Policy & Influence

As a membership organisation, we are uniquely placed to represent and amplify the voice of voluntary & community groups and organisations in Eastbourne, Lewes District and Wealden. We empower, encourage and champion local voluntary action to be inclusive, diverse and resilient by ensuring the voluntary & community sector has a voice and can influence policies, plans and practices.  Much of this work is done strategically with statutory partners. For further information about any of these groups please contact us.

Alliance Development Group

The Alliance Development Group formed in 2018 with the aim of strengthening collaboration between voluntary organisations and to create a coordinated response to commissioning opportunities in East Sussex. With the ending of the countywide SpeakUp Forum in 2019, the Alliance Development Group has begun to develop plans to create a a VCSE Leadership Group for East Sussex that will provide a forum where the sector can discuss issues of mutual concern, develop a sector-wide view and, as a result, enable stronger cross-sector strategic working and developments in East Sussex.

Eastbourne and Lewes Community Safety Partnership

The Eastbourne and Lewes Community Safety Partnership is comprised of statutory and voluntary sector members working to tackle criminal activity including hate crime, domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour. The group operates a system, Community Trigger, for reporting anti-social behaviour and hate crime. It also runs a grants scheme for innovative projects tackling crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

Eastbourne Strategic Partnership (ESP)

The Eastbourne Strategic Partnership brings the public, private, community and voluntary sectors together to work to help improve the life of the residents of Eastbourne. We are an active member of the partnership.

East Sussex Strategic Partnership (ESSP)

The East Sussex Strategic Partnership brings together different parts of the local community – public services, local businesses, community groups and voluntary sector organisations. It was set up in 2000 to help organisations work together in a coordinated way to plan local services, tackle the issues that matter to local people and improve the quality of life in East Sussex. The voluntary & community sector is represented on this group by Hastings Voluntary Action. For further information, please contact Steve Manwaring, Director of HVA, at [email protected].

Sussex and East Surrey Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP)

In 2016, NHS organisations and local councils joined forces in every part of England to develop proposals for improved health and care. Through the Sussex and East Surrey Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, voluntary actions and councils for voluntary services across Sussex and Surrey have come together to ensure that the voluntary sector has a voice in the process of building new structures and to develop a positive relationship with the new structures.

Wealden Strategic Partnership (WSP)

We continue to chair the Wealden Strategic Partnership, which brings together partners from the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. It is a network event where issues can be raised and discussed from a variety of perspectives.

Youth Voice Practitioner Network

As a result of work done on a project to promote the voice of young people by a youth engagement worker seconded from East Sussex County Council Children’s Services, we have set up and chair a Youth Voice Practitioner Network. This cross-sector group brings together practitioners to see how they can strengthen youth voice in their work, their organisations and local communities.