Stoke-on-Trent VCSE City Alliance

With the sector, for the sector

The VCSE City Alliance is a set of principles to define ways of working between Stoke-on-Trent’s voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. It sets out how the sector and City Council will co-operate and collaborate to create, support, and empower resilient, thriving communities across Stoke-on-Trent.

We believe that it’s the communities themselves that can increase their resilience; finding and using the resources, support, and services that are already within them. By working together, communities can collectively overcome the challenges they face, break down barriers, and ultimately, create an environment where they can thrive.

Alliance Principles

Partnerships and Collaboration

Actively looking for collaborative opportunities and utilising each other’s strengths and perspectives to achieve shared goals, identify problems and barriers, and co-design solutions.

Open Communication

Establishing transparent and easily accessible communications channels to facilitate the exchange of information, ideas and feedback, and fostering a culture of transparency and inclusivity.

Mutual Respect

Always treating each other with respect, valuing the diversity of perspectives, expertise, knowledge, and experience that all parties bring to the table.

Empowerment

Minimising bureaucracy to ensure that VCSE organisations are empowered to speak up and are supported to play a meaningful role in decision making for accessible commissioning and procurement opportunities.

Equity and Inclusion

Creating and nurturing an inclusive and accessible environment by proactively addressing inequalities, and prioritising equity and inclusivity in decision making processes.

Long-Term Planning

Take a long-term view in planning and implementing community development initiatives, recognising that sustained positive outcomes often require ongoing collaboration and commitment.

Other principles of the alliance include flexible and adaptive approaches, clear roles and responsibilities, resource sharing, and evaluation and learning. Read the Alliance agreement in full here.

These principles mean that the local VCSE sector and Stoke-on-Trent City Council can build strong, effective partnerships that contribute to the overall community wellbeing and development.

Alliance Priorities 2024-2029

The priorities for the first five years of the alliance are:

Commissioning and Procurement

Easy and sustainable processes for commissioning, involving voluntary sector groups in developing solutions to build social value.

Communications and Engagement

Clear and simple communications, including feedback and suggestions, that are accessible, open, and honest.

Prevention

Involving community-based organisations to ensure easily accessible services and support for community members.

Volunteering

Supporting and empowering local and fully inclusive volunteering opportunities and processes.

Essentially, the alliance promises to make sure that there is a solid partnership between the VCSE sector and City Council that is transparent, open, honest, and crucially, equality.

Does this sound like something you want to get on board with?

If you’re ready to sign, please complete this form and initial survey.

The results of this survey will help us to gauge our starting point, and to evaluate the VCSE City Alliance as it continues to develop. It’s based on the values and ways of working described in the Agreement itself.

Please ensure that you have read the Alliance agreement before confirming your support.

Have some questions?

If you want to know more, or have any questions, please email [email protected].