Following the EIJB Board Meeting on Fri 1 Nov, we are delighted to share an update on behalf of Edinburgh’s third Sector Interface (TSI) – EVOC, Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network, and Volunteer Edinburgh. We plan to share a timeline of key dates next week (w/c 2 Dec) and will continue to keep you updated as things progress.
Diarmaid Lawlor (TSI Chair) has written to the Chair of the EIJB, the leader of the Council, the City of Edinburgh Council Chief Executive, and the NHS Lothian Chief Executive. He has emphasised the need for:
- Resetting investment: there is a need for a whole city conversation on a sustainable financial settlement for the Third Sector
- Reforming ways of working: there needs to be a better approach to commissioning, valuing and supporting The Third Sector through change
- Repairing relationships: recognising and valuing the value of the Third Sector contribution to communities is an important part of relationship development
Reference Group Proposal
We have been working within the TSI on how to respond strategically to the challenges of the recent proposals by the IJB and where our shared strength can have the most impact. The TSI has therefore convened a small, embryonic group of sector people. The aim is to build this into a Reference Group with representation from across the Sector to distil and amplify the voices of the sector around priority issues. We have developed Draft Terms of Reference for this Group, which builds on the current issues around the IJB but also focuses on the Third Sector as a whole.
Draft Terms of Reference for the Group
Next Steps
You are invited to get in touch with initial feedback on the role of the TSI in shaping the Reference Group. In the meantime, Edinburgh TSI colleagues will continue to convene the sector through forums, networks and meetings alongside the Edinburgh Community Health Forum. Together, we can also continue to highlight the risks and impact of this loss of investment in the third sector, both individually and collectively.
