Through Community Action: MK’s National Lottery funded programme we are building and supporting networks made up of VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) Sector organisations and strategic partners. This is a great way of ensuring local people’s voices are being heard and the needs of our diverse communities are being addressed. 

Milton Keynes is stronger when organisations work collaboratively.

We want to build on the work already developed as part of existing and effective networks such as the Mental Health Alliance, which has been active for nearly three years, or the newly-developing Refugee Support Network, which – as described by one of the groups involved – “gives opportunities to learn and link up with others”.

Networks we facilitate and support

MK Voluntary Sector Alliance

The alliance acts as the strategic voice for the Networks of Networks in Milton Keynes. The Voluntary Sector Alliance will feed into the Integrated Care System (ICS) so that the lived experience of residents across Milton Keynes, particularly those within marginalised groups, is captured and communicated in order to have influence.

Close working relationships are being developed between the local VCSE and the Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System (BLMK ICS).

You can read the MK Voluntary Sector Alliance Terms of Reference here.

If you have any further questions regarding the alliance, please contact grace@communityactionmk.org

Mental Health Alliance

The aim of the Mental Health Alliance is to help put the local plan in practice and to help the NHS see the VCSE as a vital partner in designing and delivering Mental Health Support in Milton Keynes.

With funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, we are currently developing the following three thematic networks:

Refugee Support Network

This network aims to support and bring together a range of local VCSE groups and providers that have been supporting the local refugee and asylum seeking communities across Milton Keynes, in order to provide coordinated support and offer a voice to these groups to feed into local stakeholders at a decision-making level.

MK Climate Action Network

The aim of this collaborative initiative is to give groups related to local action on climate a space to meet regularly – to inform and inspire each other, identify common goals and shared causes, and generate joint initiatives.

Food and Essential Items

We are currently exploring creation of this network, which will interlink with a range of issues – food poverty being one, but also issues related to sustainability of food and food waste, and has clear links to other networks, including those related to climate action and refugee support. 

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MK Covenant

The Civil Society Covenant is a new agreement bringing together public sector partners and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector across Milton Keynes. Developed collaboratively by Milton Keynes City Council, NHS partners including Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and Milton Keynes University Hospital, the Covenant sets out a shared commitment to strengthen partnership working and improve support for local residents.

Built around four guiding principles — partnership, recognition, transparency and participation — the Covenant aims to ensure voluntary organisations are involved earlier in decision-making and recognised as equal partners in tackling local challenges. With more than 1,200 VCSE organisations playing a vital role in community wellbeing, the agreement encourages more joined-up services and collaborative solutions to issues such as falls prevention, mental health and social isolation across Milton Keynes.

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