Representation and Voice
An important part of our role is to help ensure the voices of local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are heard. We strive to enable the ideas, experience and energy of these organisations to influence local councils, NHS, government departments, funders, and policy makers to improve conditions for the people and communities they serve. Our 2024 Sector Snapshots highlight the extensive scale and diversity of the VCSE sector across Newcastle and Gateshead:
Download Newcastle Sector Snapshot Download Gateshead Sector Snapshot
The Connected Voice team takes part in a range of meetings across the North East with public, private and voluntary sector partners to represent and give a voice to the VCSE sector in Newcastle and Gateshead. We do not aim to speak on behalf of VCSE organisations - because we know we cannot possibly represent the independent interests of thousands of different organisations. Instead we work to support an environment in which our sector is heard and respected. We use our position to champion the role and value of VCSE organisations, and to challenge decisions which could be detrimental to them.
Featured below is a list of the regular meetings Connected Voice staff attend. There are lots of other informal and ad hoc meetings that we don’t list here. Please contact us if you want to raise an issue, share information, or if you have any other questions.
Gateshead
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Strategic Leadership | ||
| Our Chief Executive and senior leadership team have regular one-to-one meetings with Council leaders and staff in senior management roles in our local public sector organisations | ||
Health and Wellbeing | ||
| Health and Wellbeing Board | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Monthly |
| Healthy and Wellbeing Strategy Implementation Group | Julia Perry (VCSE Alliance Coordinator) | Quarterly |
| Gateshead Caregivers Partnership | Mark Shilcock (OurGateshead and Connected Voice Membership Officer) | Quarterly |
| Making Every Contact Count Gateshead | Jeremy Cain (Support and Development Coordinator) Laurie Zebik (Gateshead Volunteering Development Coordinator) | Quarterly |
| RISE Gateshead Place Partnership | Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
Digital Inclusion | ||
| Digital Inclusion Steering Group | Alessandra Mondin (Gateshead Digital Inclusion Project Manager) | Monthly |
Community Safety | ||
| Community Safety Board | Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| Hate Crime and Community Tensions Monitoring Group | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Quarterly |
| Gateshead Resilience and Emergency Planning Group | Mark Shilcock (OurGateshead and Connected Voice Membership Officer) | Quarterly |
Safeguarding | ||
| Safeguarding Adults Board | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Quarterly |
| Safeguarding Quality Assurance Group | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Quarterly |
Gateshead Health Systems
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Health and Social Care Transformation | ||
| Gateshead Health and Care Systems Board (Gateshead Cares) | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Monthly |
| Gateshead ICB Sub Committee | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Monthly |
Mental Health | ||
| Gateshead Children and Young People's Mental Health Strategy Group | Julia Perry (VCSE Alliance Coordinator) | Every two months |
| NENC ICB and VCSE Partnership Programme Mental Health Sub Group | Julia Perry (VCSE Alliance Coordinator) | Quarterly |
Newcastle
| Meeting | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Strategic Leadership | ||
| Our Chief Executive and senior leadership team also have regular one-to-one meetings with Council leaders and staff in senior management roles in our local public sector organisations | ||
| Newcastle City Council Voluntary Sector Liaison Group | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
Safeguarding | ||
| Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Every two months |
Digital Inclusion | ||
| Digital Inclusion Steering Group | Stella Simbo (Newcastle Digital Inclusion Project Manager) | Monthly |
Community Safety | ||
| Safe Newcastle Board | Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| Hate Crime and Community Tensions Group | Jane Kingston (Head of Advocacy) | Monthly |
Health and Wellbeing / Economic Development / Prosperity | ||
| Newcastle Health and Wellbeing Board | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| Newcastle Work and Thrive Partnership | Nimerta Virdee (Volunteering Voice and Engagement Manager) | Quarterly |
| Newcastle City Council Public Health Steering Group - Ethnic Minorities | Diane Sandford (Haref and Health Equity Manager) | Every two months |
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | ||
| Citywide Asylum Seekers Network | Diane Sandford (Haref and Health Equity Manager) | Every two months |
| Equity, Diversity and Human Rights Working Group at NUTH | Diane Sandford (Haref and Health Equity Manager) | Every two months |
Wider North East
| What | Who attends? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
Strategic Leadership | ||
Along with our sister local infrastructure organisations in the North East, thematic VCSE infrastructure organisations, and Community Foundations in our region, we attend the North East Combined Authority (NECA) VCSE Leadership Board meeting every month, to work together on influencing and links with the new North East Combined Authority. | ||
| North East Combined Authority Finance and Investment Committee | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) | Every two months |
| North East Combined Authority Cabinet | VCSE rep: Martin Brookes, Chief Executive, VONNE | Monthly |
| North East Local Infrastructure Organisations Network Meeting | Lisa Goodwin (Chief Executive) Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Monthly |
| Northumbria Strategic Violence Reduction Board | Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
| VCSE Skills, Inclusion and Employment Network | Giovanni Spatuzzi (Deputy Chief Executive) | Quarterly |
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | ||
| North East Race Equality Forum | Diane Sandford (Haref and Health Equity Manager) | Quarterly |
| North East Migration Partnership Health Focused Meeting | Diane Sandford (Haref and Health Equity Manager) | Quarterly |
| North East Ambulance Service Equality and Diversity Group | Diane Sandford (Haref and Health Equity Manager) | Quarterly |
| North East Anti-Racism Coalition | Peter Deans, Chair | Every two months |
