Hackney CVS
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Anti-racist commissioning

Anti-racist commissioning

Hackney CVS has recently received MATCH funding to embed anti-racist commissioning principles to address a chosen health inequality faced by communities in City and Hackney. The four principles are:

1. Building trusting relationships​: More open, trusting and frequent communication between commissioners and VCS organisations, including visits to help build relationships and understanding of VCS activity/work​ 2. Trust community groups to identify needs​: Community-led needs assessments are driven by evidence and privileges the voice of service users and gives them better choices​ 3. Design simple flexible, and transparent application and decision-making processes​: Application processes that give more time, are shorter and more accessible with greater flexibility in the method of application. Giving feedback on unsuccessful applications. Capacity building support for bid writing​ 4. Support small organisations with core funding and resources​: Support small organisations to invest in themselves and deliver on their mission. Building a better evidence base and capacity generally

Here’s the process that we’re working through to demonstrate the principles in Hackney:

  • Utilising discussions in Forums, Specialist Interest Groups and Assemblies to identify issues faced by racialised communities.
  • Asking community groups and leaders to select the topic that they would like to see the anti-racist commissioning principles address. Please help us prioritise what is most important for our local community to support through this process and with funds. Please vote by following this link. Voting closed on 30 October.
  • Bringing together statutory and VCS partners for a Blue-sky thinking workshop on 25 October 2023 10am-1pm.
  • Delivering 2 workshops to delve in to the chosen topic, how a grant could be applied for by organisations in the area, and how we monitor the success of the programme:
    • Workshop 1 takes place on Monday 13 November 1-5pm. Register here.
    • Workshop 2 takes place on Tuesday 5 December 9:30am-1pm. Register here.
  • Administering monies that demonstrate the principles and work to address health inequality.
  • Support the monies recipient(s) and supporting partners to access knowledge, tools and resources.
  • Demonstrate how anti-racist commissioning aids the VCS and communities to address health inequalities whilst breaking down systemic racist barriers that are often at play in the commissioning and funding landscape.

If you’re interested in joining this programme of work, please contact Peter, Hackney CVS’s VCS Enabler Programme Manager at peter@hcvs.org.uk

 

Our Anti-racist commissioning work has been highlighted by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR). Read here.

We supported UKHSA and London Councils to develop ‘A Strategic Framework to Tackling Ethnic Health Inequalities through an Anti-Racist approach’. Read here