What is Community Planning and why is it important?

Community Planning is a process whereby a local authority and other local agencies including community, voluntary, public and private sector organisations come together to develop and implement a shared vision for promoting the well being of the area. We are all customers of the public sector, whether we are borrowing a book from the local library, visiting a GP or reporting a crime to the Police. In the past, the service providers acted mainly on their own when planning and delivering services to the public. Community Planning has been subdivided into 5 key themes; Greener, Smarter, Healthier, Safer and Stronger, and Wealthier and Fairer. There is also a group focusing on Community Engagement.   Multi-agency Theme Groups meet to address issues within each of these themes. 

What is the Voluntary Sector Partnership Moray and how does it fit in?

Voluntary Sector Partnership Moray (VSPM) is an independent support network of community, social enterprise, and voluntary sector organisations. Every theme group has a representative from VSPM at the table; the sector’s voice is now at the heart of community planning.  Each of our theme group representatives is eager to hear about the issues groups and organisations face and also to communicate back to the sector from the community planning process. 

 What are the VSPM theme groups?

Safer and Stronger: The Safer and Stronger Theme group addresses issues such as housing, homelessness, social inclusion, equality, road safety, antisocial behaviour fire and home safety and violence reduction.

Greener: The Greener Theme group addresses issues such as waste reduction, recycling, climate change, carbon management, and promoting good practice.

Smarter: Some of the issues for the Smarter group are; support for vulnerable children and young people, parenting, lifelong learning, education and training.

Wealthier and Fairer: The Wealthier and Fairer Theme group addresses issues such as social enterprise, money advice, community development, tourism and community transport.

Healthier: The Healthier Theme group is concerned with issues such as health improvement, community care, health inequalities, intervention, caring and service delivery.

The Community Engagement Group:

The Community Engagement group has direct responsibility for ensuring that all sectors of the community are represented and involved.  The group supports voluntary and community activity and promotes networking across the sector.

What are the Benefits of the VSPM?

The VSPM’s aim is to benefit organisations by: 

• providing opportunities for the Third Sector to share knowledge and experience and identify areas of good practice
• endeavouring to reduce the isolation experienced by some community and voluntary groups.
• supporting the sustainability of the sector
• being a forum for consultation on policy, service development and service delivery
• supporting new initiatives responding to grass roots needs
• providing for the support and development of social enterprise
• helping to create stronger infrastructure organisations in the sector over the long term.
• pulling together the evidence that demonstrates the impact made by the sector
• ensuring a collective voice
• enabling voluntary and community groups to contribute more effectively to Community Planning