Northampton Community Forums: April 2007 - September 2008 
 
1. Introduction This report updates and guides the council on the work of the Community Forums in 2007-8 and the first part of 2008-9 financial years. There has been unprecedented national, regional and local recognition. Money 4 Youth scheme has seen youth invest over £250,000 in Northampton. Increased forums involvement in local democracy includes through partnerships with the county council and multi-agency groups concerned with supporting Local Area Agreement and related priorities. In terms of NBC services, there has been successful working with museum, events and leisure services. Engagement with new and faith communities has increased. Performance has been achieved alongside staff resource efficiency changes. 

 
2. Recommendations Some priorities have been identified which the Forum Co-Chairs would like to see addressed to build on the work done to date and improve the services: 
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improved communications by Forums about their work with the wider community and within NBC 
 
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NBC adopting and achieving the Charter Mark for Youth Involvement in appropriate service areas with the help and support of the Youth Forum  
 
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More administrative support to enable the Forums Co-Ordinator to give the Forums more support to do community engagement. 3.1 How Forums Work Forums work happens in several ways e.g. initiated through Forums; initiated through NBC; in partnership with NBC services; in partnership with external services; Agenda-style meetings; events; projects; email information-sharing; web pages; during normal office hours, in the evenings and on weekends. Forums take part in NBC and other consultations through a mix of meetings, focus groups or mailings e.g. re NBC Community Engagement Strategy and Single Equality Scheme, NBC Budget, NBC Corporate Plan, Beckets Park and Midsummer Meadow development. Some Forums work supports specific Local Area Agreement, Safer Stronger Northampton Partnership, and Children and Young People's Partnership priorities and objectives. (Please see 4.6 below for specific targets). 3.2 Progress 3.2.1 Staffing Resources The Area Partnerships and Forums Co-Ordinator is a 1FTE post. Efficiency changes in 2007 and 2008 mean the postholder now has annualised hours, does more lone and out of hours working and uses remote access computer to increase efficiency and customer focus (e.g. to support councillors and community out of hours, on weekends; able to respond to queries and issues from offsite). Use of laptop improves use of resources for meetings etc. The post's remit and responsibility increased to include a leading role re Forums, Neighbourhood Partnerships, Holocaust Memorial, Money 4 Youth scheme management, Local Democracy Week, coordinating NBC participation in community events; also participation in NBC Corporate Equalities Steering Group, countywide Strategic Active Involvement Group, Safer Stronger Northampton Partnership (Community Cohesion group), Integrated Youth Offer work, countywide Youth Involvement Partnership, NWHIF (Northants West Hate Incidents Forum), corporate web authoring, staff training and usage development re video kiosk, customer relationship management recording, dealing with councillor queries, press liaison, supporting community groups to engage with NBC and in achieving their objectives.  Meeting Services provide some support in respect of Minutes and Agendas for some meetings. There is no longer administrative support. 3.2.2 Northampton Youth Forum The Youth Forum built on past learning to keep having 3 young Co-Chairs rather than1 to avoid overload. It now meets outside of school times. Its membership,  subject to annual elections, has increased to currently 27 active members. Diversity has continued to increase, including a mix of ethnic and faith backgrounds, those who are young carers, gifted and disabled young people. Since 2007 it has attracted members of Eastern European and muslim communities as well as from many other cultural backgrounds. It has representation from most of Northampton's secondary schools and the work it does is used by some schools to support OFSTED assessments as well as evidence of its work being included in Northants County Council's countywide annual performance appraisals re youth. Matyas Wiaczka, KC Rep wrote the  
"experience helped me to get to meet the prime minister Gordon Brown" (29/7/08). He said it led to his school choosing him to do this. Youth Forum has increased communications: using CYPP and school governor newsletters, school email systems ('all staff' and 'all students'), school newsletters and bulletins, and has increased use of local radio and other media in relation to its work and projects. The Forum was evaluated in 2007/8 by Discern 2 Consultancy on behalf of Gordon Stewart at Northants County Council (the Forum is provided in partnership with NCC). It found the Forum to be very well organised, with a lot of energy, motivation and social capital. The consultant also praised Northampton Youth Forum for being strong in being youth-initiated and youthdirected. Gordon Stewart himself wrote on 31 July 2008:  
"Northampton BC approach in delivering Youth Forum process and activities  
associated with local democracy and citizenship is outstanding. The partnership between NBC and NCC is strong, organic, mutually supportive and successful. Lindsey Ambrose as an NBC Officer I/C the forum and Youth opportunity fund processes has been exceptional during the past two years. The forum is highly successful and well managed, enabling young people to gain experience and skills and a real taste of local democracy in action. " 3.2.3 Youth Forum and Money 4 Youth This supports countywide strategy for strategic youth involvement, supporting neighbourhoods and Every Child Matters Outcomes. Youth Forum's work has been repeatedly singled out for excellence in reporting back from Northants County Council to GOEM e.g. the raising aspirations project which aimed to reach disillusioned young people in Northampton East. In late 2007 the Youth Forum's work was recognised by the Commission for Equality and Human Rights for its contribution to equality of opportunity for all and community cohesion. Thousands of young people have taken part in activities created under this scheme. Some projects have, as hoped, been able to continue beyond the funded start-up period e.g. New Vision and Streets Ahead dance groups, Steel Pan Explorers, dhol drummers. The YMCA youth bus in Eastfield made such a positive impact locally, that efforts were made to continue it once Money 4 Youth funding finished. The mobile skate park (with BMX bikes, skateboards and inline skates) has since summer 2007 reached over 1,000 young people and got young people positively engaged. The mobile stage and PA equipment continue to be used for community events in the Guildhall, Museum, Market Square and around town. The Youth Forum has invested in NBC Services directly e.g. promoting leisure discount cards, creating free leisure activities, removing barriers to participation, targeting vulnerable and nonparticipating groups; and providing a youth voice to directly influence NBC service provision. The video kiosk is in the Museum where it is used in exhibitions attracting new children and youth feedback in particular in often lively You-tube styles. Gordon Stewart at NCC wrote on 31 July 2008:  
"Northampton M4Y (YOF) is well managed and outperforms all of the County Borough's/ Districts in terms of results - both quantitative and qualitative. Indeed I have allocated additional funding to NBC for YOF in 2007/8 and will do so this year (08/09), a real declaration of confidence and an acknowledgement of your success. Northampton BC has been selected by me to attend the regional celebration of Youth Opportunity Scheme as the most successful demonstration  
of our County partnership to deliver YOF. This day is set for 27th October 2008. 

I ensure that within NCC and Government Office circles that the success of NBC in terms of YOF and the Forum is known and applauded." 3.2.4 Youth Forum Supports NBC to meet its CYPP Commitments The Youth Forum supported development of the Shadow Board to the CYPPB, in late 2007 undertaking consultation with children and young people. Of 953 responses submitted from across the county over 200 were via the work of the Northampton Youth Forum.  The Youth Forum's work led to its representation on the Shadow Board along with the UK Youth Parliament Member for Northampton. 3.2.4.1 Integrated Youth Offer: Youth Forum helped adults to devise a survey which adults completed with 130 young people and children to inform about needs in Northampton East. Youth Forum has shared the results of its own 'Spare Time Survey' done with over 200 children and young people in summer 2008 to help professionals understand more about how young people communicate, where they go, what they do and their priorities for improvements locally. It is understood that the survey results are already informing Neighbourhood Planning in Northampton East and County Council work. They have also been shared with NBC 
services. 

 
3.2.4.2 Recruitment and Selection involving young people re frontline roles: some members of Youth Forum have been involved in recruitment processes e.g. Neighbourhood Management Co-Ordinators. Amy Pyle from Aim Higher who had them provide a youth interview panel for her organisation's recruitment process fedback  
"the young people were great." (31/7/08). NBC's Area Partnerships and Forums Co-Ordinator trained (June 2008) to be able to train young people and other officers for youth participation in recruitment and selection processes. 

3.2.4.3 Charter Mark for Youth Involvement NBC has supported the development of the new Charter Mark for Youth Involvement. 3.2.5 Awards and Recognition for work with Northampton Museum Youth Forum's work with Northampton Museum on a national curriculum linked comic book inspired by local history won a Renaissance Heritage Award for Innovation in July 2007 and featured for excellence in promoting literacy for all ages in the BBC Radio '"RAW" (Reading and Writing) campaign in autumn 2007. 

3.3 Holocaust Memorial and the Forums Progress includes responding to encouragement for local authorities to undertake Holocaust Memorial activities with young people and diverse communities as part of  community cohesion and local democracy activities. The Holocaust Memorial planning group in Northampton includes members from several of the Forums. Northampton Youth Forum increased involvement of children and youth in the 2008 annual ceremony and event. They supported young people and children to create performances inspired by an interview done by Youth Forum with Mr Landmann, a Kindertransport survivor. His story was also circulated to schools. There was positive feedback about the work e.g. Sue Pebody at Kingsthorpe College  
         "This looks fantastic" (9/10/07). The Youth Forum did BBC radio interviews ahead of HMD itself. Later, DJ Mark Dean highlighted the annual HMD event at the Guildhall and meeting Mr Landmann there on BBC 
radio (3/2/08). The Mayoress said  
"I was delighted to be part of the events & was particularly impressed  
by the young people's contributions, & moved by the personal accounts". Dipana Patel, as well as being a speaker herself, fedback  
                    "I found the whole evening very very moving".  
 
The Youth Forum also reached people not so far involved by creating partnerships with Northampton Carnival and Northampton Town Football Club. Their innovative partnership with the Anne Frank Trust (UK) re the Anne Frank Awards scheme, added local awards linked to the national awards.  Forums were among networks promoting the Awards.  Nominations came from diverse communities. The scheme continues, now also supported by the Safer Stronger Northampton Partnership as it promotes community cohesion locally. The work with the Anne Frank Trust and by the Holocaust Memorial planning group has been highlighted nationally in the 2008 Holocaust Memorial Day Trust commemorative book. The book seeks to inspire councils and community groups. 

The Executive Director of the Anne Frank Trust (UK), Gillian Walnes wrote on 23/07/08:   
"We hope that your terrific level of participation in the 2008 Awards can be replicated in other local authorities". Rochelle Hodds (Anne Frank Trust UK) wrote on 21/01/08 re the partnership Youth Forum set up with Northampton Town Football Club:  
"This is fantastic. We will be able to reach so many people through this and  
get to know some amazing people who would otherwise be unrecognised for what they are doing." The Trust decided to highlight the work as an example to send to Community Outreach Officers at football clubs nationally. The Trust made a special presentation to L Ambrose and Youth Forum at the national Anne Frank Awards. The scheme identified winners locally. It also resulted in national judges recognising lots of highly commended/national winners from Northampton and county. Chris Grethe, Community Co-Chair of the Disabled People's Forum was among them. Heather Witherington, Disabled Children's Service, reported a positive impact locally on Northgate School students who were encouraged by seeing press coverage showing young disabled people achieving and nominated for awards and got in touch for further information (23/04/08). 

Russell Lewis, NTFC Multi-Disability Team:  
"Personally I was very moved, inspired by the experience and it was great to  
see young people acclaimed for their excellent work. The football club would like to put the achievements on their web site." (17/7/08). Youth Forum has begun work with Jtrails, Northants Black History Assoc. and Northampton Museum on a history project, exhibition and learning resources re the local Jewish community. They have trained as guides for Heritage Weekend 2008 initially, to then apply their skills to helping at HMD and the Anne Frank Exhibition. 3.4 Local Democracy Week and the Forums 
3.4.1Northampton Older and Younger People's Annual Meeting led by Youth and Pensioners Forums was open to others too. It influenced Age Concern Easy Rider intergenerational cycle safety project - Youth Forum getting involved e.g. youth-proofing documents. It led to finding the pennyfarthing bicycle which headed the cycle ride predecessor of the Carnival. It led to Youth Forum going to Duston Day in the Park to talk to local people about their needs. 

3.4.2 Working Together 4 Northampton: Feedback showed the event achieved its aim of helping young people understand the work of councillors e.g. Kerry, Duston School Rep on Youth Forum said:  
"We did speed-dating with councillors and some other people from organisations.  
The Mayor and Mayoress took part and ran the speed-dating. We got to ask councillors questions. They had to give us quick answers about issues and about how things work. Then the Mayor gave us a tour of the Guildhall and explained how things work. We got an idea of what councillors do. We got to understand more about how the people who make decisions in our local council work.." The 2008 event will be bigger with part-funding by the County Council. 

3.4.3 Interviewing Councillors: Feedback in 2007 included from Alex (NSB, Youth Forum, now UK Youth Parliament Member):  
"Councillors went up in my opinion. I've got respect for them now because I can  
see that they work hard and have got lots to do, as well as doing normal jobs.  
I really got to feel they understand young people." 3.5 Disabled People's Forum The Forum has initiated discussions with NBC services, including relating to concessionary bus pass scheme and equality impacts relating to it (e.g. leading to adding the talking newspaper to NBC's press release email group routinely). Through the Forum, NBC's IT staff looked to improve the accessibility of the web-site including by discussions with Northants Association for the Blind. The Forum highlighted the need to improve handling of Disabled Facility Grants processes and the adverse impacts caused to disabled people by the closure of public toilets. The Forum has worked proactively to support other services, for example making links between its pilot Accessibility Awards scheme (run with Ability Northants) and promotion of the Balloon Festival. This helped to encourage completion of the surveys e.g. at the Town Show and in the Market Square for Carnival Sunday. (Presence on behalf of the Forum at these events also helped people raise and get help with questions they had about disability and local services.) The scheme led to some people encouraging friends and family to go to the Balloon Festival too and saying that the free tickets had exceeded their expectations of NBC. The scheme was a response to the access remit added to the Forum via efficiency savings in summer 2007 (these merged the Access Group into the Forum). The results of the surveys have been provided as feedback to NBC Leisure Services. They have been welcomed by NBC's officers dealing with the future development of the town. In line with good practice the Forum's Minutes are now produced on coloured paper. 3.6 Pensioners Forum The Forum has become actively involved in the NOPAG (Northants Older People's Advisory Group), NCC's Active Ageing Network and the BGOP (Better Government for Older People) networks, providing a two-way discussion route from local through to regional and national levels on older people's needs, activities, services etc. The forum has made links to Help the Aged so it receives and passes on relevant news and information items and can be found on their databases too. In 2007 the event held for the International Day for Older People was followed up by arranging for the local newspaper to run a story in support: highlighting the event, participating organisations and other events in the community in the following days. This sought to get information to as many older people as possible about services and opportunities. Pamela Crane, Forum Co-Chair, wrote  
"a great get together so interesting and informative, a definite template for future Forums". NLGBA feedback to their members (weekly email bulletin 25/9/07) described the pleasure of being there and being visible. In 2008 the event is co-hosted with Pensioners Voice, with more NBC services due to participate, speed-networking and graffiti workshops too. The Forum is also supporting the National Pensioners Convention campaign re 100yrs of the state pension, including enabling Pensioners Voice to participate in the Town Show and in the Forums marquee at the Balloon Festival. 3.7 LGB People's Forum In 2007 and 2008 the Forum worked with NLGBA to encourage councillors, officers and community to get involved in recognising IDAHO. Flying the rainbow flag, participation in speeches and activities at the Guildhall led to positive feedback and news items in the media. 

LGB Forum has ensured LGB community information has also featured in Forums and other community events Forums participate in. This has been associated with positive feedback from the community e.g. Andrew Bewers from NLGBA reported he had made pleasing contact with LGB people and some even asked for help at his stand at the Forums marquee at Balloon Festival 2008. In 2007-8 the Forum prompted improvement in multi-agency hate crime links, leading to more effective working relationships between council services, community and the new Hate Crimes forums structures. The Forum has completed its work which led NBC to review its preemployment health screening procedures and HIV policy. 3.8 Diverse Communities Equality Forum (formerly Race Equality Forum) The former name of this Forum was a barrier to participation. The name and remit were changed to be more inclusive with objectives revised to be clearer. 3.8.1 Invites to Participate in the Community and the DCEF Forum While Agenda-style meetings meet some needs, the Forum has responded to its members wishes to balance these with other means of engaging and developing meaningful community relationships with them. A key way has been going out into the community to meet them, often at events, to promote NBC services (including co-ordinating for officers from a range of NBC 
services to participate) and find out community views. Since 2007 members of the DCE Forum have extended such invites leading to participation including: Diwali, Eid el Fitr, Vaisakhi, Patel Samaj BBQ, St Patrick's Day, Gujerati School Fete and Northampton Bangladeshi Association fayre. This has led to other people not involved but hearing about the Forums etc making contact to seek participation in their community events (for example Somali and Polish information evenings and soon the LoveDifference Festival about Eastern European culture), to take part in Money 4 Youth etc. Since 2007 there has been increased use of BBC radio to promote activities by and for Forum members too. Working with Inspiration FM the multicultural radio locally, led to support by the DCE Forum and Youth Forum for the successful application of Inspiration FM for a full-time broadcasting licence in 2008. 3.8.2 Creation and Support of Faith Champion Role This arose from the then Race Equality Forum exploring gaps in membership. An outcome of discussions with faith communities was the creation of the Faith Champion, supported by the Area Partnerships and Forums Co-Ordinator. It is believed to be the first position of its kind nationally. It works well being the same individual as is the Councillor Co-Chair of the now DCE Forum. The work has also led to increased communication e.g. information-sharing via faith communities through more effective links being forged with Churches Together in Northampton and the Faiths Forum. It has also led, for example, to participation by faith representatives e.g. in the Forums marquee at Balloon Festival 2008. 3.9 Women's Forum The meetings of this Forum are on hold pending some further discussions by NBC Management, as further follow up to the Overview & Scrutiny Review. However, an event was held to mark International Women's Day, which particularly sought to highlight the achievements of local women and young women in Northampton today. Work has also been done with YWCA to help them develop a young women's forum. YWCA and Parents in Partnership also were given spaces in the Forums marquee at the Balloon Festival 2008 helping them to reach women and families in the community at that major event. 

 
4.1 People consulted in the preparation of this report The following gave views and approved content for this report. Gordon Stewart, NCC Youth Services Commissioning Manager (YF and YOF - as quoted above); 
Anne Frank Trust UK (as quoted above);  
Cllr S Collins (Co-Chair, Diverse Communities Equality Forum - agreed content); Chris Grethe (Co-Chair, Disabled People's Forum - agreed content), Phil Ridley (Co-Chair, Youth Forum; Holocaust Memorial - agreed content); Morcea Walker (NCC Education Equalities Advisor Supplementary Schools Co-Ordinator; Youth Forum, Youth Opportunities Fund, Holocaust Memorial –agreed content); LGB Forum (Co-Chair - agreed content), Pamela Crane (Co-Chair, Pensioners Forum - agreed content) 
 
4.1 How the Forums work relates to current Council Priority Outcomes 
4.6.1 Policy & Governance 2008-9 Service Plan: objectives for Forums: continue taking part in NBC consultations, keep web pages up to date, engage new communities and faith communities. 

4.6.2 Local Area Agreement/Community Strategy Targets: 

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SSC1C: Creating cohesive communities: help people to feel that they live in a place the 
people from different backgrounds can get on well together 
 
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HCOP2A: increasing quality of life and reducing social isolation for older people through 
provision of older people's forum, support for NOPAG and Active Ageing Network 
 
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CYP3: Through the co-ordination of integrated youth services ensure that children and 
young people have a safe environment to live in through better integration of multiagency services supporting children and young people 
 
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CYP6: to improve attendance, raise levels of behaviour and reduce incidences of 
bullying and racial harassment - through work with LGB Forum, Holocaust Memorial activity etc 
 
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CYP7: to introduce mechanisms for children and young people to influence the way that 
services are provided to them through engagement and consultation in the development of council and multi-agency services and through supporting NBC's services to work towards achievement of the CYPP Charter Mark 
 
4.6.3 Corporate Plan priorities: Priority 3 (putting our customers at the heart of what we 
do), Priority 5 (commitment to working with our communities and partnership working including through wide engagement with local people on issues affecting their lives). 5 Conclusion The Forums demonstrate some successful instances of community and council working together in 'team Northampton' way and which in some cases also support countywide working. Some priorities have been identified which the Forum Co-Chairs would like to see addressed to build on the work done to date and improve the services: 
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improved communications by Forums about their work with the wider community and 
within NBC; 
 
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NBC adopting and achieving the Charter Mark for Youth Involvement in appropriate 
service areas with the help and support of the Youth Forum  
 
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More administrative support to enable the Forums Co-Ordinator to give the Forums 
more support to do community engagement.