Influencing
Supporting the community and voluntary sector to use its skills and experience to influence local policy is an important part of the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum's (CVSF) work.
There are currently 55 representives, who are elected by CVSF members to represent their views on a wide range of city wide partnership boards, who bring specific strengths to the partnerships, such as their:
- proximity to local communities
- ability to identify gaps in service provision and develop innovative solutions
- expertise in developing services that meet complex needs of marginalised people
- ability to engage hard to reach communities
- experience and expertise in providing joined-up, holistic, preventative services
- experience and expertise in encouraging the active participation of service users
- skills and experience in collaborative and partnership working.
The contribution of community and voluntary sector representatives to the governance, planning and delivery of local services continues to evolve and grow in importance.
