Poverty reduction has been identified as a Voluntary and community sector (VCS) Assembly priority for 2022-23. The current cost of living crisis has increased the relevance of this issue for the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in Hackney and City.

We have adapted our approach to poverty reduction to frame it as community resilience.

What is community resilience?
Community resilience is the sustained ability of communities to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity.

The VCS Assembly thinks the best way for the VCS in Hackney and City to continue to deliver the essential services that reduce poverty, tackle health inequalities and social injustices, and support the community, is to build community resilience in our local voluntary and community sector. 

To build community resilience, the VCS Assembly plans to facilitate skills sharing across local sectors and organisations. We want your views, thoughts and ideas on this VCS Assembly idea to develop it into something meaningful and useful for the VCS. Complete this survey 

Strategies to build resilient communities:

• Strengthen and promote access to public health and social services information

• Promote health and wellness of the VCS and in turn the community

• Expand communication and collaboration of services

• Engage at-risk individuals and the programmes that serve them

• Build social connectedness

Why skills sharing to build community resilience?

• VCS Organisation staff and volunteers are on the front line and are suffering from fatigue due to the Covid pandemic and cost of living crisis

• By supporting VCS staff and volunteers to build their own emotional and organisational resilience, they are better able to support communities

Format ideas:

• Centrally organised skills-sharing sessions delivered across Hackney and City

• Discussions and skills sharing through neighbourhood forums

• Partnership with the Council, local organisations, corporate organisations

Content ideas:

• Information sessions about health topics, including mental health

• Peer support sessions

• Training incl. mental health first aid, safeguarding, cultural humility

• Sharing of best practice

• Facilitated critical reflection sessions

• Network and partnership building

• Fundraising for the sector and/or residents incl. online fundraising/crowdfunding

• Organisational development support and guidance, incl. recruitment, funding application support

• How to engage with corporate social responsibility departments of corporate organisations

• Influencing change through comms plans/strategies

Any questions, comments or ideas please email assembly@hcvs.org.uk