Partnership working takes centre stage
The Council is working with partner organisations to provide improved support for residents.
On 26 January, the Council brought together two large groups of organisations to discuss opportunities for partnership working. The two groups, the Health Action Team (HAT) and Voluntary and Charitable Sector Summit (VCS), came together with the aim of sharing resources efficiently.
The meeting included presentations from the organisers of both groups explaining the background of HAT and VCS, followed by a live survey where attendees clarified the challenges their organisations were facing. Among these challenges were funding, scarcity of volunteers and appropriate workspace.
The Council is currently proposing the launch of a VCS Hub where groups can reduce overhead costs by sharing resources, which would provide residents with a one-stop-shop when they are in need of support. Work is already underway on a pilot scheme to develop such a hub in Royal Victoria Place, Royal Tunbridge Wells.
The second half of the meeting explored a new “Innovation Fund” being offered by Social Enterprise Kent and Kent County Council. Participants gave details about the kind of projects which needed funding in the borough, using the priority areas of TWBC’s Health Inequalities Action Plan as a guide. The priority areas included in the plan cover mental health, loneliness, isolation, physical inactivity, obesity and disability support.
