Blackburn with Darwen Community Network is a new partnership of Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations and groups in Blackburn with Darwen which has been set up to support positive change in partnership with the Borough Council, the NHS, and other key partners.
BwD Community Network Board and supporting officers
The Purpose of the Community Network
- Take Action for what we want to achieve.
- Create a Shared Plan with key priorities.
- Coordinate work across organisations and networks.
- Involve people who are not normally asked or listened to (“seldom heard voices”).
- Demonstrate our value by gathering information about the sector and about volunteers.
- Promote what everyone does.
- Nominate people to be the voice of the Community Network within the wider society.
The Principles of the Community Network
- Open and Inclusive – any VCFSE Sector organisation or group operating in BwD can join; we will engage people in the best way for them.
- To be the “Network of Networks” – bringing everyone to work together.
- “No decision about me without me” – involving people with lived experience of the topic under discussion.
- Make decisions at the right level and involve the right people – neighbourhood level, BwD level and Lancashire and South Cumbria level.
- Use people’s, organisation’s or group’s strengths and knowledge – play to our strengths.
- Agile and flexible – set up task groups to do the job and then move on
- Action focussed – not talking shops.
- Transparent and accountable – all information publicly available and all Board Members and representatives to make themselves available to answer members.
- Value independence and diversity – respect the right of each organisation to make their own decisions.
- All board members and representatives to sign up to the Nolan Principles (the Seven Principles of Public Life – Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership see GOV.UK Nolan Principles for further information.).