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Partnership

North Lanarkshire Disability Forum (NLDF), Lanarkshire Links and Voice of Experience Forum (VOEF) are working together for better Health and Social Care for Supported People in North Lanarkshire.

NLDF, Lanarkshire Links, and the VOEF have officially formed a strategic partnership. This collaboration is a direct response to North Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care’s Engagement and Participation Strategy.

Our mission is simple: to ensure that the people who use health and social care services in North Lanarkshire are the ones helping to shape them. By combining our expertise and resources, we can provide a robust structure for representation, ensuring that your lived experiences reach the people making the big decisions.

As each of our organisations specialise in reaching those often considered under-represented, we have combined together our skills, knowledge, and resources, so that we can achieve more effective outcomes for our community than we ever could alone.

We believe that to truly enhance the lives of those living and working in North Lanarkshire, your voice must not only be heard but it must be valued.

Engagement and Participation Network

A key element to this partnership is creating a network of grass roots organisations who engage with supported people, and those under-represented to share their knowledge and experiences of statutory services.

The Engagement and Participation Network will offer collaborative opportunities, experiences and input from the Network members. Through this Network, we will work to highlight gaps in representation allowing us to tailor our communications and approaches to meet the needs of the under-represented groups.

As the Engagement and Participation (E&P) Network is set up as part of the University Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire Engagement and Participation (UH&SC NL E&P) Strategy. The E&P Network has been established to support and compliment a strategic North Lanarkshire wide approach to involvement, engagement, and participation of all.

Vision: The E&P Network aims to ensure that local people with support needs, feel heard, engaged, and involved in the development of health and social care services in North Lanarkshire.

Remit of Group: The E&P Network will ensure that, the network partners work towards promoting best practice, delivering E&P activities, and recording such work and the outcomes across health and social care in North Lanarkshire.

Membership: The E&P Network will include and engage with statutory, community, and voluntary sector colleagues to achieve its aims.

From the Supported People’s Partnership and through the E&P Network we intend to use the ‘Growth Pot Fund’ to help widen participation through the provision of financial support to groups.

The Growth Pot Fund

The Partnership will administer a Growth Pot Fund, where organisations and grass roots community groups can apply for funding to increase their engagement and participation, as a result of their application they will be invited to the E&P Network.

Who can apply?

This fund is open to

· Charities, community groups and associations based in North Lanarkshire

· Organisations with an annual income under £75,000

· Groups that hold a bank account in the name of the organisation

· Groups that have a governing document (i.e. a Constitution or Terms of Reference)

We especially encourage applications from under-represented communities, including ethnic minorities, New Scots, and LGBTQ+ groups.

How much can you apply for?

Funding of £500 – £5,000 is available to support local initiatives and activities that enhance community engagement and participation.

What can be funded?

You can apply for projects or activities that:

· Encourage local engagement and involvement

· Promote awareness of services

· Improve participation in community life

· Align with HSCNL’s Engagement and Participation Strategy