This event (held in July at The Deaf Cultural Centre) was the first major event held by CN4B since its launch in 2008.

The purpose of the event was to re-establish and build links with current, new and potential new members; share information about some of the existing CN4B support & information services, collect key issues facing network members and provide a number of workshops looking at particular areas of interest for network members and others present.

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The workshop sessions included…

• The Birmingham Compact Review and City Council VCOs Consultation
• Commissioning and Collaboration
• Effective use of Social Media for community networks

Information and resources from those sessions are available here:

Network Assessment Framework…

The event also presented an opportunity for participants to consider completing the Network Assessment Framework that was developed for CN4B by the Chamberlain Forum.

The framework is intended to help community networks work better for their members; with public agencies; and with each other. It is an approach to: recognising good practice; identifying areas for improvement; and measuring the progress made by community networks.

For more details about the framework and to download a copy click here:

Key Issues Raised…

As part of our Open Space; issues for networks (Question & Ideas Session), we wanted to collect some of the issues and concerns that are particularly relevant to networks.

Whilst CN4B will not have the capacity to provide specific one-to-one services to address these concerns, our strength is in the ability to effectively link and signpost to organisations, services and individuals who can assist and advise. Much of this expertise can be found within the membership of CN4B through shared peer knowledge and via some services and initiatives of Chamberlain Forum’s Resident University.

Common areas of concern were:

1. Community buildings, asset transfer and related party politics
2. Influencing the Big Society agenda in Birmingham
3. The need for one-to-one support
4. Support in finding community solutions to local issues
5. Joining up communities
6. Sharing common experiences and culture
7. Budget cuts and their impact on networks and the voluntary sector
8. Overcoming the ‘usual suspects’ and ‘representatives’
9. Transferring of information, knowledge, power
10. The inclusion of statutory community workers as members of the CN4B networks and membership

What CN4B has to offer…

CN4B also has many resources and information on its website (some interactive) to assist members exchange and share ideas and strategy. These include:

• A regular weekly e-bulletin of funding, services, events, community reports etc, with full archived reference records.
• A network directory (users can submit and manage their details)
• CN4B Active Citizens Forum – Take a look – get involved.
• A vast and varied collection of web links covering Advocacy & Advisory Bodies, Financial Services & Regulation, Funding, Governance Support and much more.
• Details of The Platform Partnership which is a partnership project funded by the Big Lottery Fund which aims to increase access by small VCS organisations across Birmingham as a whole to infrastructure support;  by building on the platform of their existing strengths and capacity.

CN4B appointed Tippa Naphtali as a development worker in April 2010.

Some areas of Tippa’s work:

• Identify and build relationships with existing community networks
• Support the development of new community networks
• Support networks to become more effective, through the use of the network assessment framework
• Contribute to the continued development and use of the assessment framework
• Signpost networks to further appropriate sources of advice and support

Conclusion…

It is CN4B’s hope to build a strong network of peer and other support for its members, with their active participation forming a key part of that building process.

We look forward to working with existing and future members in achieving that goal.