Purpose of representation
Macc's Policy and Influence Team works alongside representatives from Manchester voluntary, community and faith organisations to attend a range of strategic partnership meetings to influence local policy and decisions, raise issues of concern, promote the impact of the work of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Manchester, and to gather information to share with sector colleagues.
Representation is defined as the act of standing in for people or groups and speaking with authority on their behalf; it happens when someone serves as an official delegate, agent or spokesperson.
Representation at boards and meetings
We have listed below the current boards and meetings that the voluntary sector attend in Manchester and the details of who attends. If you know of a meeting not listed here, please send the details to [email protected].
| Theme | Group | Purpose | Hosted by (if applicable) | VCS Reps | How to feed into this group | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Safety | Manchester Community Safety Partnership |
Multi agency partnership board which meet to discuss a range of thematic concerns related to community Safety including, crime, anti-social behaviour, fire, drugs, school truancy, hate crime etc. |
Manchester City Council's Community Safety Partnership team. |
Anna Tate, Chris Moorhouse (Macc) |
Contact [email protected] | |
|
Business and VCSE Engagement |
Business Doing Good Roundtable |
Set up by Shoosmiths, RSM and RBC Brewin Dolphin, this roundtable convenes charities and business to explore how they might collaborate for mutual benefit. |
Shoosmiths |
Various |
Contact Macc Business Partnerships Lead - [email protected], or Macc Policy and Influence Manager Zara Hakobyan - [email protected]. |
|
|
Cross-thematic |
Manchester Funders Partnership |
The focus of this partnership is to work collaboratively to support Manchester to have the funding conditions in place to enable a vibrant, strong, diverse and thriving VCFSE sector. |
Manchester City Council |
Mike Wild (Macc) |
Contact Zara, the Policy and Influence Manager at Macc - [email protected] |
|
| Cross- thematic |
Our Manchester VCS Programme Board |
This programme board makes strategic and programme level decisions including resources, investment and funding round recommendations to tackle social issues. It reports to Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee on behalf of the VCSE sector and vice versa. |
Manchester City Council |
Mike Wild (Macc) |
Contact Zara, the Policy and Influence Manager at Macc - [email protected] |
|
|
Disability |
Manchester Disability Collaborative Strategic Forum (formerly known as Partnership Forum) |
This is the strategic group which leads on progressing the equalities agenda for the disabled people in the city. Manchester Disability Collaborative (MDC) is multi-agency partnership comprising of disabled people and their organisations (DPOs), VSCEs, as well as public and private sector organisations; all working towards the common goal of improving equality and inclusion of disabled people in Manchester. |
Breakthrough UK |
Various VCSEs, including Macc |
For more information, contact Jas Taylor, who is the MDC Engagement Coordinator, on [email protected] |
|
| Homelessness | Manchester Homelessness Partnership |
The Manchester Homelessness Partnership (MHP) unites people with personal experience of homelessness with organisations from different sectors, to co-produce solutions together to end homelessness. |
Network and Communication Worker based at Macc |
Barnabus, Booth Centre, Lifeshare, Reach out to the Community, Coffee4Craig, Our Room, MASH, Justlife, Shared Health, Shelter, Greater Together Manchester Boaz Trust, GMIAU and On the Out |
Contact Val Bayliss-Brideaux, Network and Communications worker for the Manchester Homelessness Partnership - [email protected] / [email protected] |
|
| Homelessness |
Manchester Homelessness Strategic Advisory Group |
The aim of this group is to reduce homelessness in all its forms and in all population types, working together to provide a forum for multi-agency collaboration in a partnership approach. |
Barnabus |
Various VCSEs, including but not limited to Coffee4Craig, Our Room, Shelter, Shared Health, Boaz Trust, GMIAU |
Contact Yvonne Hope, Barnabus - [email protected] |
|
| Homelessness |
Manchester VCSE Homelessness Forum |
This is a forum for the VCSE sector to meet and discuss issues that affect them and that they can affect, such as homeless strategy, policy and practice and explore individual and/or collective responses; share best practice, learning and facilitate sector-based training and upskilling; explore opportunities for shared services, purchasing, shared training to maximise the best use of our collective resources etc. |
Our Room |
Various VCSEs, including but not limited to Coffee4Craig, Our Room, Shelter, Shared Health, Boaz Trust, GMIAU |
Contact Fergal McCullough, Our Room - [email protected] |
|
|
Asylum and Migration |
Northwest Asylum Contract Board |
The objectives of the North West Asylum Contract Board include, but are not limited to facilitating asylum dispersal within the North West and providing a partnership approach to delivery between Local Authorities, the Home Office, Providers, Statutory, VCSE and Partners. |
Northwest Regional Strategic Migration Partnership |
Amanda Shah, GMIAU |
Contact Milly Mckinell from GM Sanctuary Seekers, Macc on [email protected] |
|
|
Real Living Wage |
Manchester Living Wage Action Group |
In this group, convened by Manchester City Council and chaired by the Director of Inclusive Economy, the MCC are working with other employers to make Manchester a fair pay city. Some big employers, public and private, are already on board and came together as the Living Wage Action Group to develop an action plan. Anchor institutions have long been recognised as playing a key role in promoting a more inclusive economy and tackling poverty given their size, budgets and the fact that they are rooted in a place. Manchester's Living Wage Action Group features key champions from across the business, statutory and voluntary and community sectors. |
Manchester City Council, Chaired by Angela Harrington, Director of Inclusive Economy |
Zara Hakobyan, Macc |
Contact Zara, the Policy and Influence Manager at Macc, on [email protected] for more information. |
|
| Older People |
GM Older People's Equality Panel |
The Older People’s Equality Panel works with older people across Greater Manchester to amplify their diverse voices. |
Greater Manchester Combined Authority |
John Mulvenna, Macc |
Contact John Mulvenna from GMOPN on [email protected] |
|
| Poverty |
Digital Inclusion Steering Group |
Manchester City Council led Digital hub with cross sector representation including VCSE, universities and housing to meet and discuss digital approaches in the city. |
Manchester City Council |
Anna Tate, John Mulvenna, Macc's Digital Working Group. |
Contact Philip [email protected] |
|
| Poverty |
Digital Inclusion Working Group |
Sub-group of the steering group, which is mainly made up of VCSE and front line workers ( led by MCC) sharing their challenges and concerns regarding digital work in the city. |
Manchester City Council |
No Macc rep |
Contact Data Adamia; [email protected] |
|
| Poverty |
GM Cost of Living Response Group |
A monthly cost of living response group brings together more than 50 people from across the city region – including council officers, housing providers, police and the voluntary sector – to share good practice, raise on-the-ground issues and showcase some of the support available. Currently under review. |
Greater Manchester Combined Authority |
Macc, Resolve Poverty (formerly known as GMPA), Irish Community Care, 10 GM |
Contact Elaine Morgan, GMCA Principal – Strategy Reform, on [email protected] |
|
| Food |
Our Manchester Food Partnership |
Multi-agency partnership board led by MCC, working with food providers and suppliers across the city to enege in food related poverty strategy, which also include using food as a tool to engage with people regarding household costs, nutritutional needs, period poverty and school uniform costs. |
Manchester City Council |
Anna Tate(Macc), various VCSE groups |
Cheryl Rigg - [email protected] |
|
| Food |
Manchester Food Board |
The Board works to provide clarity and strategic leadership on how food can be used to bring about positive, meaningful, and lasting change in Manchester. The Board's aim is to ensure the development of a food strategy for Manchester that: prevents malnutrition and hunger in vulnerable groups; makes diets more sustainable; builds a shared, sustainable food culture across society, and engages our ethnically diverse population. |
Manchester City Council |
Richard Browning, Healthy Me Healthy Communities; Atiha Choudry, The BME Network |
Contact Zara, the Policy and Influence Manager at Macc, on [email protected] for more information. |
|
| Cross-thematic |
Our Manchester Investment Board |
Manchester Investment Board provides strategic leadership on the implementation of the city’s priorities set out in the Our Manchester strategy. It has accountability for the development and delivery of the Our Manchester Forum, whose membership is made up of senior stakeholders from a range of sectors across the city. The Forum was established in 2014 with the express intention of shaping Manchester’s long-term strategy. |
Manchester City Council |
Mike Wild (Macc), Adrian Ball (Manchester Settlement, Sam Palmer (Respect For All), Heather Etheridge (Manchester Youth Zone) |
Contact Zara, the Policy and Influence Manager at Macc, on [email protected] for more information. |
|
| Children and Education |
Family Hubs Steering group |
The Family Hubs programme is a central government funded money dedicated to extending and improving support for families with children across Manchester. The steering group is multi-agency, with representation from a number of statutory services including early years, education, early help, midwifery, infant feeding and a number of VCSE sector partners. |
Manchester City Council's Children and Eduction Directorate |
Anna Tate (Macc), Adrian Ball ( Mcr Settlement), Laura Edward ( Manchester Mind) and Shelley Roberts ( Home Start). |
Anna Tate, Senior Policy and Influence Development Worker at Macc, or alternatively, Chris Webb, Programme Manager, [email protected] |
|
| Asylum and Migration |
Local Authority of Sanctuary Governance Group |
The aim of this space is to provide a strategic overview and governance of Manchester City Council becoming a Local Authority of Sanctuary; to drive improved outcomes for refugees and migrant communities in the city of Manchester; to ensure the voice of lived experience and those working with migrants is heard and is used to shape and plan activity. It also works to ensure the Council’s communication strategy celebrates the diversity in the city, highlights and reinforces the message that its strength is in the diversity of the valuable contribution refugees and migrant communities brings to the city. |
Manchester City Council |
Denise McDowell, GMIAU; Ben Gilchrist, Caritas; Ptrick Masebo, MRSN and others |
Contact Milly Mckinell from GM Sanctuary Seekers, Macc on [email protected] | |
|
Health and Wellbeing |
Manchester Partnership Board |
The Manchester Partnership Board is a Committee or Sub-Committee of the NHS GM Integrated Care Board (ICB), and brings together the senior leaders of the City Council, NHS (primary, secondary and community and mental health services) and the VCSE from across the city to exercise those functions delegated to it by NHS GM. Its role is to focus on shared priorities; those areas where, by working together, we can improve the health and well-being of the people of Manchester. |
Chaired by Cllr Bev Craig |
Simone Spray, 42nd Street Charity |
Contact Zara, the Policy and Influence Manager at Macc - [email protected] |
Manchester City Council Scrutiny Committees
There are six Manchester City Council Scrutiny Committees. The Council defines scrutiny as 'a process that ensures that decisions taken by the Council and its partners reflect the opinions, wishes and priorities of Manchester residents'. The aim of the committees is to influence decision makers by considering and discussing the issues affecting Manchester and making recommendations for improvement.
The six committees are Communities and Equalities, Economy, Resources and Governance, Health, Neighbourhoods and Environment, and Children and Young People. They are open to the public and can be viewed live on the internet. The Scrutiny page on the MCC website provides more information.
We have also produced a guide to these committees: Overview and Scrutiny Committess An Introductory Guide
Macc's role
- Representing the sector at boards and meetings
- Gathering the views of the sector
- Encouraging participation by the voluntary, community and faith sector on boards and in meetings
- Feeding any information back through channels such as the Voluntary Sector Assembly and the Macc website
More information
For more information about how you can influence decision makers, please contact the Policy and Influence Team by emailing [email protected]