Growing Up in the West Midlands

Notes from the Strategic Group meeting held on 14^th April 2005

Present

Dave Boucker, Simon Cottingham, Barry Lockwood, Peter Miller, Rob Sabin, Alison Straker

Apologies

Rob Burkitt

Key priorities, actions and outcomes

Strategic engagement:

Regeneration was set as a core priority for strategic action by the group.

From the wide-ranging regional agenda and the key elements mapped against the Every Child Matters outcomes by Simon and Alison a clear focus was required. This needed to be one which not only took account of the strengths of the voluntary sector and the interests of children and young people, but that also recognised the practical reality of needing to make an impact in an area where future support for Growing Up in the West Midlands might be found.

The ECM outcome ‘making a positive contribution’ was felt to be most pertinent to the sector as a whole and one in which we could make a powerful impact.  Through focussing on the work of the regional development agency (Advantage West Midlands) and the regional economic strategy, clear links can also be made with ‘achieving economic well-being’. The voluntary sector’s approach will also connect core elements of the economic strategy back to ‘enjoying and achieving’. Hence, through exploring regeneration, we were able to connect to the three outcomes clustered in the last meeting around the theme of community development and sustainability.

Alison is to draft a short paper connecting the work of the voluntary children and young people’s sector with the Regional Economic Strategy, in particular with challenge 3 ‘The Skills Challenge’. The idea is to make the case for the role of the sector and to seek greater collaboration in working towards the goals set for the region. Once developed/approved by the group, this paper will be circulated to key players in Advantage West Midlands, Regen WM, Government Office and the Regional Skills Partnership, with the intention of following this with a presentation and discussion (the proposed ‘Regeneration Symposium’). We hope to have an impact on the strategic bodies’ understanding of regeneration by, for example, demonstrating the importance of sustainable communities, and the need for soft and transferable skills in addition to vocational or job-specific skills. We also hope to raise awareness of the ECM outcomes. It is intended that this will pave the way for a wider engagement from the sector, either through an event or by other means.

Website and publicity:

The domain www.growingupinthewestmidlands.info is registered and work will shortly begin on the development of the site. This will provide an opportunity for storing a large volume of information and for demonstrating, through the outcomes of Every Child Matters, the links between regional policy and strategy, regional policy makers, regional research and information, the work of voluntary and community organisations, and the views and experiences of children and young people. Initially Alison will be working on the content development.

The ‘triflexagon’ publicity that Dave and Alison have been working on will (after amendments to the proof discussed at the meeting) be printed in due course. It promotes the work of the website and the focus on the five ECM outcomes.

Development of the Strategic Group

We are continuing with our efforts to widen the membership and its diversity, in particular to create a stronger representation from children’s organisations. Alison will be presenting on Growing Up in the West Midlands to the regional children’s meeting on 22^nd April and hopes this will be an opportunity to engage new members of the Strategic Group. Various members of the group are also approaching particular individuals.

Barry Lockwood is to act as the convenor of meetings for the group

Dates for future meetings:

Thursday 12^th May, Strategic Group Meeting

(NB CHANGE OF TIME AND VENUE)

10am-12.30pm (to include lunch)

BAYC 25 Spring Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2HJ

Wednesday 8^th June (TBC), “Regeneration Symposium” (with key strategic players)

Tuesday 21^st June, Strategic Group Meeting

2-4pm

BAYC 25 Spring Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2HJ

Monday 18^th July, Strategic Group Meeting

1-3pm (including lunch)

RAWM 2nd Floor, Waterlinks House, Richard Street, Birmingham B7 4AA