Representation and Voice
An important part of our role is to help ensure the voices of local charities, social enterprises and community organisations are heard. We strive to enable the ideas, experience and energy of these organisations to influence local councils, NHS, government departments, funders, and policy makers to improve conditions for the people and communities they serve. We gather intelligence and insights based on our learning from organisations. For a snapshot of the local VCSE sector see our short reports:
The Connected Voice team takes part in a range of meetings across the North East with public, private and voluntary sector partners to represent and give a voice to the voluntary and community sector in Newcastle and Gateshead. We do not aim to speak on behalf of VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) organisations - because we know we cannot possibly represent the independent interests of thousands of different organisations. Instead we work to support an environment in which our sector is heard and respected. We use our position to champion the role and value of VCSE organisations, and to challenge decisions which could be detrimental to them.
Featured below is a list of the regular meetings Connected Voice staff attend. There are lots of other informal and ad hoc meetings that we don’t list here. Please contact us if you want to raise an issue, share information, or if you have any other questions.
Gateshead Council
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Strategic Leadership | ||
| Our Chief Executive and senior leadership team have regular one-to-one meetings with Council leaders and staff in senior management roles in our local public sector organisations | ||
Health and Wellbeing | ||
| Health and Wellbeing Board | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Monthly |
| Healthy and Wellbeing Strategy Implementation Group | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Monthly |
| People @ the Heart of Care | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Bi-monthly |
Digital Inclusion | ||
| Digital Inclusion Steering Group | Alessandra Mondin (Gateshead Digital Inclusion Project Manager) | Monthly |
Community Safety | ||
| Community Safety Board | Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| Hate Crime and Community Tensions Monitoring Group | Gill Edgar (Senior Advocacy Coordinator) | Quarterly |
| Multi-Agency Resilience and Emergency Planning Group | Mark Shilcock (OurGateshead and Connected Voice Membership Officer) | Quarterly |
Safeguarding | ||
| Safeguarding Adults Board | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Quarterly |
| Safeguarding Quality Assurance Group | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Quarterly |
Gateshead Integrated Care Board (ICB)
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Health and Social Care Transformation | ||
| Gateshead Health and Care Systems Board (Gateshead Cares) | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Fortnightly |
| Gateshead ICB Sub Committee | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Monthly |
| Gateshead Cares Workforce Partnership | Laurie Zebik (Gateshead Volunteer Development Coordinator) | Quarterly |
Mental Health | ||
| CYP Mental Health Transformation Strategic Steering Group | Julia Perry (VCSE Engagement Coordinator: Mental Health Transformation) | Monthly |
This document lists all the VCSE representatives, including ourselves, who attend Gateshead Council and Gateshead Integrated Care Board meetings. The purpose of this document is twofold:
- To inform VCSE organisations of what meetings take place and who in the sector is attending.
- To enable them to contact the VCSE representative if they need information or would like something to be raised at the meeting.
If you have any additions to make, or would like any amendments making, please email giovanni.spatuzzi@connectedvoice.org.uk
Newcastle and Gateshead
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Health and Wellbeing | ||
| Clinical Commissioning Group Directors Meeting (Mark Adams) | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
Newcastle City Council
| Meeting | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Strategic Leadership | ||
| Voluntary Sector Liaison Group | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| Our Chief Executive and senior leadership team also have regular one-to-one meetings with Council leaders and staff in senior management roles in our local public sector organisations | ||
Safeguarding | ||
| Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Every two months |
Community Safety | ||
| Safe Newcastle Board | Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| Hate Crime and Community Tensions Group | Laurie Campbell (Senior Advocacy Coordinator) | Monthly |
Health and Wellbeing / Economic Development / Prosperity | ||
| Health and Wellbeing Board | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
Welfare Reform / Poverty | ||
| Welfare Reform Board | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
Climate Emergency | ||
| Net Zero Task Force | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
Older people | ||
| Age Friendly City Group | Several older people’s organisations including Search, Age UK, Disability North | Quarterly |
Health and Wellbeing | ||
| Phase 2 Reducing Health Inequalities - Vulnerable Groups Task and Finish Group | Vicki Harris (Health Equity and Involvement Manager) | Monthly |
| NCC Public Health Steering Group - ethnic minorities | Vicki Harris (Health Equity and Involvement Manager) | Every two months |
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | ||
| Citywide Asylum Seekers Network | Vicki Harris (Health Equity and Involvement Manager) Gill Edgar (Senior Advocacy Coordinator) | Every two months |
Newcastle Focus
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | ||
| Equity, Diversity and Human Rights working group at NUTH | Vicki Harris (Health Equity and Involvement Manager) | Every two months |
Funding | ||
| UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Local Community Partnership | Jeremy Cain (Support and Development Coordinator) | Monthly |
Health and Social Care Transformation | ||
| Collaborative Newcastle | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Weekly |
| Newcastle Neighbourhoods (Collaborative Newcastle) | Jeremy Cain (Support and Development Coordinator) | Quarterly |
| Advice Compact | Laurie Campbell (Senior Advocacy Coordinator) Heather Goodhand (Independent Advocate) | Every two months |
Wider North East
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Strategic Leadership | ||
| Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) is the North of Tyne Combined Authority VCSE Ambassador and works closely with North Tyneside VODA, Northumberland CVA and VONNE on this via a stakeholder group. | ||
| North of Tyne Combined Authority - VCSE Stakeholder Group | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| North of Tyne Combined Authority - Inclusive Economy Board | VCSE reps: Carol Botten (VONNE) Anne Lyall (Northumberland CVA) | Quarterly |
| VONNE - Local Infrastructure Organisations Meeting | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Monthly |
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | ||
| North East Race Equality Forum | Vicki Harris (Health Equity and Involvement Manager) | Quarterly |
| North East Migration Partnership health focused meeting | Vicki Harris (Health Equity and Involvement Manager) | Quarterly |
| North East Ambulance Service Equality and Diversity Group | Vicki Harris (Health Equity and Involvement Manager) | Quarterly |
Community Safety | ||
| Victim and Witness Service Improvement Board (Office of Police and Crime Commissioner Northumbria) | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Quarterly |
