An East Riding VCSE Collaborative Update: Enhancing Collaboration and Innovation

The Evolution of the East Riding VCSE Collaborative:

The East Riding VCSE Collaborative, chaired by HEY Smile Foundation CEO Jamie Lewis, has now officially met face to face on two occasions, in September and December of 2023, and would like to share an update on their journey to date, to demonstrate the opportunity for a dynamic and innovative Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector within the East Riding.

With funding and support from East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the representatives on the Collaborative seek to enhance connectedness, through the facilitation of effective communication, joined up synergy and most importantly, nurturing a collective voice that has an authentic influence in the development of local strategy.

The concerted nature of the collaborative ensures that the East Riding VCSE Network  is informed, included and listened to when addressing collective challenges and identifying joined up solutions, and opportunities.

The East Riding VCSE Collaborative will now be a standing agenda item on the Network, to ensure communication is efficient, effective and that insight is shared from the Collaborative’s three key focus areas: Bridlington Place, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Travel Inclusion.

If you or an organisation you work with, or volunteer at, would like to join the ER VCSE Network, you can register here.

Enabling the East Riding VCSE Voice via the Collaborative Board has been viewed as a positive approach by our Integrated Care Board (ICB) place partners as well as the wider East Riding VCSE.

Creating shared and connected themes gives board members ownership of their actions, as well as approachability from wider community groups.

Ultimately, the collaborative holds immense potential for the VCSE sector seeking to maximise their sustainability and resilience.

If you would like to share any insight into the Collaborative’s priorities, please contact Collaborative Coordinator Kerri Harold: kh@heysmilefoundation.org.

The East Riding VCSE Collaborative represents a pivotal advancement in placing the sector on a more equal footing with statutory partners, providing a platform to enhance sector voice and reach, and drive future funding, that can impact positively on more people, places, and communities.