Voluntary Organisations Forum

The Forum for Voluntary Organisations working with Children and Young People was developed as a result of the creation of the Children and Young People's Framework Partnership.

The Forum is an opportunity for all voluntary agencies working with children and young people, aged 0-25, to link into strategic issues affecting children and young people and in particular, to the Children and Young People's Framework Partnership Board, Children and Young People’s Partnership, Strategic Coordinating Groups and associated Task and Finish Group meetings. Voluntary sector representatives are expected to attend the forum and report regularly on issues affecting the voluntary sector. Furthermore, it ensures that there is proper mechanism established to enable a two-way flow of information to go between the voluntary sector and other multi-agency services on current issues.

The Forum too has the ability to act as a consultation point for statutory services on current issues, for example, consultations from the Welsh Assembly Government. However, it must not be seen as the only means of consulting with the voluntary sector.

The Forum is independently chaired by an individual who is elected from a voluntary organisation or community group. The current chair is Caroline Selby from Wrexham Early Years Forum.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Forum is open to any voluntary organisation working with children and young people within the 0-25 year age range not just in Wrexham County Borough, but also in neighboroughing counties.

FREQUENCY AND VENUE

The Forum meets bi-monthly to try and coincide with the meetings of the Children and Young People's Framework Partnership.

Please click here for a full list of the 2009 Forum meeting dates

Please click here for a full list of the 2010 Forum meeting dates

You will notice that the Forum takes place on different days and at different times every other month. This is to ensure that individuals from the wider voluntary sector can participate, for example voluntary organisations and community groups often have paid workers who work 9:00am - 5:00pm, along with volunteers who perhaps volunteer exclusively on a given evening(s) but have a full-time paid job that is nothing to do with their involvement with the volunteering; So therefore the idea of rotating the times and dates is to ensure anybody who wishes to participate from a voluntary organisation and community group should have at least one date on the calendar that meets their particular need.

Different voluntary organisations and community groups take it in turn to host the Fora meetings. This is an opportunity for them to showcase the facilities that they offer children, young people and their families to other voluntary organisations and community groups and raise their profile.

The Forum is a well established group within Wrexham and is recognised by partner agencies. Please click here for the Forum’s full Terms of Reference.

Each Fora meeting is recorded. Please click here to look at the Forum meeting records section. In this section you will find the following for each meeting: agenda, minutes, any information-sharing reports and a copy of the common briefing report from the Voluntary Sector Representatives on the Children and Young People's Framework Partnership.

If you require further information about this forum or general issues relating to children and young people please contact:

Laura Williams

Children and Young People's Development Officer

Tel: 01978 318810

E-mail: laura.williams@avow.org