Background Information

Launched in November 2002, Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network aims to bring together the range of community and voluntary sector organisations in Wandsworth - especially those which represent the interests of the most under-represented, marginalised communities who live, work or learn in deprived neighbourhoods or circumstances. In May 2003, WCEN became a Company Limited by Guarantee and in October 2004, a Registered Charity. We had our first AGM in April 2004. In June 2004, WCEN acquired the Quality Assurance Mark for the ‘Self-Help Information’ standard.

Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network is the umbrella group for community and voluntary groups in Wandsworth to take part in the Wandsworth Local Strategic Partnership and its role in developing Community and Neighbourhood Strategies to reduce social exclusion, encourage economic, environmental and social regeneration and improve the well-being of Wandsworth's citizens.We do this through 3 area-based forums in Battersea, Roehampton and Tooting & Balham and 8 theme-based networks.

Why do we need a Community Empowerment Network?

Community Empowerment Networks are part of the Government's National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal. They support community and voluntary sector involvement in Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs). The Government wants voluntary and community organisations, as well as local residents and community members, to be equal partners in ensuring services cater for the needs of the most deprived communities.

Where does the WCEN fit in?

We provide a link between the Wandsworth Local Strategic Partnership, community and voluntary sectors, and community members and residents. We do this in the following ways:

1. Facilitating two-way communications between the voluntary and community sectors and Wandsworth Local Strategic Partnership.
2. Offering community members and residents a way of accessing the Wandsworth Local Strategic Partnership, ensuring that hard-to-reach groups have the same opportunities to be involved.
3. Providing the various strands of the voluntary and community sectors with opportunities to discuss the problems and issues they face through consultations and networks.
4. Encouraging and providing opportunities for communication and networking between groups - not just up the chain from the local to the regional level, but 'horizontally' across the voluntary and community sectors.
5. Facilitating the selection of community and voluntary sector members on the Wandsworth Local Strategic Partnership.

What makes our Network distinctive?

1. No Voluntary Service Council or equivalent support mechanism in place.
2. Newly established compared to other Community Empowerment Networks.
3. Company limited by Guarantee (only one in London).
4. First CEN to be a registered Charity.
5. Working with a flagship Borough Council.
6. Smallest Community Empowerment Fund, Community Chest, Community Learning Chest and Neighbourhood Renewal Fund allocation.
7. Isolated pockets of deprivation in Tooting, Roehampton and Battersea.

What are our challenges?

1. To establish an infrastructure which can facilitate the involvement of marginalised communities in the Wandsworth Local Strategic Partnership.
2. To ensure that the Network is independent, accountable, transparent, accessible and a model of good practice.
3. To create a meaningful legacy and empower the voluntary and community sector in the borough to play a meaningful role in partnerships and fora.
4. To facilitate the voluntary and community sector in making an impact in the decision making process at the statutory level.