RCYPN “Information Sharing” Meeting Held Wednesday, 16th March, 2016
Present:
Ravi Walters Norwood/RCYPN Ann Garrard RCYPN/Newbridge Aditi Dam RCYPN Volunteer Chesing Lee Redbridge Chinese Development Project Shilpa Patel Redbridge Forum Amal Abdulwahidy RCYPN Volunteer Nelle Jervis NCS The Challenge Christina Law RCYPN Volunteer Camilla Quartey Vine URC Sonia Lynch HLP - Welcome Project Chris Kondogeorgis Aanchal Women’s Aid Evelyn Reid RCYPN Volunteer (Minutes) Maria Tasnim RCYPN Volunteer Rani Raju Redbridge Carers Support Service
Apologies:
Saffina Masood RCYPN Volunteer Keith smith Sycamore Trust Athena Daniels STAAR Tora Gregory-Sayce Parent/Carer/HWR Samina Dyer Redbridge Forum
Welcome and Introductions Ravi welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming. Introductions were made. Permission was sought and received to take photos of the meeting for publicity purposes. Christina made the housekeeping and health and safety announcements.
Minutes of Last Meeting Minutes were agreed as accurate.
Matters Arising None.
Co-Chairs’ Report
The ‘Awards for All’ (AWA) and the LBR Strategic Partnership Funding Monitoring Reports were completed and submitted on time. They have been accepted. Thanks to Saffina for the immense amount of work that she put in to achieve this. We are required retain the records of the AWA project for seven years.
1 Ann attended the RedbridgeCVS Network Meeting which was addressed by Andy Donald who is the new Chief Executive of Redbridge. He has a background in Town Planning. Andy express the view that future funding from Central Government is under threat and questions whether it will still be available in five years. There is a possible link to his view and the Government’s announcement that all schools will become Academies by 2022 and as a consequence, be no longer under the control of local government. Their funding will be under the control of the management of the Academies who will be responsible for sourcing additional funding from partners in the business or charitable sectors. The change to Academies will impact on teachers pay because the national pay structure will no longer apply. Concerns were expressed about the impact on Special Needs Provision and local schools. Ann will investigate and report back. Ann reminded the meeting about the changes to RCVS membership and encouraged RCYPN members to join. Grant Review papers have been sent out twice. There has been low attendance at public meetings and a poor response to the survey. Members are encouraged to engage with the process as we won’t be able to complain when decisions are made without our input. John Turkson has expressed concern about the apparent lack of interest/involvement from the voluntary sector. There was a follow up meeting at RCVS today (16th March). Ann wil update us on the outcome. There are currently two local consultations taking place on the ‘Carer’s Strategy’ and the ‘Autism Plan’.
Coordinator’s Report (By Evelyn)
Funding
Strategic Partnership funding - the six months’ monitoring returns were completed and submitted within deadline. We will carry forward some funding into the new financial year but won’t know the exact amount until the end of March. We continue with our effort to increase our funding and will be submitting a number of new funding applications soon. Our next job is to complete the financial records for the Auditors for 2015-16.
Social Media Project
The project was very successful. Five two part sessions were held, one of which was led by our volunteer team and two by Barclays Bank staff after the initial sessions led by the Redbridge Institute. Almost 80 staff/volunteers were trained. We sent off our “End of Grant Return” form to AWA on 19th February. The Evaluation and Monitoring Report has also been completed.
2 Volunteer Team
We have nine regular volunteers; their tasks include taking minutes, updating the database, keeping financial records, general admin, filing, managing the Website and Facebook page and setting up rooms for meetings and training sessions. The team were treated to a “Thank you” lunch on 8th March, courtesy of Nando’s Ilford.
Website
Manisha is continuing her work on this and we would like members to send us any news or information to share.
Speakers for 2016-17:
April - Ola Kanu – RedbridgeCVS Community Fundraiser May – Trusha Patel – “My Life” Website June – Rani Raju – Redbridge Carers Support Services (RCSS) “New Arrivals” July – Amanda Ridgewell – LBR re Local SEND Offer September – Sonia Anderson Cunningham – Redbridge Home-Start October – Bernhard Halschka – East London Out Project (ELOP)
General Meeting (AGM) and Annual Report
Work will begin soon on planning the AGM and producing the Annual Report for 2015-16. The AGM will be held on Wednesday, 16th November, 2016.
Guest Speaker – Sonia Lynch, HLP - The Welcome Centre – “Homelessness” Sonia used a PowerPoint presentation for her talk copies of which will be sent with minutes of the meeting.
The Welcome Centre – HLP delivers a number of projects to children and older people. The Welcome Project serves the homeless through the provision of a Day Centre and Supported Accommodation at their site in Green Lane, Ilford.
They receive their funding from a variety of sources which includes City Bridge Trust, LBR and money sourced by their commission based Fundraiser. They are further supported by businesses, community organisations and volunteers.
The focus of Sonia’s presentation was “The Welcome Project” and their work in providing support to the homeless.
Sonia began with a very broad definition of Homelessess. Homeless people are more than “rough sleepers” and include people who sleep on sofas in the homes of friends or relatives. They are essentially people without a key to their own front door.
Homeless people face many challenges including the vagaries of the weather, physical and mental abuse and mental health issues.
3 The Welcome Project provides practical support such as food, showers, Laundry service and clothing. 10% of clients are young people aged 20–27. Less than 10% of their clients are female. The project is able to cater for single sex provision. They have access to a small source of funding which can be used to cover emergency accommodation in very extreme circumstances. They offer health services through the provision of a Nurse led Clinic offering reflexology, counselling, chiropody, massage therapy and exercise classes. Their Counselling Service is based on formal and informal sessions and is funded by City Bridge Trust. Support services include 1-2-1 Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on housing, benefits, drugs and alcohol issues and immigration and employment. These services are deliverered with partner organisations. They provide Learning Support to support clients in functional skills in Maths, English and IT. Life Skills Work Shops are available. They host a Job Club where support is provided to prepare people for employment. Young clients can be placed with Nightstop hosts after referral from StreetLink Other services in Redbridge includes an LBR Outreach Worker and the seasonal Night Shelter run by the Salvation Army where clients can be placed after referral by the Welcome Project.
A number of participants asked questions following Sonia’s presentation which Sonia was happy to answer. Ann and Ravi Sonia for her very interesting and informative talk.
Reports from RCYPN Representatives on Boards
Children’s Centre Advisory Board reports that parents were very supportive of the services and wanted more services. Very good data on partnership working and Social Care. OFSTED rating Excellent. Locality Working Group looking at the theme “Child Poverty” which is linked to the Redbridge Fairness Commission. Child Poverty to be an outcome for Children’s Centres. The ‘Working Group’ will examine three barriers or challenges associated to the theme which they will use to inform future planning and activities. There is a new electronic version of the the Chilldren’s Centres Activities and how their work links in to other service provision.
Children’s Trust Partnership Board
The review of performance against targets was discussed. There is an emphasis on Child Protection which is under scrutiny. Children and Young People’s Plan – a review of the previous year’s performance and the Action Plan for 2016-17 discussed.
4 Staff view the role of the voluntary sector as very important. Adding Children’s Services to Adult Mental Health Services. There is concern about violence against women and girl refugees. The Redbridge Fairness Commission is seeking to improve the range of volunteering opportunities and develop community hubs.
Meeting with John Goldup, Chair of Redbridge Local Safeguarding Children Board
Six priorities for 2016/17 planned with much work on-going; More focus on quality assurance and effectiveness; new staff appointed; Partnership and collaborative work is good but there is a need for a “common language” and better information sharing; Request for “Redbridge Emotional Wellbeing & Mental Health Transformation Plan”; LSCB “Voice of the Child” Conference to be held 26.04.2016 from 4.30-6.30pm at Ilford Town Hall.
Any Other Business ‘Work Redbridge’ are launching an ‘Apprentice Work Club’.
NCS - The Challenge Will be delivering Summer Projects where groups of young people are matched with local organisations to deliver an agreed project. The young people are expected to invove themselves in raising funding and delivering the projects.
Feedback from last year’s projects suggest that The Challenge might need to examine the communication between Challenge leaders and the level of supervision and support that they provide to the young people.
Vine Church Camilla, Youth Worker is seeking to promote the events and activities organised by the church. Her post is covered by short term funding. She is seeking to work with as many young people as possible. The meeting provided her with a number of suggestions of people and organisation to contact.
Date of Next Meeting Wednesday, 20th April, 2016 – guest speaker – Ola Kanu, Community Fundraiser, RedbridgeCVS.
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