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Meeting
Salford Strategic Partnership
Date
14 March 2007
Agenda Item
3a
3b
Type of Report
For information
Title
Briefing on Community Engagement
Strategy and Children & Young People’s
Participation Strategy
Purpose of
Report
Recommendation
Report prepared
by
To update members on the development of two key
strategies for the city
Salford Strategic Partnership members are requested to
i.
Note the information
ii.
Support the implementation of these strategies
Sarah Hausaman- Roberts, Partners In Salford team
LSP/LSP Meetings/2007/SSP Board/14.03.07/Paper Sent/Item 3a+b
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Partners In Salford Community Engagement Strategy and
Children & Young People’s Participation Strategy
Briefing Paper for Salford Strategic Partnership
1. Partners IN Salford Community Engagement Strategy
1.1 Salford has an excellent reputation for community engagement and community
involvement in the decision-making processes that affect the lives of the citizens of
this city. Salford is recognised by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit as an exemplar
authority in this subject and during the past 18 months we have been visited by
delegates from Manchester, Hackney, Lambeth, Southwark and even Sydney
Australia to learn how we deliver our services in relation to community engagement.
1.2 However, there has not been a city wide strategy that underpins the excellent
engagement work being done in the City and therefore a cross sector steering group
was established to develop a Community Engagement strategy.
1.3 Various exercises were undertaken to ensure the best strategy document was
produced, including an overview of engagement activities and mechanisms in
Salford, analysis of best practice, development of an agreed set of definitions, and
consideration of existing community engagement targets.
1.4 It was recognised that the overarching Community Engagement strategy for
Salford should not conflict with existing good practice and a review of existing
Partners’ engagement strategies was carried out.
1.5 A draft Community Engagement strategy was presented to key stakeholders and
feedback collated to inform further development of the document. The strategy was
then endorsed by the Salford Strategic Executive in February 2007. (The report with
draft
strategy
is
available
on
the
Partnership
website
at:
http://www.partnersinsalford.org/communityengagementstrategy070215.doc
1.6 The full Community Engagement strategy approach will comprise 3 parts; the
Community Engagement strategy & Model, an Implementation plan and Good
practice toolkit. A key component of the strategy is the Community Engagement
‘Wheel ‘Model’ which describes the 4 main activities that lead to successful
community engagement. Partner organisations should use this model when
considering how to carry out community engagement activity.
1.7 The Implementation Plan and Good Practice toolkit will be developed over the
next 2 months.
1.8 For further information contact Jon Stephenson or Sarah Hausaman-Roberts on
0161 6036806 or email [email protected] or [email protected]
LSP/LSP Meetings/2007/SSP Board/14.03.07/Paper Sent/Item 3a+b
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2. Children & Young People’s Participation Strategy
2.1 The Children and Young People's Participation Strategy 2007 has been
developed under the auspices of the Children and young Peoples Partnership Board.
A multi-agency group were involved in the production of the strategy.
2.2 Recent legislation and policy guidance identifies the involvement and
participation of children and young people as a priority. For example, Care Standards
Act 2000, ‘Every Child Matters’, related statutory guidance, the Children Act 2004,
Youth Matters 2005, Respect Agenda 2006, Local Area Agreements and The
Children’s National Service Framework 2001.
2.3 In Salford we want children and young people to:
 Be involved in designing services for the future.
 Contribute to and benefit from involvement in their local communities.
 Feel that they are being heard and valued.
 Be able to make a difference.
(Salford Children and Young People’s Plan 2006)
2.4 In this context, the term 'participation' does not simply mean ‘taking part’ or ‘being
present’, but as having a level of influence over decisions and actions and an
engagement in the whole process of deciding the best services for all.
2.5 In addition to collective involvement in matters that affect them, this strategy is
concerned with the participation of children and young people in individual decisions
concerning their own lives.
2.6 The participation strategy is closely aligned to other strategic developments
including the Local Area Agreement for Salford and the Partners In Salford
Community Engagement Strategy. The Salford Strategic Partnership Executive
endorsed the strategy in February 2007. It commended the strategy to agencies and
organisations comprising the wider Salford Strategic Partnership and recommended
that they support the implementation of the strategy.
2.7 Effective implementation of the children and young people's participation strategy
will require commitment from all members of the strategic partnership and a
willingness to adopt and resource a long term and sustainable approach. Increased
participation of young people will require the adoption of many new methods of
working, which increasingly allow for children and young people to have a real say
and influence over the many decisions which affect their lives.
2.8 The scale of the task and therefore resource implications are not immediately
quantifiable and the implementation plan will identify opportunities and challenges
which will clarify the work which needs to be done in more detail. This is a long term
process which will require organisational change and the development of a culture
which places the participation of children and young people at the centre.
2.9 A multi agency implementation group will compile a detailed action plan (3 year)
for implementation of the strategy – by autumn 2007.
2.10 For further information contact Cath Connor, the Children’s champion on 0161
793 2315 or email [email protected]
LSP/LSP Meetings/2007/SSP Board/14.03.07/Paper Sent/Item 3a+b
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