on 6 October 2021,  the second VCS Assembly was held on Zoom exploring:

‘Racial equality – what will make City and Hackney anti-racist?’  

Attendees: 160 individuals representing 70 organisations (10 Statutory, 60 VCS orgs) 

View the minutes here VCS Assembly 06.10.21 Minutes

Ahead of the Assembly, we created a briefing document outlining the reasons for holding this Assembly, and collated insights from the community on racial inequities in City and Hackney.

See the briefing here: VCS Assembly Briefing_Racial Equality_06.10.21

The Voluntary Community Service (VCS) Assembly is a quarterly meeting bringing City & Hackney’s statutory, voluntary and community organisations together to discuss how to address and find solutions to the most important and challenging issues our communities face. It will bring people together to develop grassroots ideas and solutions to tackle racial inequality in our communities. Read about the Assembly’s three key objectives here.

Key outcomes (solution suggestions from VCS):

• Reducing Exclusions – maximise VCS opportunity to reduce exclusions in local primary and secondary schools, and work towards positive school experience for all, consortium developed with 8 community groups, working with Director of Education in Hackney Council 
• Safe space development – opportunities for young females affected by bereavement or gang violence to come together e.g., through talking groups and football 
• Training – creating culturally appropriate directory of VCS training available 
• Positive representation – opportunity for upcoming creatives to develop networks and events focused on positive representation