Alys Exley-Smith from Lewisham Homes and Keith Walton from ETRA Evelyn Tenants & Residents Association led the session on working in partnership.
Alys Exley-Smith from Lewisham Homes and Keith Walton from ETRA Evelyn Tenants & Residents Association led the session on working in partnership.
Overview of the session
Finding a suitable partner
- Be clear about the project, and what resource you have and need
- Ensure there is a need – consult and find evidence
- Identify possible partners – Community Connections and Lewisham Local could help. Ensure there are shared aims
- Partners may want to fund, but not project management. Determine this before you move forward!
- Data, sharing agreements and access to information
Other Considerations
- Think about how you’re constituted, do you have the right governance models to apply for some funds and enter into certain partnerships?
- Get clear details on the funding, where it will sit – who needs to have the right constitution. Some funders want bigger organisations, some smaller
- Ensure relevant insurances and DBS Checks are in place
- GDPR (data protection) – who will be holding the data?
- Do you have the right insurance? If not do your partners?
- Training – can be got for free, or form part of funding bit
- Volunteer management – who will be doing this?
- Promotion and communications – clear expectations and what can be delivered
- Sustainability – is it a time limited project? Does the funding want the project to become sustainable?
- Evaluation and impact measurement – how will you do this and who?
- Barriers (e.g. digital access of service users)
Finding Participants
- Consider a communications plan
- Who can help you get word out, agree this and ensure you reach the right groups? e.g. Housing Association’s / ALMOs, Existing community groups, Tenants & Residents Associations, Lewisham Council, Lewisham Local, Raise awareness yourself through social media, events or flyers
Finding Funding
You may have already identified funding. This may be what has empowered you to develop the project, or you may have an idea but no funding. Here are some actions that can help:
- Sign up to our Lewisham Local’s newsletter – funding, opportunities, collaborations and more!
- Look for funding through online directories
- Come along to more training and events