Hackney CVS

Who we are

Who we are, and what we do

Working for a fairer society

We are focused on tackling inequalities across City & Hackney, working with community groups, charities and voluntary organisations, and through people with lived experience to help local residents.

• Our Vision: A resourced and resilient voluntary and community sector, able to meet local challenges and tackle inequalities 
• Our Mission: To support City & Hackney’s voluntary and community sector to engage and collaborate with each other, and local decision-makers, and to be respected as equal partners within the local health and care system. 
• Our Values:
  • Championing fairness and social justice
  • Being a catalyst for equity, inclusion, and diversity 

We do this in many different ways – we provide advice and training and we also act as a bridge between the public sector and local community groups, allowing them to influence how the public sector does its work. Our programmes include:

• Through our VCS Organisational Development team, we provide support to Voluntary and community Sector organisations through training and 1:1 support on fundraising, policies and procedures, safeguarding, DBS Checks, monitoring and evaluation, marketing, and setting up a new community group.
• Through our VCS Enabler programme, we provide the infrastructure through a portfolio of networks, forums, assembles, and special interest groups, for communication, engagement and service invocation that unites City and Hackney’s Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and facilitates partnership working at multiple levels.
• Through our Neighbourhoods programme, we facilitate Neighbourhood Forums to provide a change for people living, working, and providing services in each of the eight neighbourhoods across City & Hackney to come together in large cross-sector community meetings to share insights, expertise and experience to shape local services.
• Through our Hackney Giving programme, we fundraise, and distribute funding to the local Voluntary and Community Sector so improve access to local services and provisions for local residents.
• Through our Young People & Families team, we deliver our Youth Leadership model to projects and programme which place young people at the heart of issues which impact them. We empower young people to have voice, and develop new skills and experience to further their career aspirations.

Our strategic objectives

1. Supporting stronger, thriving voluntary and community organisations
2. Developing successful delivery partnerships
3. Strengthening the sector’s voice to effect change
4. Being a sustainable, responsible organisation driven by our values

Our Principles and Behaviours  

Our principles and behaviours have been coproduced with staff, and govern how we have agreed to work with each other, being respectful and treating others with dignity. In doing so, we honour our vision, mission, and values, in all efforts to achieve our strategic objectives.  

Principles  

Behaviours  

1. 1. Always learning   

We will continuously grow and develop to deliver our best.   

We will do this by:  

• Learning from our failures, as well as our successes.  
• Providing constructive feedback and supporting a growth culture.   
• Using our learning to improve productivity, efficiency, and impact.   

1. 2. Collaborating productively   

We will work and support each other, knowing together we are greater than the sum of our parts.  

We will do this by:   

• Being courageous and innovative, unafraid to take risks (through fear of failure).  
• Sharing resources, skills, and knowledge.  
• Empowering others.   
• Taking a trauma-informed approach when working with others.    

1. 3. Communicating effectively   

We will communicate with the intent to engage each other.   

We will do this by:  

• Using plain English.   
• Being open, inclusive, and accessible in  
• all forms of communication.   
• Actively listening, responding, and  
• valuing the contributions of others.  

1. 4. Harnessing diversity   

We will be intentional in developing diversity.   

We will do this by:  

• Proactively creating diverse teams.  
• Encouraging and respecting different views and opinions.  
• Supporting everyone to thrive and develop.  
• Being anti-racist, and challenging discrimination in all forms.   

1. 5. Working respectfully  

We will be polite, courteous, and considerate of others.    

We will do this by:  

• Treating others with respect and dignity.   
• Being professional by taking accountability for our responsibilities and actions.   
• Asking for support when needed and supporting others when we can.