Welcome to our second quarterly newsletter. Please let us know what you think and send any items that you want us to include. The circulation list has now grown to nearly 200 and if you know anyone else who might be interested in these updates, please send them the following link - https://www.manchestercommunitycentral.org/policy-and-influence-updates. You may be interested in attending our Policy Network Meeting on 31 July. This is an opportunity for VCSE sector staff to discuss policy in more detail and hear expert briefings. Hayley Hughes from Manchester CAB will speak at the next meeting on key issues in welfare benefits. You can book your place via our website.

Highlights from this newsletter include Manchester VCSE organisations negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the Manchester Local Care Organisation and a new report from MMU and 42nd Street on youth loneliness. 

Macc’s Policy and Influence team is growing. We have just appointed a new Health and Care Development Worker and are currently shortlisting for a Policy and Influence Manager.

Regards
Claire, Nigel, Helen, Anna

What We're Involved In
Health and Wellbeing
Working with hospitals
Manchester Foundation Trust recently held a Voluntary Sector Fair at Wythenshawe Hospital which was an opportunity for hospital-based clinical staff to have conversations with local VCSE organisations about opportunities to work together in South Manchester. This was organised by the Community Partnerships Manager and a geriatrician after our recent Voluntary Sector Assembly looking at the relationships between the hospitals and VCSE organisations in the city. 

MLCO Neighbourhood Approach
The Manchester Local Care Organisation (MLCO) have finalised their report outlining how they will work across and in the 12 neighbourhoods in Manchester. This will enable the neighbourhoods, residents and frontline staff to have the opportunity to raise new ideas and influence strategies from the neighbourhoods with a direct connection straight up to MLCO. 

South Manchester GP Federation
Claire is currently working one day a week with the South Manchester GP Federation to support transformation in South Manchester. This involves working closely with the four GP Transformation Leads to facilitate Neighbourhood Partnerships. We are looking at the MLCO Neighbourhood Approach and how we work collaboratively to address local priorities. 

Community Explorers
These meetings are a useful space to meet people, build relationships and find out what is happening across the city. We’ve recently been talking about the MLCO Neighbourhood Approach, the Population Health Plan and the re-commissioning of wellbeing services. If you want to come along, go to the Community Explorers page of our website. 

Review of MHCC Neighbourhood Boundaries
MHCC have recently undertaken a review of the neighbourhood boundaries following changes to the local government ward boundaries. An engagement exercise was carried out in March and the feedback indicated that the majority of people that responded did not support making changes to the existing 12 neighbourhoods. MHCC have now decided not to proceed with the proposed changes.

Memorandum Of Understanding with Manchester Local Care Organisation 
Four representatives from a cross-section of Manchester’s VCSE sector began negotiating with senior representatives from MLCO on 2 July to agree a set of proposals that will maintain and improve working relationships. The representatives are Mike Wild (Macc), Janette Linacre (Care and Repair), Fergal McCullough (The Men’s Room), and Elizabeth Simpson (Manchester MIND) with Lynne Stafford (Gaddum Centre) acting as a back-up. The VCSE reference group for the MLCO met prior to the first meeting to agree a negotiating platform. The negotiation is likely to take at least three months to allow for consultation and governance processes.

Commissioning
MLCO Funding
MLCO, working with a co-design group, is developing a proposal for a £850k two year grant programme which is likely to be focussed on peer and volunteer support for older people. The Our Manchester Grant Programme will run this as a targeted funding programme alongside a similarly sized grant programme that supports Manchester’s Population Health Plan.

Advice Tender
Manchester’s advice contract, currently held by Manchester CAB together with Shelter and CHAC, will be retendered in time for the new contractees to be in place in April 2019.

General
Community Safety Funding Grants Programme
This programme invites applications from Manchester’s community, voluntary and faith groups to apply for up to £5,000 to deliver a project, series of workshops or events. The deadline to apply is 12 noon on Monday 6^th August. Further information - https://www.manchestercommunitycentral.org/community-safety-funding-grants-programme

Primary Care Prevention Programme and MLCO
The Community Links tender winner for central and south Manchester will be announced soon. Eight Health Development Co-ordinator roles to cover eight neighbourhoods in central and south Manchester will be advertised shortly.

Other Useful Stuff to Know About
Community Development Work Practice
The Development Work Practice Group has launched its first report The Rise of Community Development in Manchester which explains what community development work practice is and gives a number of examples going on in Manchester. The group is planning to hold a community development work conference in October focusing on key skills and approaches.

Manchester Public Information Group
This group, chaired by Manchester City Council and including staff from a wide variety of organisations, is focussed on improving the information eco-system of Manchester. It is at an early stage and open to any organisation that wants to join (contact [email protected]). One of its first actions is to develop a vision that can be shared more widely.

What we're reading
Loneliness Connects Us
MMU and 42nd Street have collaborated to produce a report focusing on young people exploring and experiencing loneliness and friendship. Some of the stories are very moving and distressing.

Britain could end homelessness in ten years - Crisis report
Britain could end homelessness within 10 years with the right measures in place, says a landmark report by the charity Crisis. Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain resets the current approach to homelessness and sets out the exact government policies needed to end it for good. 

Third Sector- social prescribing
Social prescribing is not alway a win-win, a recent article from Third Sector, looks at the importance of funding for social prescribing projects and the results that come from investing in this work. This includes a quote from Macc Chief Executive Mike Wild. 

What makes us healthy? An introduction to the social determinants of health
This Health Foundation guide explores how a person’s opportunity for health is influenced by factors outside the health and social care system. 

Our Blogs
Nigel - Stats and Beautiful Stories
https://bit.ly/2N4tslu
I like stats and I like stories and I like it even better when the two are put together, because that’s where real richness is found.

Training
12th Sept: Health and Social Care Strategy
An overview of drivers, structures and issues in Health and Social Care in Manchester and Greater Manchester. Further information

27th Sept: Our Manchester
A brief overview of the Our Manchester Strategy and approach and then a detailed opportunity to consider what a strength-based approach means for voluntary sector organisations. Further information

 

 

To get in touch
Telephone: 0161 834 9823