WestFocus Social Inclusion Network

1
WestFocus Social Inclusion Network

• Julian Sikondari

2
Overview

• A network that supports organisations working to
  combat social exclusion
• Engaging with public, voluntary and private
  sectors
• A knowledge exchange network
• 7 WestFocus universities
• Bringing together university talent and agencies
  working in the community

3
Review of the past 12 months

• The Social Inclusion Network is up and running
• Over 300 members and many more have been
  contacted
• Web presence and a newsletter
• Forging links with other partners
• Delivering a professional service to members
• Helping them work more effectively

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How are we doing this?

• Working with organisations through projects on
  new migrant communities, entrepreneurship and
  social enterprise, forced marriages, child
  protection, assessment tools for social workers
  and compact development
• Providing professional training and consultancy
• Establishing a capacity building workshop
  series

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SIN knowledge exchange events
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Reaching our target

• On members, events, academics engaged and funding
• Feedback positive
• Were driven by what our members need not what
  we want to do
• And WF SIN is working effectively as a
  partnership of universities

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Outline of the next 12 months

• Build on our success
• We have the network infrastructure
• We have members
• And we have the expertise
• Our projects are engaging with SIN members
• Continue to deliver content that our members want
  and will help them work more effectively

8
Our plans for the network are

• Engage members in many ways internet,
  newsletter, projects, events and other activities
• Roll out the capacity building workshops
• Build on the expertise of SIN projects
• Deliver training programmes
• Attract consultancy private and public

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Strategically

• Move towards a revenue-generating model away from
  a member-generating model
• Network with other organisations such as the
  Learning Skills Council and London Development
  Agency
• Strengthen ties between universities, government
  and community/voluntary/private sectors

10
Network funding

• HEIF 3 funding
• Total 486k not including St Marys College
• Distribution as follows
• Roehampton 200K
• Royal Holloway 70K
• Westminster 30K
• Brunel 80K
• St Georges 52K
• TVU 54K
• ST Marys College