Consultation Hub

We asked for feedback on what should be included in the refreshed Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy, which will inform the design of a new grants programme.

The majority of respondents were supportive of the suggested ways of working, including developing trusted relationships and collaborative working.

Respondents talked about the need for it to be easier for organisations to have access to space and shared resources. They were also concerned about the impact of grant reductions on organisations and communities.

The majority of respondents were supportive of our approach and the strategy content. We learned that, in the context of wider budget cuts, there needs to be continued dialogue between the Council and the sector. This will be incorporated into our strategy.

We also learnt we need to ensure all engagement methods are better advertised to ensure our approaches are accessible.

We asked you to tell us what you thought of adult advocacy services in Hackney. We wanted to know what worked well, what didn't and what we could do to improve things.

You told us that there were a number of areas for improvement. We have taken your feedback on board and will be procuring a new service that better meets the needs of residents who use advocacy services, especially our vulnerable residents. You can see the full report here: Advocacy Services report

Some of the things you told us were:

• Advocacy should be accessible and culturally appropriate.
• Advocacy should challenge (systemic) inequalities and support the borough’s most vulnerable residents.
• Increase the amount of advocates for patients to see as this is too important.

In response to what you told us:

• We have worked hard to ensure that we offer a service that meets the needs of those who require the service and reflective of Hackney’s population. This contract will widen the scope of deliver with training and development both for community organisations and communities to be able to deliver advocacy in a way which is fully accessible and appropriate
• We agree and will ensure effective data capture, identify trends and gaps in delivery and act on them. We will also train communities and develop the offer for underserved residents to ensure we maximise support

• We are looking at training more people from the local communities as advocates to help increase advocate numbers. There will also be opportunities for communities to participate in alternative forms of advocacy.

We asked for your feedback on Hackney’s draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-26 which will set out the borough’s health and wellbeing priorities over the next four years.

In total, 229 respondents took part in the survey. Overall, the majority of respondents stated that they agree with the suggested actions for each of the three priorities, improving mental health, increasing social connection and supporting greater financial security.

As a result of the consultation we are developing an action plan using your responses to the priority actions, suggestions for additional actions and suggestions for who the Health and Wellbeing Board should work with on these actions.

For more information, please visit https://hackney.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing-board