News that Terrence HigginsTrust has put the muchloved London Lighthouse inLadbroke Grove up for sale,has caused a great deal ofconcern among local peopleand organisations.

High property values acrossthe borough mean there is a reallack of affordable space forcommunity events and officespace for local organisations.

Community centres form partof the fabric of a healthy society.People need non-commercialplaces to gather, socialise, meetand receive services. This isespecially true for vulnerablegroups, and for many years theLighthouse has provided a safespace for various informalgroups, as well as local peoplewith HIV for whom the centre wasestablished. It has also providedmuch-needed affordable officespace and meeting space forlocal charities.

The Social Council hasnominated Lighthouse as anasset of community value, socommunity groups now have untilthe end of February 2014 to workup plans to purchase it.

Our ‘right’ to do this wasenshrined under ‘localism’

AUTUMN 2013

Protecting our communityassets

London Lighthouse – up for sale

legislation which included the‘Right to Bid’. This enables us tonominate a building as an ‘Assetof Community Value’. Onceagreed by the Council, if anyregistered building is put up forsale, there is a pause of sixmonths during which communitygroups are given time to acquirefunding and put together abusiness plan to buy thebuilding. There are noguarantees that the bid will besuccessful, but it does give thecommunity group a betterchance of competing againstother bidders such as propertydevelopers.

A key tenant of thinkingbehind localism is thatcommunities should exercise

greater control through suchthings as management orownership of community assets.

We must work together tolobby the Council to give usownership or management ofassets it currently holds, such asCanalside House in Golborne.There are successful models ofthis around the country, and webelieve that a community-basedorganisation such as the SocialCouncil, or a local partnership,would be better placed than theCouncil to support and developcharities.

For more about the history ofLondon Lighthouse see page 3.

For more on the Right to Bidvisit;www.mycommunityrights.org.uk

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEASOCIAL COUNCILLondon Lighthouse111-117 Lancaster RoadLondon W11 1QT

020 7243 9800info@kcsc.org.ukwww.kcsc.org.ukCharity no 1087457Limited company no. 4146375

C O N TA C T U S

Mary Gardiner 020 7243 9803Chief Executivemary@kcsc.org.uk

Harjit Dhaliwal 020 7243 9804Office Managerharjit@kcsc.org.uk

Organisational Development Team

Siobhan Sollis 020 7243 9807Head of Organisational Developmentsiobhan@kcsc.org.uk

Brenda Nambooze 020 7243 9807Development Officerbrenda@kcsc.org.uk

Katie Steingold 020 7243 9800Events & Communications Officerkatie@kcsc.org.uk

Business Development Team

Lev Pedro 020 7243 9809Business Development Managerlev@kcsc.org.uk

Policy Development Team

Angela Spence 020 7243 9802Deputy Chief Executiveangela@kcsc.org.uk

Mohammed Miah 020 7243 9808Development Officer –Partnership and Forumsmohammed@kcsc.org.uk

Ambika Sharma 020 7243 9806Campaigns & Development Officerambika@kcsc.org.uk

Kuldip Bajwa 020 7243 9805Information & Communications Officerkuldip@kcsc.org.uk

The views expressed in Link are notnecessarily those of KCSC.

Kensington & ChelseaSocial Council (KCSC)works to support locally focusedvoluntary and communityorganisations serving local residents.

1973 Remembered –A celebration of Notting Hill CarnivalLocal residents,councillors andworkers acrossNorth Kensingtonhave congregatedon PortobelloGreen to mark the40th anniversary ofNotting HillCarnival, with anevening of music,dancing andtraditionalCaribbean cuisine.

They werejoined by dignitaries from several Caribbean High Commissions, as wellas some of the original pioneers of the modern Carnival, Leslie Palmerand Anthony Perry.

Anthony Perry was the director of the North Kensington Amenity Trust(forerunner of Westway Development Trust), who in 1973 wanted toreignite the West Indian Community tradition of August Bank Holidaystreet celebrations that had dwindled since their origin in the area in 1965.

He enlisted the help of local resident – and carnival lover – LesliePalmer, who brought his ideas, enthusiasm and West Indian heritage tohelp turn the carnival into the celebration that it is today.

An estimated 1 million people visit carnival each year, taking in thevibrant floats, the traditional steel bands, and the homemade Caribbeanfood that have turned this annual event into the biggest street festival ofits kind in Europe.

Active for LifeThe Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea(RBKC) Leisure Services’ Sports DevelopmentTeam provides a wide variety of sport andphysical activity opportunities for RBKCresidents at venues across the borough.

In Kensington and Chelsea, there aremany opportunities for residents to take partin sport and physical activity. RBKC sportsdevelopment team offer many programmesvia;

•Active for Life programme

•REACH sessions

•Everyday Sport(inclusive to RBKC staff)

•Health professional referral schemes (GP referrals)

The Active for Life programme includes 72 sessions in 16 venues acrossthe borough including five health walks that take place at various locations.The Sports Development Team is directly responsible for managing 30 ofthese sessions.

If you would like a copy of this free booklet please contact LeisureServices on 020 7938 8182. Or alternatively emailsportandleisure@rbkc.gov.uk

Notting Hill Carnival

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S E C T O R N EW S

3

1930 Bayswater Jewish School relocates to its newhome in Lancaster Rd from its original site in HarrowRd, later to become Solomon Wolfson School.

1981 School relocates to Kenton and building fallsinto disuse.

1985 AIDS epidemic reaches London, and inspiredby facilities in San Francisco and New York, afundraising campaign is established for a localHIV/AIDS treatment centre.

1988 HRH Princess Margaret, Countess ofSnowdon, opens London Lighthouse. TheLighthouse becomes an internationally renownedcentre of excellence in HIV treatment and a favouritecharity of Diana Princess of Wales, who visitsregularly.

London Lighthouse in LancasterRoad is up for sale. It has a historyof serving local residents andcommunities. We want to maintainit as an asset of community value.

LONDON LIGHTHOUSE2000 London Lighthouse merges with TerrenceHiggins Trust (THT).

2000s As needs of people with HIV change, THTstarts to rent out rooms for community use andcharity office space.

2000-11 The Lighthouse Garden wins multipleawards including RHS Britain in Bloom and BrighterKensington & Chelsea; the Lighthouse wins severalawards for volunteering and civic service.

2006 Kensington & Chelsea Social Councilrelocates to the Lighthouse from KensingtonChurch Street.

June 2013 KCSC nominates the Lighthouse as anAsset of Community Value.

July 2013 THT announces intention its to sell.Sep 2013 RBKC Council confirms registration asAsset of Community Value, triggering six-monthpause in the sale.

Feb 2014 The Lighthouse can be sold on theopen market.

Celebrate Black History atVenture Community CentreThe film evening: every Friday in October from 6.30pm

Black History Month is an annual celebration of blackhistory, past struggle and culture. It takes place eachyear in October.

This year the Venture Community Centre in Golbornewill be hosting a series of film evenings for you to enjoysuch as PROUD and PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

This is a free event with free popcorn and drink.If there is a film that you would like us to see why not

let the Venture Centre know. www.venturecentre.org.uk

Classically British 201323 - 24 October

The Portobello Dance School are holding their annual Classically British event as part of the Black History Season.Now in its 11th year, Classically British is organised by Mark Eli, the Artistic Director of the dance school, a charitywhich has been operating for 21 years .

The event is for local school children and adults that may not otherwise get a chance to watch ethnic minorityballet dancers. It is an opportunity for children from ethnic minority backgrounds to have dance role models to lookup to and interact with. There will also be a photo exhibition showcasing and celebrating the history of Black Britishballet dancers.

Find out more about the event by visiting: www.portobellodance.org.uk

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The Royal Borough of Kensington andChelsea launched its new ‘Innovation Fund’last year with a further round of funding thissummer. The idea has been to encouragethe sector to find new creative ways todeliver services and develop moresustainable funding models.The local NHS has also provided ‘Innovation Grants’and the term has been used by other funders such asEsmee Fairbairn and Nesta.

So do we need to put more thought into beinginnovative?

The voluntary and community sector has a longproven history of testing new ideas and adapting tochanges in the external environment. Organisationsregularly develop new methods and ways of workingto address ever changing need and many will considerthemselves as already being innovative.

By being close to communities, voluntaryorganisations are well placed to meet new problems witha suitable response and we are not bound by the redtape that can sometime inhibit public sector services.

But it is also important to recognise that the sectordelivers many services that may have once been newideas but are now tried and tested. These methodssurvive because they deliver. So is innovation alwaysnecessary?

Perhaps what we should focus on is making sure wedevelop cultures that allow innovation to happen whereappropriate but at the same time recognise that we don’talways need to be innovating for the sake of it.

It is clear ,however, that the current changingenvironment (including the pressure from funders todo more for less) does require us to reassess, beenterprising and consider if there might be better ormore sustainable ways of working. Having the abilityto innovate certainly can help an organisationbecome stronger and more able to withstand volatileeconomic times.

So how can you encourage innovation inyour organisation? Here are some top tips:1 Make sure everyone working on a project feels

involved and that their contribution counts

2 Encourage staff to put forward their own ideas anduse their creativity

3 Give staff some autonomy and freedom to act (withinappropriate boundaries)

4 Encourage a trusting, supportive culture so that staffcan explore, debate and question ideas comfortably

5 Allow some time on a project to reflect and explorenew ideas that might pop up

6 As well as creating a culture of hard work make surethere is also a sense of fun as this will help creativejuices to flow

7 Be comfortable with some level of risk taking.Remember launching new ideas that are untested willinvolve an element of risk.

This article was written with help from NCVOs guide‘Innovation Matters’. To download the guide visitwww.ncvo-vol.org.uk/innovation

B U Z Z W O

Innovation is not about having ideas, it is about having t

Innovation-Just an

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Spotlight on: ClementJames CentreClementJames is an award-winning charity based inNorth Kensington. They have developed a reputationfor creating and developing innovative programmes inthe areas of education, employment and pastoralsupport. We spoke to Alex Hanratty, Deputy ChiefExecutive, about what makes them an innovativeorganisation.

Can you give an example of a recent piece of workyou would describe as innovative?

We have recently started facilitating BusinessEngagement Days between the long-term unemployedand corporates as part of our IntoWork programmesupporting the long-term unemployed.

During a typical Business Engagement Dayparticipants are supported to work through a challenge

that will help prepare them for work. The days areoverseen by ClementJames staff and take place at theClementJames Centre.

We piloted the Business Engagement Days with PeterJones and Lloyds Bank during which our clients gainedmany of the benefits of a traditional work experienceplacement including receiving a reference, and thecorporates benefited from professional development.

We are now seeking to develop this programme tothe majority of our IntoWork clients by working with arange of different corporates.

What is it about the culture of your organisationthat helps foster innovation?

We evaluate every activity in order to reflect, think of newideas and develop our programmes. Our attitude is tothink ahead and to consider ways to expand or developwhat we do according to the needs of our users.

We are also well established in the heart of the localarea and regularly consult with our users, funders andother stakeholders which helps us to understand theneeds within the local community.

This understanding helps us to see gaps in provision,have open discussions with our user group and give usthe drive to think of creative solutions to meet local need.

We also involve all staff and trustees in generatingideas and encourage ownership. Each year we hold astrategic Vision Day where staff and trustees look atfuture development.

How would you describe your attitude totaking risks?

It’s important and healthy to take risks as it drives anorganisation forward – but it’s also important to makecollaborative decisions, consult stakeholders and takea considered approach.

Find out more about the ClementJames Centre atwww.clementjames.org

WO R D S

g the ideas that you need and making them happen. NCVO

5

another buzzword?

Business Engagement Day at ClementJames

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6

Since the new government cameinto power back in 2010, anumber of important policychanges have occurred whichhave led to the introduction ofsome strategic partnershipsand the abolition of others.

In 2010, the government announced the end of theComprehensive Area Assessment (CAA). They wanted toincrease local authority accountability, and it was felt thatthe system of reporting to central government on theprogress of hundreds of local targets was overlybureaucratic. It also did very little to connectcommunities with their local authority.

The local strategic partnership (which produced theCAA) provided the opportunity for statutory partners fromacross the council, NHS, police and fire services to sit

How the voluntary sector inIN F LU E N C I N G

The diagram on this page shows how the voluntary sector in Kensington and Chelsea,through its networks and forums, works to influence local decision making.

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7

alongside colleagues from the voluntary and communitysector to address community issues and identifypriorities. However, the government also called time onthis partnership, stating localism as the key driver givingthe power to communities to decide what is best for theirown local area.

Kensington and Chelsea Partnership (KCP) hascontinued to be active despite all the governmentchanges, and the introduction of the Local Health andWellbeing board and Clinical Commissioning Groups

have further strengthened this. Yet it is widelyrecognised that the partnership is no longer arequirement of central government, and it has lost thevalued commitment of partners that it once had.

The voluntary sector is still an important partner ofthe statutory sector, and this will not necessarily be lostif the KCP ceases to exist.

Representatives from the voluntary sector still meeton a bi-monthly basis with RBKC Councilors and seniorofficers at the Borough Voluntary Organisations AdvisoryGroup (a local authority committee meeting). The SocialCouncil also has a seat on the local Health andWellbeing Board and has developed strategic links withthe West London Clinical Commissioning Group.

influences decision makingNG CH A N G E

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Spotlight on Councillor Hargrea

8

I N T E R V I E W

merger of the Social Council andVolunteer Centre is a really goodexample of how the sector isadopting a similar thinking to ourown Tri-borough initiative to seekways to save on back office costs toprotect the frontline and improveservices. This work is commendableand has the Council’s support.

What are the greatest challengeswe face?In my day job, I run my ownbusiness. So I know only too wellthat cash flow is the lifeblood of anybusiness, and voluntaryorganisations are no different.

Like any organisation in today’sfinancial climate, we need to delivermore for less, so a real challenge iscontinuing that entrepreneurial spiritto ensure we get the very best out ofthe services provided.

Corporate fundraising andphilanthropy is something I think thesector should continue to consider –and locally I encourage groups towork with the Kensington andChelsea Foundation – with charitiespartnering with donors or localcompanies to generate an additionalincome source.

I recognise that austeritymeasures have inevitably impactedthe sector, but those organisationsready to embrace changes infunding and policy climate and takeadvantage of emerging opportunitieswill be well equipped for the future.

How do you/the council see thevoluntary sector evolving overthe coming years?I think we’re fortunate to have strongand trusted relationships in place inthe Royal Borough so that we canmaintain healthy dialogue andpartnership working.

I expect the voluntary sector willcontinue to seek ways to transformitself in mergers, partnerships orconsortiums; work collaborativelytogether to apply or bid for grantsand public service contracts and to

I’m the decision-maker on theCorporate Grants Scheme and leadthe council’s City Living, Local Lifeinitiative which a number of localgroups are making good use of.

I take a keen interest in the grantsprogramme, how organisations aredoing and the impact they make tothe communities we all serve andlook forward to visiting a number offunded groups over the comingmonths.

I am also the chairman of theBorough Voluntary OrganisationsAdvisory Group, an importantadvisory group which bringstogether relevant Cabinet Memberswith elected representatives of thelocal third sector to look at strategicdevelopments affecting both sectorsand issues of mutual benefit.

I take the relationship betweenthe council and third sector seriouslyand value the Kensington andChelsea Compact as a way to guidethese relationships. I’m a CompactChampion so it’s my job to promoteit! For further information and to signup visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/compact

What do you consider to be thelocal voluntary sector’s greateststrengths?When I talk to other councillors orofficers in other parts of the country Ireally appreciate both the hard workand dedication we see in thevoluntary sector in the RoyalBorough but also the commitmentand investment the councilcontinues to make to encourage asector which is dynamic, responsiveand innovates to meet local needs.

I think that spirit of partnershipworking and recognition of value thevoluntary sector plays in civil societyis a real strength for all in the RoyalBorough.

I’ve also been impressed by theability of the sector to seek out otheralternative or sustainable fundingstreams and be creative in findingsolutions to future challenges. The

How did you get involved in localpolitics?I have been active in politics sincemy University days. I strongly believein getting involved in contributing tolocal life, something I must haveinherited from my parents who werealso active. This is my first term as aWard Councillor which gives me thechance to have a real impact in theborough in which I live.

So, how are you finding it so far?I have tried hard to build relationswith local resident and voluntaryorganisations and it therefore gaveme particular pleasure to beappointed Cabinet Member forVoluntary Organisations andResident Engagement in May thisyear. It’s early days, but I amenjoying meeting so many peoplewho do great work in a variety ofvoluntary organisations across theborough.

Have you always had aninvolvement with voluntaryorganisations?Yes. Since a very early age I havebeen involved with the Scouts and Ihave volunteered with Samaritans for20 years for whom I have also beena Director and I was a Trustee of thenational charity.

I learnt a lot about leading avolunteer workforce and theimportance of developing soundgovernance structures to support thework of charities.Over the years, I have also been aTrustee and served on the Board ofa number of smaller communitybased charities and I have recentlyserved on the Partnership Panel forChelsea Theatre. I am also a ChurchWarden at my local church.

I hope to bring my experience asa volunteer, advocate and decisionmaker within the voluntary sector tomy current role.

What involvement will you havewith the voluntary sector in yournew role?

Cllr Gerard Hargreaves is in his first term as the Royal Borough’s WardCouncillor for Cremorne. He was appointed as a Cabinet Member for VoluntaryOrganisations and Resident Engagement in May 2013. Link spoke to him abouthis past experience and thoughts on the future of the voluntary sector.

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eaves

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H E A LT H

lobby and campaign on issuesaffecting their beneficiaries.

I think the local voluntary sectorhave an invaluable role to play inassisting ward councillors identifyissues, help mobilise residents andlocal groups to take action and helpimprove quality of life across ourborough.

The Council will also valueinformation and intelligence from thevoluntary and community sectorbased on evidence and this remainsan important role for the sector.I hope we can continue to listen towhat you tell us and work with you totailor our services as a result.

As the new Cabinet Member,I would be keen to hear from you onthe challenges you face and theways you are working together totackle these.

And finally, what do you enjoybest about living in Kensingtonand Chelsea?I regard myself as very lucky to livein K&C. From the north to the southof the borough we have suchinteresting places and great facilitiesfor residents. In my own ward,Cremorne we have the beautifulCremorne Gardens – with greatviews along the Thames. The streetsof the older parts of Chelsea are richwith history. Chelsea Old Church sitson a site where there has been achurch since the 13th Century. TheMuseums in South Kensington aresome of the best in the world andwith the recently refurbishedExhibition Road attracts visitors fromall over the world. Holland Park is atrue gem! It has to be the only placein the world where you can listen tofantastic opera alongside the criesof the resident peacocks! NorthKensington is such a vibrant placeto live. Portobello and Golbornemarkets are great place to shop andadd to the excitement of the area.I am also a great fan of Notting HillCarnival and proud that the Boroughgives it so much support. In somany ways K&C is a fantasticplace to live!

The programme’s aim is to support WLCCG with its ambition to improveprimary care and quality whilst reducing the cost of acute care to localresidents. We know we can support this aim because of the voluntarysector’s reach in the community and our expertise in communitydevelopment and providing voluntary-sector support.

The Social Council is working in partnership with the BME HealthForum, The Forum and HealthWatch to deliver the Engagementprogramme that will build on the ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ and ‘Out ofHospital’ Strategies.

As a partnership we aim to ensure that our core work can directlysupport the delivery of the West London CCG Equality and DiversityStrategy and Action Plan particularly in delivering on the objective to buildstrong relationships with diverse groups and communities.

IMPROVING PATIENT EXPERIENCESMonday 30 September 2013, London Lighthouse, W11 1QTPart of the Clinical Commissioning Group’s role is to make sure that highstandards are met and maintained in the delivery of local clinical services.The CCG monitors patient experience and should act on complaints andincidents with a view to improving patient experience.

At the KCSC and BME Health Forum organised event Dr JonathanWebster – Director of Quality and Patient Safety for Central West CCGCollaborative will be presenting. Members will be able to find out moreabout Dr Webster’s role, how quality and patient safety is addressed.There will also be an opportunity to hear more on the developmentsaround patient experience and equality and how concerns can be raised.

There will be lots of group discussion and the opportunity to share yourviews on quality and safety with Dr Webster.

WLCCG GRANTS SUCCESS FOR LOCAL ORGANISATIONSCongratulations to each of the following organisations that were awardedfunding for 2013/14.

Age UK Kensington & Chelsea – Training and supporting dementiavolunteers

Foundations UK – Involving people from the Queen’s Park community inmanaging their long term health conditions

Midaye Somali Development Network – Health access for BMEpeople with chronic conditions

The Forum – Supporting and mentoring vulnerable migrants, refugeesand asylum seekers

The Advocacy Project – empowering people with learning disabilities toengage with the CCG

Youth Action Alliance – Re-engaging and empowering to achievecommunity health (REACH) – in partnership with Epic CIC.

In all 33 applications were submitted, totalling £752,114.Six projects totalling £94,000 have been funded.

WEST LONDON CLINICALCOMMISSIONING GROUP (WLCCG)Earlier this year the Social Council was awarded fundingby the WLCCG to deliver an engagement programmeacross Kensington and Chelsea, Queen’s Park and

Paddington (the CCG’s area of operation).

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M E R G E R

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FOR ORGANISATIONS...Greater resilience and the ability to achieve change on behalf of their communities.

FOR VOLUNTEERS...More opportunities to volunteer for different needs be that learning new skills, meeting people,

or making a difference within a local community or on a specific social issue.

FOR COMMUNITIES...Greater opportunity to participate in local life, be this local decision making or activity

to achieve change.

FOR BUSINESS...Stronger connections with civil society and more in-roads into supporting local issues.

FOR DECISION MAKERS...A stronger relationship with local communities and a greater understanding

of the needs and concerns.

Togetherisbetter

More info: mary@kcsc.org.uk

can maximise our impact to enable greater localparticipation and action.

How will NewOrg work?NewOrg will be a One Stop Shop for the voluntaryand community sector across Kensington andChelsea. The key services from both KCSC andVCKC will be accessible from one central point –whether you are a volunteer, an organisation, abusiness or a decision maker, NewOrg will be theplace to go for support across the sector.

NewOrg will nurture existing activity, whilstdesigning services and activities in response to theneeds of the sector. It will identify root causes andwork towards long term solutions, and will work ondeveloping new relationships whilst maintainingexisting ones.

KCSC’s Chief Executive, Mary Gardiner isoverseeing the merger’s interim period, supportedby an interim board made up of trustees from bothorganisations. For updates on developments, referback to www.kcsc.org.uk or follow us on Twitter –@KCSocialCouncil.

Kensington and Chelsea Social Council(KCSC) and Volunteer Centre Kensington andChelsea (VCKC) are proceeding with a merger,with the new organisation (NewOrg) set tolaunch at the end of the year.

The merge was announced following an extensiveexploration period, led by external ChangeConsultant Raji Hunjan. The two organisations arecurrently in the integration stage and going throughdue diligence. Once this stage is complete, newways of working will be piloted and NewOrg willbegin to take shape.

Why merge?Both organisations currently play an important rolein connecting people, organisations and communitygroups to local life in Kensington & Chelsea, andthere is already a significant amount of partnershipworking to achieve their goals.

Building on this as one merged organisation, we

WHAT WILL THE MERGER OFFER YOU?

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Families in Kensington and Chelsea are cuttingback on some of life’s basic essentials like foodand new clothing to provide for their children dueto spiralling living costs.The findings are part of a new report to be

published this autumn by the Change for Childrenproject.Other findings from the report will suggest that

the high cost of childcare presents the majorbarrier to seeking work amongst families inKensington and Chelsea and that nearly a quarterof children have had to miss out on school tripsbecause of the financial burden.

Since September 2012,voluntary and communityorganisations (VCO’s) have beengathering evidence from their usersin some of the most deprivedwards on what family life is reallylike living in one of the richestboroughs in the country.

The full Change for ChildrenReport will be availablein November 2013 but already the evidence gatheredfrom these families suggests that there some in theborough are really struggling to make ends meet.

The evidence collected to date which ishighlighting emerging needs is already being used tohelp define new services. It is also helping to build astrong collective voice to implement change.

Family Getaway FundThe surveys showed that 49% of families havebeen unable to get away on a family holiday inthe past 3 years.The Social Council has set up a Family

Getaway Grant, in which organisations cannominate families who they feel are in most needof a break and we will contribute to the cost ofthem going away on a family trip in the UK.

Poverty afflicting families in the Royal BoroughCH A N G E F O R C H I L D R E N

School UniformsWe found that the price of school uniforms wasputting a huge pressure on parents and theiralready tight budget. With the support of thegroups on the project, we have created apetition in which local groups and their userscan petition to introduce school uniform grants.

The Change for Children project was set up inresponse to the high levels of deprivation in certainareas around the Royal Borough. It has worked with

35 local children and familiesgroups to help them address theissue of child poverty.

As family life gets tougher,services that VCO’s provide havebeen, and continue to be, a lifelineand buffer for families who arestruggling in this economicclimate. Over the past 10 months,the groups involved in the projecthave been gathering evidence

which has been used to help maintain some of thesevital services which families depend on.

How do we do it?To date, evidence has been collected from over 150families in the borough. The first six months of theproject focussed on collecting data in a range ofdifferent ways. A standardised survey was developedin partnership with the organisations, who thenadministered the process of collecting the information.In addition to these, the project ran focus groups,collected case studies and interviewed parents overthe past 10 months.

Organisations are using some of the datacollected to apply for funding to maintain existingservices or create new ones. They also gained abetter understanding of some of the issues that theirusers face.

SOME KEY FINDINGS

34% 32%

23%

of parents have not beenin any type of employment

for the past 5 years.

of parents would like toexplore the possibility of

bringing back uniform grants.

of children have hadto miss out on schooltrips in the past 3 years.

“ I feel like a lost soul in the community.”“ I cut back

on food tofeed mychildrenbecauseI can livewithoutfood.”

“ I would like to see more fundingavailable for children’s

centres becauseboth children

and mumsbenefit alot from

theseservices.”

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UPCOMING EVENTSDAT E S F O R YOUR D I A RY

Voluntary Sector Walking TourFriday 20 September, 1-5pm, North KensingtonIf you are new to the borough or the sector, andyou want to see the work of local voluntary andcommunity organisations first hand, our tour is justthe thing for you! Tours are aimed at Councillors,commissioners and statutory officers as well asvoluntary sector staff, volunteers or trustees. Thistour will take you on for a walk around severalcommunity centres in North Kensington where youcan speak directly to staff and see their great workin action.

Voluntary Sector Summer Garden PartyFriday 20 September, 5 -7:30pm,London Lighthouse, W11 1QT

Join the Social Council and Volunteer Centre

Kensington and Chelsea for our annual SummerGarden Party, open to all local voluntary andcommunity organisations and statutory officers inthe Royal Borough.

Relax and network with each other in thebeautiful surroundings of the London Lighthouse.

Trustee ConferenceSaturday 12 October, 10:15 -1:00pm (TBC),Kensington Town Hall

Trustees and senior workers of voluntary andcommunity organisations in the tri-borough areaare invited to attend this year’s Trustee Conference.There will be a number of workshops which will berun by governance and law experts. Attendees willalso have a chance to meet highly skilledprofessionals from the business sector keen tovolunteer in a variety of ways, including trusteeship.

Main VOF Tuesday 17 September 9:45am - 1pm London Lighthouse

Engaging Communities Wednesday 25 September 10am - 12 noon Kensington Town Hall

Older Peoples Monday 7 October 3pm - 5pm Kensington Town Hall

Health & Wellbeing Thursday 24 October 10am - 12:30pm London Lighthouse

Children, Young People and Families Tuesday 19 November 10am - 12:30pm Kensington Town Hall

VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS FORUMS – dates for your diaries

A YEAR OF CHANGE – SOCIAL COUNCIL AGM Wednesday 13 November, 10am - 12:30pm2012/13 has been a year of change for local communities, the voluntary sector and for us here at the Social Council.This year our AGM will focus on what those changes were and the impact they have had. We will be explaining whatthe Social Council is doing in response to the changing climate and in particular our proposed merger with VolunteerCentre Kensington & Chelsea.

A PLACE CALLED HOME – HOUSING DEBATE Wednesday 13 November, 1.30pm - 3:15pmIs London a place where the rich live only in the best neighbourhoods and the poor in the worst? Has our housingsubsidy systems over the years contributed to this segregation?

Professor Anne Power, London School of Economics, is a leading academicspecialising in housing policy and regeneration. She will deliver the keynote speechas we debate future housing policy in Kensington and Chelsea.

There will be a panel discussion with plenty of time for views and contributionsfrom the floor.

Join us afterwards for a drinks reception in celebration of the Social Council asthe organisation moves into a new era as we merge with the Volunteer Centre.

THE TABERNACLE, POWIS SQUARE, W11 2AY

The latest details of all Social Council events can be found on our website www.kcsc.org.uk/eventsor give us a call to find out more. 020 7243 9800

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