Community Voices are individuals working in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector who are trained to engage with the local population on Kirklees CCG’s behalf and talk to them about changes and developments in health services. Community Voices give communities a louder voice and help to make sure that health services are developed in response to the needs of local people.
VAC, in partnership with Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), offers free training for local people to become Community Voices and help local communities to have a say when changes to health services are proposed.
The NHS has a duty to involve local communities when health changes are being considered and the training provides the knowledge and skills needed to carry out engagement and consultation work on behalf of the NHS locally.
Engagement is an ongoing dialogue with the local population which seeks to build up a positive and meaningful relationship.
Consultation is the formal process of asking the public their views on any proposals to change the way a service is provided and delivered.
Community Voices are from local voluntary or community organisations*, have strong links to their community and enjoy listening and talking to people. Because their role is to talk to local communities about changes to local health services, it is important they have an interest in health issues.
The mandatory training is spread over 1 full day and 2 half day sessions and has 5 elements, including a practical task:
Once the training has been completed Community Voices are:
Offered opportunities to carry out surveys or run focus groups
Able to earn money for their local voluntary or community organisation for each survey completed.
Invited to local events where they can meet with the people and organisations involved in shaping local health services.
On completion of the training Community Voices receive a certificate valid for 2 years. It’s easily renewed by taking part in an annual refresher session.
To gain your certificate you must attend all the sessions and successfully complete the practical task.
The role of voluntary and community organisations
Because Community Voices must have links to a local voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE) organisation, that organisation must confirm it meets certain standards. This is to make sure that the organisation can deliver any engagement or consultation activities safely and competently.
To take part in our Community Voices Programme, please contact engagement@cvac.org.uk. Community Voices training is currently available via a series of four two hour Zoom sessions.
The dates and times of the next series of training sessions is outlined below.
| Programme 1 - 2021/2022 | Presenters | |
|---|---|---|
| Training Session 1 How the NHS Works | Wednesday - 26/05/2021 10am - 12pm | CCG Engagement team |
| Training Session 2 Legal and statutory obligations for engagement. | Wednesday - 09/06/2021 10am - 12pm | CCG Engagement team |
| Training Session 3 Engagement Methods & approaches | Wednesday - 23/06/2021 10am-12pm | CCG Engagement team |
| Training Session 4 Equalities, Safeguarding and Evaluation and Certificates | Wednesday - 21/07/2021 10am-12pm | - CCG Equality team -VAC |
To help support the development of a new model for wheelchair services, NHS Calderdale and NHS Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Groups wished to engage with service users, carers and stakeholders to help them improve this model and inform decisions on what a good quality service looks like if the resources are in the right place.
As part of their approach to improving healthcare available to people living across the district, NHS Greater Huddersfield and NHS North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Groups, in partnership with the Local Authority, wanted to engage with patients, family and carers and staff on NHS commissioned services for people who have a serious mental illness, that includes a primary diagnosis of psychosis, including people with a dual diagnosis.
The purpose of the engagement is to provide a picture of A&E over a one week period by surveying people who attend A&E and then do a follow up survey 7 days later. The information gathered would then be used to tell NHS Calderdale and NHS Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Groups what else needs to be done to support people in the local community who may not have needed to go to A&E.
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