Partnerships and Collaboration

Four Functions of Local Infrastructure

Function Two

What We Do

Partnerships and collaboration are the key to organisations and sectors working together to provide the best outcomes for our communities. We know that together we are greater than the sum of our parts and at VAST we believe that by coming together we can have the biggest impact.

Through our networks, events, and forums we help VCSE organisations to build crucial relationships to be ready to respond. We also work with statutory partners to create engagement opportunities to enable the sharing of ideas and co-production of innovative solutions to help to shape and deliver services that people and communities really need.

Better Together

We know that we work better when we’re working together.

That’s why we do what we do.

Together we can improve lives, because together, we can give people the help they need to help themselves.

Whether that’s help with tidying up a community garden through a CSR project, starting a new joint support group that will benefit people both partners work with, or coming together to deliver a contract that no one partner could do on their own.

How We Do It

Support and Empower

We work closely with local VCSE organisations to support and empower people as best we can to make sure the people we serve can live their best, most fulfilling lives.

Essentially, it’s our role to support you and your organisation to work efficiently and effectively with statutory partners and authorities, each other, and the communities themselves, to improve lives.

Community Health Champions

Community Health Champions is a network of volunteers that help people in Stoke-on-Trent to understand key health messages and important information about their health and care, to enable them to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing, and live the best lives they can.

Totally Stoked

We've teamed up with Support Staffordshire to help us identify more gaps in provision and expand our capacity building project to cover North Staffordshire as well as Stoke-on-Trent. So now, we’re able to help more organisations to deliver more services and support more people. “Everyone has something to give” and by coming together to share knowledge, information, skills, and resources, we can strengthen the sector to forge a stronger society.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent VCSE Healthy Communities Alliance

We also work with Support Staffordshire to facilitate the VCSE Healthy Communities Alliance across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. The Alliance enables local VCSE sector organisations to form a robust and meaningful working relationship with Public Health, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System (ICS), and other health and social care representatives.

Door2Door and Newcastle Community Transport

Door2Door Community Transport is an essential service and works closely with Newcastle Community Transport (NCT), helping to reduce isolation and loneliness for over 230 customers across Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. “Everyone has something to give” and by coming together to share knowledge, information, skills, and resources, we can strengthen the sector to forge a stronger society.

Stoke-on-Trent Community Directory

We have continued to manage, and expand, the Stoke-on-Trent Community Directory on behalf of Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The directory is a local resource for everyone living, working, or volunteering in Stoke-on-Trent. It lists hundreds of local services and support organisations across the city.

Funding Network

In partnership with The Hubb Foundation, we developed the Funding Network. This is a fantastic opportunity for people working in our sector to come together to talk about everything to do with funding – from funding opportunities, fundraising, bid writing, evaluating and monitoring funded projects, as well as connecting with local and national funding bodies.

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