Working in Partnership

I have said many times that the cuts being experienced by the public sector will continue, and will not be replaced even when sustainable growth recurs, as it is beginning to now.The practical consequence is that the public - private - charity sectors need to recognise their  interdependencies and ensure their contributions as partners. Our CommUniLAB project is predicated on this belief.

This has been a very good week for illustrating the value of partnership. On Monday we had a long meeting at Woking Youth Arts Centre with our prospective users - Peer Productions, Insound an Poprox (the latter two help young people play and record music). These were very positive meetings and on Tuesday evening my Trustee Board gave the go ahead to us taking on the 5 year lease from Surrey CC for us to manage  the WYAC through a separate social enterprise.The aim is to increase lettings and make it into a vibrant, well used youth arts centre. I now have to move quickly to get this second social enterprise set up.

Then on Tuesday I was at a meeting of the 14-19 Strategy Board at which Surrey CC colleagues gave a presentation of a superb analysis of the needs of young people - both statistical but also informed by the views of young people through surveys and focus groups. The big theme is about encouraging the employability of young people. Our own "How to " set up in business workshops are now "sold out" - a good sign.

I was at County Hall on Wednesday with Surrey CC's CEO and other colleagues about the planning of another workshop with Surrey Charity Chief Executives' Group. SCC had drawn out some principles of partnership/collaborative working deriving from the first workshop last October, and we agreed to use the next workshop to move on from principles to practices and on to behaviours. This is potentially very powerful, ground breaking stuff in the relationship between Surrey CC and the sector.

I am getting closer to being able to start on the "Young Surrey Strategic Review 2014-15" the theme of which will be about changes in society and that whilst young people do need to be employable they also need to understand the very rapid global changes and their consequences. I am very struck by the way young people are disenfranchised from political power/influence by not voting, whereas my "baby boomer" generation has always voted, and the political consequences are evident. SO there is a theme about young people as citizens, and the need for resilience adaptability , and real experiences (not just "virtual living"). Surrey Young Carers are doing interesting work on this.

Car wouldn't start yesterday , so missed a meeting , and still dodgy today- goes in to garage on Monday. Church meeting at home last Wed. evening about setting up a food bank.... I was right about the wrong selections/use of the England bench last week, though great match against France. Murrayfield mudbath tomorrow...I have a very Scottish Chairman now, so must be careful what I say...so happy birthday to Matilda (age 3) on Sunday!"