Community Engagement Case Studies

Quarter 1-3 (April2020-December2020)

Case Study 3 – Busayo Twins, KCSC Policy and Voice Development Officer

Busayo’s research project was about investigating the economic impact of Covid-19 on RBKC’s Black African and Caribbean residents. The project followed suggestions from the NHS and employment data that this demographic had been disproportionately impacted and Busayo’s task was to understand what was happening within the borough itself. Once a local picture had been captured and understood the aim was to inform our members/the sector and decide how to ameliorate the situation. Busayo organised a series of focus groups with 15 local organisations to get their insights on the experiences of their Black service users during the pandemic.

Busayo prioritised meetings with organisations whose main beneficiaries were black RBKC residents, but any organisation that had useful contributions were welcome to take part. Busayo identified key economic factors to guide the conversations. All focus groups were held over zoom or telephone. The insights were collated and organised according to key themes that had emerged from the discussions. Busayo then put this information into a mini report, and presented the initial findings at KCSC Voluntary Organisations Forum (VOF). Several attendees to follow up and have access to the report to shape their own work, including RBKC council.

 

Quarter 1-3 (April2020-December2020)

Case Study – Food support provision in response to Covid-19:

Immediately after lockdown hit, it was clear that under 65s with support needs would be affected badly. KCSC worked with other voluntary sector agencies to develop sector response. KCSC designed a service model involving warehouses to enable bulk purchases, a distribution model and eventually a referral hub created by RBKC. Drawing in support from local partners, Smart, Bay 20 (Hearts and Minds), The Venture Centre, local councillors and Westway Community Transport, KCSC delivered this response in conjunction with RBKC. This drew in financial support from Kensington and Chelsea Foundation and The Westway Trust.

 

Quarter 4 (January2020-March2020)

Case Study - Council's Charter for Public Particpation - Summary of work from Joe Batty (KCSC Staff Member):

The council published a Charter for Public Participation, which was found to be weak and did not address the fundamental issues of lack of genuine co-production and participation in the North (by extrapolation the whole) of the borough. I called a Grenfell Network Group (GNG) meeting to discuss the proposal and determined that there was an appetite to make our own response to the charter.

With a template provided by Stephen Duckworth (resident and board member of KCSC) I wrote an initial response which the GNG discussed at length and after the discussion I asked for additions and amendments. Subsequent to this I called a meeting of interested parties, mostly local residents who helped me to finesse the final product.The paper was submitted after the council called for submissions, and I then set up a public meeting where the council lead for communications spoke about the council’s own draft and discussed our draft at length.

After this meeting the council substantially redrew their own paper accepting four of the five premises we put forward. Finally I spoke at the Leadership Administration meeting in favour of the new paper but still requesting the last change. The council has agreed to a six and twelve month review. It was considered a considerable result by the community.

One participant was asked, "Do you believe the council would have altered their own paper and strategy without KCSC?"

They replied, "Without question, the paper and strategy would not have changed one iota without the interventions. The council presented their paper as if we were in a financial negotiation in which they wanted to pay the lowest possible price, forcing us to work hard to move them into a position which would be the starting point of any local authority with a sincere intention to consult and empower."