Sharing stories, successes and raising the profile of voluntary and community action
We’ve shared stories about more than 174 groups and great things happening in Dudley borough
Responding to challenges together
Researched and published a report on the impact of voluntary sector funding cuts. Data extracted from PSIAMS IT system identified that these cuts to at least 37 voluntary and community organisations will affect around 15,000 residents
Continued to convene the voluntary and community sector leadership group to ensure a joined-up, strong and united response to challenges
Jointly shaping opportunities
Working across the whole Black Country to lever in £3.4m of EU and Lottery funded Building Better Opportunities programme (Families in Poverty strand)
We helped to identify voluntary and community sector partners that could deliver work through all 4 strands of Building Better Opportunities
54 Black Country voluntary and community groups hold Building Better Opportunities contracts worth £23.4m
We supported Phase Trust and Lunch on the Run with their bids to Building Better Opportunities, resulting in £175,483 to benefit young people and learning disabled adults
Collectively strengthening the work and value of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people
We worked with 8 organisations that individually held contracts with the local authority to form an Alliance in preparation for their individual contracts to be put out to tender. Through the Alliance, each organisation’s work was strengthened by:
- Sharing data and intelligence
- Maximising the support available to vulnerable children and young people
- Not duplicating work, but making a collective offer of support
A collective approach to championing carers
We became part of Dudley Carers Alliance to develop Dudley Carers Strategy and encourage local carers to participate in decision-making.
This year’s theme was carer friendly employers
Encouraged organisations to sign up to the employer’s pledge
Spoke to at least 100 people about the challenges of caring while working
Listening to people’s experience of their health and social care services
Healthwatch Dudley had conversations with over 1,250 people who have shared their views or experiences of health and care services
6 themed People’s Network events connected around 400 local residents with decision makers in health and care to influence and design services together
Supporting deaf people to have a voice
Healthwatch Dudley learned about the challenges deaf people face when communicating with health professionals and worked with Dudley Deaf Focus group to influence simple changes in our hospitals that have made a massive difference.
Helping young people to have a voice in their health
Healthwatch Dudley’s successful partnership with Dudley Youth Service to deliver an NHS England funded project last year was the perfect foundation for a new, exciting collaboration. This year has seen us teaming up with Healthwatch Dudley, Dudley CCG and Dudley Public Health to launch a new Young Health Champions programme. A coordinator is now in post who has been working with youth-involving organisations to help young people to be better informed and give them a more influential voice in decision-making.
Healthwatch Dudley supported young people to share their stories at a range of regional and national events, including once again at a Partners in Paediatrics conference, an organisation committed to improving quality and accessibility of health services for children and young people. Following the event, we were told that our young presenters made a different and valuable contribution to the event.