, this time to attend a meeting of the Stronger Communities Partnership.

A big part of the remit of the Stronger Communities Partnership has been oversight of one of the key National Indicators - NI140 (fair access to local services). It was confirmed at this meeting that central government has decided to do away with NI140 (among a few other National Indicators) on the grounds that it's too hard to obtain reliable evidence that it's being met. There were a few raised eyebrows (mine included) as NI140 has been at the core of so many meetings. I've become rather attached to the old thing; it was the first National Indicator that I understood and memorised - and the first I ever heard myself quoting out loud at a meeting. But rather than mourn its passing, it's easy to see abolition of NI140 (fair access to local services) as a good thing, since it will spread responsibility for assuring such fair access to all the Strategic Partnership's theme groups, rather than having it sit with Stronger Communities alone. So that takes some weight off this group and should allow it to be distributed more evenly. Of course, such joint responsibility should always have been the case, but it became easy to tag it on to realted responsibilites and pigeonhole it with this one group.

In case this makes it look these meetings are dominated by obscure beauraucratic language, I should unpack some of the topics covered here, especially in relation to Neighbourhood Working. This topic today involves (in no particular order) matters of hate crime, anti-social behaviour, immigration, graffiti, fly-tipping, vulnerability, estates maintenance, street cleaning, spikes in community confidence. These issues have to be rolled up into an effective strategic approach rather than a shopping list of "quick wins". We discuss ow to move away from a "command-and-control" model to being "needs-led". Sorry if that lapsed back toward beauracratic language there, but I'm sure it's not too hard to follow, faithful reader.

An interesting linguistic interlude here: we're told that some of the proposals related to this work are still going through the process of "stormin'n'normin". Eh? I've never heard this one before (have you, faithful reader?) and puzzled over it for some time. We try our best to eliminate beauracratic double-speak and gobbledeegook. This Stronger Communities Partnership agreed a code of conduct with EDP for accessible communication, to be adopted across the Strategic Partnership. But creativity is a wonderful thing and it'll find its way out through every available crack. "Stormin' Norman" was, of course, the nickname given Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who was in charge of Operation Desert Storm in the fist Gulf War. So, what might "stormin'n'normin" meaan in this context? That these processes are still being "brainstormed" and being systematised? ("normed"?). Who knows ...

Jim McCallum, from Voluntary Action Leicester, presents a draft paper on volunteering for our discussion. There's a call round the table for volunteers (ironically) to take the paper forward before the next meeting of Stronger Communities. Since I got some experience in this area when helping with Volunteeering England's "Volunteering and Faith Communities" project last year, I put myself forward. That and the fact that there's no real acknowledgement or promise of engagement with the faith communities in this document, an ommision that I'd like to help put right.

We discuss the goal of "talking up Leicester", in which context I mention the recent high level media contacts we've received at the Council of Faiths. There's agreement that the City Council, the Strategic Partnership and the Council of Faiths should develop a strategy for joint response to such enquiries.

improving standards of consultation & engagement (1)

To Leicester City Council (B Block, New Walk Centre) at lunchtime for the first meeting of a Task and Finish Group on Improving Standards of Consultation and Engagement across the Partnership. There's a cross-section of people representing different bodies involved with the Leicester Strategic Partnership: City Council, Leicester City NHS, University Hospitals Leicester (UHL), Leicestershire Constabulary, B-Inspired, Voluntary Action Leicester, I'm there on behalf of the Equality and Diversity Partnership (EDP). We're discussing ways to tighten up processes by which service users in the city are informed, consulted and engaged on the various aspects of work being done on their behalf. There's a genuine acknowledgement of the need to pool experience, knowledge and resources (for obvious reasons), to cut through the opacity of beuraucratic language and to make everything as user-focused and user-friendly as possible. We jump over one of the early items on the agenda - election of a Chair - and decide to use the short time we have together today actually to do some work. We set ourselves a tight deadline of having everything finished by 10 June, as that is the day on which Yasmin, the group coordinator, starts her maternity leave. Now that's the kind of deadline that can't be pushed back!

NAW RUZ WITH LEICESTER'S AFGHANS & KURDS

At Voluntary Action LeicesterShire this afternoon, to attend a presentation and reception for Naw Ruz, hosted by Leicester's Afghan and Kurdish communities (with assistance from Leicester City Council). This is a lovely occasion, full of beauty, warmth, kindness and uncomplicated hospitality. Everyone looks happy and it's infectious. There are some interesting, informative and imaginative presentations about the history and significance of Naw Ruz for these two (and other) cultures, some poetry and music, then some traditional refreshments. Some of the costumes are quite dazzling in their intricacy and finery. I'm glad to be able to show this picture of some of the children here today (taken and published here with parental permission of course).

infrastructure providers group (2)

At Voluntary Action Leicester this morning representing both the Council of Faiths and the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership at a meeting of the Infrastructure Providers Group.

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of the purpose of these groups and meetings, to forget the practical and postive outcomes that they work towards. So I think it's good to state the goal of this group here, which is the establishment, maintenance and development of "a vibrant and effective voluntary and community sector that enables people to be active in their communities and to make Leicester and Leicestershire a great place to live for all." I don't think there would be many people in the city or the county who wouldn't get on board with that (if you'll excuse the double negative and mixed metaphor there!)

Ian Robson, Director of the LGBT Centre is here today. We both feel ratehr bereft after the end of the series of REDP's Involvement Events and related activities. We both liken it to that wistful feeling at the end of a relationship - though, ironically, in this context, it's just the beginning of one!

VCS assembly steering group (2)

At Voluntary Action Leicester this afternoon, for another meeting of the VCS Assembly Steering group. I'd attended an earlier meeting of this group on 22 Jan (see blog entry for that date) then missed one in February which coincided with one of REDP's involvement events. There are seven of us round the table today - fewer than at either of the previous meetings, maybe because our focus today sounds rather mundane: "Governance and Structure". In my earlier blog entry on this subject, I mentioned that this body hasn't got a particularly catchy name. Today that's one of the matters under discussion. At the February meeting, some names had been suggested and today we choose one of them. I'm not giving away here what it is: there's a time for everything, after all! We also considered a variety of models for the assembly's structure and governance and chose one of them to commend for adoption. One of those attending today expressed the hope that this assembly would be able to maximise skills and opportunities for the benefit of everyone working in the voluntary and community sector in the city and county. In the same terms, the assembly also has the chance to be a great leveller.

BASIS advisory group @ VAL

At Voluntary Action Leicester this morning, for the second meeting of their BASIS advisory group. REDP is a BASIS grant holder and it's part of our terms of receving that gant that we should establish and maintain good working relations with other BASIS grant holders in the region - and VAL is just across the road after all. So I'm here representing REDP, but also on behalf of Leicester Council of Faiths, who may well be one of the infrastructure support bodies that will benefit from VAL's programme.