The I&DeA host second PIP conference in York - 4th December 2009

The IDe&A hosted a diverse gathering of over 70 in York last week at the second Partnership Improvement Programme (PIP) conference.

An audience of PIP participants, research staff from IVAR and many other interested local authorities who are yet to become involved heard an opening speech given by Julia Unwin - CEO of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Also speaking was Ben Cairns - Director of IVAR. Both spoke passionately about the need for cross-sector relationships based on trust and mutual understanding. Read Ben's full speech here.
 
It was a day designed to allow participants to reflect on the experience of being involved in the PIP process and share outcomes with others. Presentations were made by PIP partners from Darlington, St Helens and North East Lincolnshire.
 
Paula Grant, Chief Executive of Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire, spoke very positively of her experience: "In North East Lincolnshire the Partnership Improvement Programme provided us with some very practical opportunities to turn our aspirations into action. All of our strategic partners were involved in the development sessions and with some challenging facilitation provided by our "new partners" from IVAR, we made some real progress. Not only did we agree our priorities for action we also had them approved by our LSP and started delivering them before the end of the programme. Such was the level of enthusiasm and motivation we have continued to work together as a group and will do so until our agreed outcomes are achieved."
 
She ended her presentation with some very good news - "Just after our last session the lead third sector representative on the PIP group was elected as the independent Chair of the North East Lincolnshire Strategic Partnership...possibly not as a direct result of participating in the programme but...”who knows”, the extent and influence of the voluntary sector..."
 
The PIP work continues until 2011. Read more.