Active and Engaged Communities

1. Active and Engaged Communities Sarah Tyler People and Places Development Manager

2. Active and Engaged Communities Legacy 01:More people of all abilities, especially young people, volunteering and engaged in their communities. Legacy 02:Yorkshire and Humber to be recognised as a great region for volunteering.

3. The Opportunity • There is great potential to use London 2012 to engage people and benefit their communities. • There are great opportunities to inspire young people to get involved in positive activities. • The potential of sport to tackle racism, to challenge attitudes to disability, to improve opportunities for people of all abilities, and to bring communities together as equals and friends.

4. The Opportunity • To attract more participation in volunteering across our communities. • To develop the potential and skills of people who volunteer in order to improve their life chances and contribute to community well-being.

5. What we want to do • Attract more people into volunteering through a co-ordinated Yorkshire and Humber volunteers programme and network • Working with partners - including the ‘Skills, Employability & Education for 2012’ (‘SEE’) group, to include a range of existing and new volunteering activities - to assist people to up their skills levels, qualifications, confidence and career opportunities.

6. What we want to do • Run a Personal Best Programme • Raise skill levels, capacity of individuals and inspire young people to engage in positive activities. • Use the positive messages of the Paralympic Games to enable more disabled people to fully exploit life and work opportunities.

7. How can we deliver this? • We need support from VCS, for example EVDC, Regional Forum, volunteer centres, local sports and interest groups. • Local Authorities are taking a lead on a range of activities and championed across the region by LGYH. • Working in partnership and bringing the sectors together to achieve common aims.

8. How can we deliver this? • Use 2012 to promote the activity we want in the region – and build on core programmes and activities such as worklessness, NEETs and cohesion. • A range of working groups, including the Active & Engaged Communities group, are building links and making progress against an action plan • Look at the best way to utilise resources and build on what is already planned e.g. Year of the Volunteer 2011.

9. What have we done so far? • Working in partnership with Regional Forum and linking into volunteer centres, local volunteer partnerships and interested third sector partners to look at improving frameworks and information flow. • Raised the profile of the work across Local Authorities and partners. • Produced a data and indicators baseline from which to measure progress on volunteering rates.

10. What have we done so far? • Worked with Yorkshire Gold and partners to develop a strategy. • Supported the development of the Personal Best Programme. • Working with partners to explore funding to support this work. • Established a steering group to promote the work.

11. Want to get involved? Contact: Sarah.Tyler@lgyh.gov.uk Or visit: www.yorkshire-gold.com www.lgyh.gov.uk