Lewisham's voluntary sector needs a strong community voice.

VAL supports VCSE representation on a range of partnership and strategic meetings to ensure that the voice of the sector is heard and able to influence decision making on matters of strategic importance. 

VCS reps

Voluntary and community sector representatives serve on strategic boards to ensure the views of the sector are heard, make connections and influence local policy and decision making.

At the last count there were at least 39 different strategic meetings that take place in Lewisham on a regular basis.  This number is likely to grow as more are established to respond to shifting agendas and priorities.  Some are strategic boards, working groups and steering groups and some are partnership boards. Many of the meetings involve the voice of the sector; this is sometimes provided through VAL and sometimes through a representative from one of Lewisham’s many voluntary and community sector and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. 

We've been reviewing VCSE representation on these strategic meetings and would like to invite people in the sector to contact us if they would like to represent the sector at a strategic level. This will be in a voluntary capacity and representative are required to report back to VAL on the main topics of the meetings.

Please email info@valewisham.org.uk for further information.

Below is a list of a few of the boards and groups – many of these have requested VCSE representation – as you can see, there are quite a few!

Children and young people

• Children and Young People Strategic Partnership Board
• Children and Young People Joint Commissioning Group
• Early Help Strategy Board (EHSB)
• Healthy Child Programme Board
• Lewisham Safeguarding Children Board (and various Task Groups)
• SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) Programme Board
• Youth First – Lewisham’s Youth mutual’s board of directors. Non-voting non-executive director role representing the CYP Forum

Health and social care agenda

• Health and Wellbeing Board
• Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board – part of statutory requirement. Partnership approach to ensure adult safeguarding and implement 6 key principles in accordance with statutory guidance
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Some other strategic meetings

• Lewisham Local
• Lewisham Connections Consortium
• Safer Lewisham Partnership -  Statutory Crime and Disorder Partnership for drugs crime and ASB