Welcome to Issue 2- Bishop Toby, the Chair of Stronger Communities Partnership Board
We are now six months into delivering our vision since receiving our second year funding in March 2019 and so much progress has been made with a real sense of excitement for what will come. The Stronger Communities Partnership Board is now established, 7 of our projects are been set up or already delivered, our Partner Forum events are engaging organisations and groups across the District, our People Together (resident sub-group) are starting to develop our values and our brand and our first round of 13 projects have been funded through the Innovation Fund. We have so many exciting activities in store over the next 6 months and we can’t wait to tell you about them and how you can get involved.
|
 Thirteen projects received funding from The Innovation Fund which is about stimulating new thinking and testing innovative approaches. The Stronger Communities Partnership Board invited local groups to come forward with innovative ideas to help improve integration outcomes at grassroot level.
The Innovation Fund uses participatory budgeting as it’s decision making process. At the ‘You Decide’ event held in City Hall, local groups and representatives from People Together, which is a resident sub-group of the Stronger Communities Partnership Board listened to presentations from all of the proposals and voted on projects they would like to see being delivered.
We are really pleased that people wanted to see more projects like Global Bradford.
To see which groups received funding please visit here
The second round will launch in September 2019. More information will be released shortly.
We were one of many funders this year supporting the Bradford Literature Festival to engage with more people.
Bid for our work
We have projects which we are inviting tenders for. These are;
-
Roma Strategy- DN433067. This tender is about working with statutory public services (Bradford Council, Health, CCG’s, Police, Fire & Rescue Service) and gaining a commitment from senior leaders to engage effectively with the Roma community and change the way services are delivered to better respond and meet the needs of the Roma Community. The contract is £25,000 to be delivered over 12 months.
- Community Conversations - DN433097. The project aims to create safe and neutral spaces for difficult conversations to be undertaken across all parts of the District. The contract value is £100,000 to be delivered over 12 months.
To bid for any of these projects, please register with YorTender. If you would like to discuss the projects, please contact Zahra on 01274 436082
Bradford 'U' Nited
We are excited to launch the Bradford ‘U’ Nited (Bradford Youth Service) project.
The project will develop young role models, mentors from the local community enhancing life skills, social skills, breaking down barriers, and encouraging active citizenship.
The project will deliver a targeted programme of cultural awareness sessions for young people enabling them to build bridges across boundaries and areas they wouldn’t normally go or interact with other young people from.
The project will work with 11 to 25-year-olds working with 300 young people across the district leading to 30 young people gaining an accreditation. To find out more about the project or how to get involved contact Naz Ali at Nazaket.ali@bradford.gov.uk.
Stronger Communities Together team held the second in a series of ‘Partner Forum’ events which look to engage, support and connect individuals and organisations involved in work around building stronger, and more resilient, communities across the District.
The focus for this event was to support organisations and groups who were interested in putting an application to the Stronger Communities Together Innovation Fund. The Forum provided attendees with the opportunity both to network with each other, and to actively think about innovative project design and how to make community-based initiatives sustainable using a “social enterprise” model.
If you would like to find out more about future Stronger Communities Partner Forum events, and receive updates about the work of the Stronger Communities Together team, please subscribe here
|
We are continuing to work with residents to develop our District Values. These values will underpin our vision and sit behind our new branding of “a place where everyone feels that they belong, are understood, feel safe and are able to fully participate in the opportunities the District offers”.
Some of our People Together members (A resident sub-group of the Stronger Communities Partnership Board) held a workshop covering topics such as understanding our British Values and learning about Bradford College’s United Values.
We will launch this campaign once the District Values have been finalised. The District Values will be open for wider consultation soon.
|
As part of the programme of events for Refugee Week, the Stronger Communities Team worked with Migration Yorkshire to deliver training on working with Migrants in Bradford.
This provided an overview of migration in Bradford and an insight into some of the issues and challenges facing migrants and those who work with them.
A range of people attended the session held at Kala Sangam, from the public and voluntary sector as well as people interested in working with migrants. One person said: “The training was very useful as working with migrants is key to achieving our aim for a District where all people feel safe and able to fulfil their potential.”
There will be another session running later in 2019. Contact Matt Henderson for more information.
|
We held a Great Get Together with The Linking Network for Bradford Council staff and partners. The event was held during lunchtime in Margaret McMillan Tower – approximately 50 members of staff from across departments came together - bringing their lunch and some who baked delicious cakes for their fellow colleagues.
The “Great Get Together” is the UK's annual get together for neighbours. The Great Get Together was inspired by Jo Cox MP, who was killed on 16 June 2016. We believe there is a groundswell of people who reject divisive politics and simply want to bring our communities together and celebrate all that unites us.
The Linking Network is a Bradford based charity that is funded through Stronger Communities Together to deliver a schools Linking experience to all of our schools. They also deliver in 26 Local Authority areas.
|
 Hundreds of people came together in celebration of Windrush Day in Bradford.
This year’s theme ‘’ Roots and Culture’’ created by the organisers to honour the legacy of the Windrush generations and highlight the important contribution they have made and continue to make to the vibrancy and culture of our City and district.
Community Stars Award- Nominations wanted!
Nominations are now open for Community Stars. Click here to nominate someone you know in your community.
Over the next few issues we will introduce each of our players who make up our Stronger Communities Team.
Neena Punnu - Project Support Officer
Originally, I am from London – where I was born and spent most of my teenage life. I spent three years in the Midlands (Telford) where I graduated with a BA Honours in Business and Tourism Management, and then I returned to London and spent a few years working for British Airways. In 2004, we relocated to West Yorkshire. I have three beautiful teenage boys who keep me very busy. As a family we love travelling, learning about different cultures and meeting people from across the globe.
I have absolutely loved my working life at Bradford Council mainly as I was in a role championing that people in the Bradford District have a ‘real’ voice and ‘influence’ in decision making and driving the change that is required to improve and shape how we keep people safe in our District.
I have several years of experience in community engagement and project management. I am a ‘people’s person’ – I love working in partnership with the very people we serve.
One of my favourite words is ‘synergy’ as I really believe that people, communities and organisations are so much stronger, smarter and happier when we come together. So, for me joining the Stronger Communities Together Team has been a great privilege; this way I can do a job where I can help people understand the importance of living together in harmony in a socially cohesive society. I am proud and excited to be part of the team who will help drive the integrated communities programme for our District.
Contact Neena at Neena.punnu@bradford.gov.uk
|
|
