Over the last year ROTA has been working as part of the Way Ahead partnership to design a new vision and system for civil society in London and how it can be better supported in future. This process is designed to empower individuals and communities and ensure that groups of all sizes get the support and assistance they need to be able to better serve the needs of all Londoners. This work has involved a number of partners from local authorities, health authorities, business organisations, the Mayor’s Office and London Councils and of course local and regional voluntary organisations and charities.
The work has been conducted from a number of key principles including that equalities need to be put at the heart of the process and that the real stakeholders are not just charities and other organisations but Londoners themselves. Individual Londoners need assistance to link up to services as well as volunteering opportunities and form and run effective associations that meet their needs. These organisations will sometimes need assistance with all aspects of the running of effective services as well as developing coherent and relevant policies and campaigning for change.
This developmental part of the process is culminating in the establishment of a new “hub” for London’s civil society that is designed to ensure that both individuals and organisations are empowered and informed and then involved in working to deliver better outcomes for all Londoners. Obviously there is a huge opportunity for race equality organisations and BAME community organisations to influence this process so as to ensure that all Londoners benefit from it.
We would therefore like to invite representatives of London’s BAME community organisations to a Stakeholders meeting that is to be held on the morning of the 22nd June in Central London to hear more about these developments and ensure that they meet your needs. The ambitious Way Ahead report was launched in April 2016, and stakeholders from all parts of the system have been busy since then understanding what the Way Ahead means for their work. At the event, you can catch up on progress we’ve made together and hear more about the recommendations of the Task and Finish Groups established at the event last November. We’ll be sharing the Way Ahead Change Plan which sets out practical actions for the coming year and beyond and want to hear from you what you think and how you want to be involved going forward.
This stakeholder conference will be held on Thursday 22nd June, 9.30am-2pm at 25 Old Castle Street, London, E1 7NT.
This is your opportunity to be involved in making sure 'The Way Ahead' achieves its aim of making sure civil society is supported into the future, for the benefit of all Londoners, and by all sectors. Everyone has a role to play in this – we can only make it work by working together.
If you would like to attend this event, please email Geraldine Tovey at London Funders (geraldine@londonfunders.org.uk)