Academics, Faith and Community leaders unite for a transformative engagement event.
By Enoch Karimba
In a remarkable collaboration aimed at fostering community well-being, Faithstar LLP and the Mayor's Health Equity Advisory Panel have joined forces to organise a community engagement event. This unique partnership brought together diverse voices from grass roots community organisations, educators and healthcare experts to address critical issues affecting the community's health and equity. The event served as a platform for dialogue, education, and collaboration, illustrating the power of unity in creating and to radically improve the health and well-being of everyone living in South Yorkshire.
Community leaders and voluntary organisations at the engagement event.
Event Overview:
The community engagement event, hosted by Faithstar CEO, Shahida Siddiq in collaboration with the Mayor's Health Equity Advisory Panel, took place on November, 9th 2023, at Hellaby Hall Hotel, Rotherham. The event was planned to be inclusive, accessible, and focused on addressing the unique challenges faced by the community in terms of health disparities, high levels of truancy in schools, high exclusion levels as well as areas around social justice.
Faith Star LLP CEO, Shahida Siddiq addressing voluntary organisations at the engagement event
Key Highlights:
Diverse Stakeholders:
The event attracted a diverse audience, including community members, local authority staff, healthcare professionals, social workers, youth workers and African Voices Platform. The diversity ensured a wide range of perspectives and experiences were represented, laying the foundation for holistic discussions.
Interactive Sessions:
Faithstar and the Mayor's Health Equity Advisory Panel organised a series of sessions covering topics such as preventive healthcare, mental health awareness, education as well as equality diversity and inclusivity. These workshop sessions were designed to empower attendees with knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about the issues taking place in their communities.
Community leaders and members of voluntary organisations at the engagement event
Panel Discussions:
Engaging panel discussions featured experts from Faithstar, Professor Alan Walker from the University of Sheffield, Oliver Coppard the Mayor of South Yorkshire and the Mayor's Health Equity Advisory Panel, delving into the root causes of health disparities and proposing collaborative solutions. Topics ranged from access to healthcare services to the impact of social determinants on community well-being.
Action Plan Session:
The event concluded with an action planning session, where participants, third sector community leaders, and other professionals collaborated to develop tangible strategies and initiatives to address identified health disparities, the gaps in relationships between the public and private sector, funding issues. It was suggested that the processes and procedures in which funding are distributed should be made easier for smaller organisations when they apply for funds. It was agreed that the contributions made by grass roots organisations needed to be recognised by local authorities and other stakeholders within the region. This session aimed to translate discussions into actionable steps for positive change.
Outcomes and Impact:
The collaboration between Faithstar LLP and the Mayor's Health Equity Advisory Panel resulted in a transformative community engagement event that left a lasting impact. Participants gained valuable knowledge, established connections with community resources, and actively contributed to the development of practical solutions for improving health equity and other areas including education, funding and educational resources.
The event exemplified the potential of partnerships between grass roots organisations and the public sector to create positive change from community level and high up, by fostering collaboration and inclusivity. Faithstar LLP and the Mayor's Health Equity Advisory Panel set a commendable example in trying to address most of the aspirations that had been discussed as well as seeking to achieve solutions for the issues addressed.
