How do I get involved?
Join our relevant networks or forums that best suit your organisation’s needs. You may wish to be members of a number of networks or forums. Each network and forum is different, so please get in touch with the lead for further information. Please note that some may have eligibility criteria, to make sure they keep within the relevant workstream.
As the VCSE Assembly develops, we will look to identify gaps in work streams and representation, and integrate current forums or networks where possible, or if not, form new networks to support the assemblies work.
If you have any questions about VCSE Assembly or cannot find a network forum that fits for your organisation, please contact: nwicb.vcseassembly@nhs.net
Networks and Forums
Mental Health
A supportive creative space with a focus on partnerships and collaboration, working alongside NCC, NSFT & ICB colleagues to support the shared vision of providing high quality mental health services across Norfolk and Waveney.
Lived experience and co-production form an integral role within the forum, identifying local needs and gaps, as well as strategic decision making and future developments.
Increasing our reach to other providers and partners to strengthen our partnerships and vision for service provision across all areas of Norfolk and Waveney.
A collaboration of providers and commissioners with a clear focus on influencing the direction of future mental health services, ambitious in our aims to make a real difference within our communities.
Sharing good practice and experiences as well as any learning opportunities. Provide a forum for members to share their experiences and ideas.
Provide information and updates in relation to new projects, funding and initiatives.
Ensuring that service user leadership remains consistent, meaningful and embedded within the MHPF and decision making.
If you have any questions or would like to join the forum, please contact Julie Marks at julie.marks@together-uk.org
Children and Young People
The Voluntary Sector Forum (Children, Young People and Families) is a forum for voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations that provide services to children, young people and their families in Norfolk. The Forum provides a means for two-way engagement between our sector and statutory partners. It is also an effective mechanism for members to raise key issues that impact on our sector and those we represent.
Later Life Network
The Later Life Provider Network is a partnership of local organisations who predominantly provide services to people aged 50+, supported by academic research/best practice institutions and lived experience groups.
Through the network, we aim to promote the needs and experiences of later life, collaborate with local leaders and influencers to shape and co-design future services in Norfolk & Waveney.
We will share best practice from our own services, and promote opportunities for research and engagement to improve quality standards and outcomes.
We will facilitate wider engagement with lived experience groups and organisations in the community who can solicit the views and needs of local people in the design of local services.
We will represent the challenges of later life and provide solutions to how they can be effectively supported, and their impact to quality of life or health equality.
Empowering Communities
The Empowering Communities Partnership is a partnership delivered by five organisations. Voluntary Norfolk (VN) and Community Action Norfolk (CAN) are the core partners. We are also supported by our strategic partners: Norfolk Community Advice Network (NCAN) and FUSE Network, and delivery partner Norfolk Community Foundation (NCF).
Our commitment to the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector in Norfolk is to deliver:
- a good, easy to access, universal offer of support
- targeted specialist support in response to VCSE needs
Our aim is to deliver a progressive and impactful programme of support to the VCSE sector across Norfolk. The Empowering Communities partnership brings together different expertise, perspectives and experiences, which will feed into the shaping and planning of the programme.