Croydon Voluntary Action supports social action in Croydon in different ways:

• We serve a range of voluntary sector networks and forums, bringing together users / carers / professionals on specific topics of interest (mental health, children and young people etc) and supporting them in remaining informed and influencig local decision making.

• We support a number of representatives from the voluntary sector to sit on local strategic partnerships; these are groups of people from different agencies coming together to try and provide the best services and support possible. Some partnerships are firmly established and have good structures for working together, others have looser relationships. Each of Croydon Congress’ themed partnerships have partnership groups which in turn have sub-groups and working groups. From this, a detailed picture with a complicated set of relationships between partnerships and networks is created. Voluntary and community networks feed into these groups at all levels.

• Finally and strenghtened by the Localism Act, we lead on a range of community projects aimed at empowering the local community, increasing their confidence and ability to voice their concerns and become resilient by being locally connected and using their skills / assets / gifts. Examples of this work could be our courses for local leaders as well as pioneering projects like Asset Based Community Development (ABCD).