Terms of Reference

Our Purposes

Information / Ideas / Inspiration / Influence.
We expect our aims and objectives to develop organically from these purposes, and be kept under review by members.

All members represent the voluntary and community sector working with children and young people across a London borough.
We are a network of networks.
In its capacity as a pan-London VCS network, London Youth will act as a facilitator but not as a member.
We will explore avenues for making this role available to other London network organisations (see below).

We will identify other network groups who may be interested in linking with or facilitating our new network. Current groups identified are:

a. London Youth
b. London Play
c. STAN
d. NAVCA
e. VCS Engage
f. CVS Partnerships
g. Young London Participation Network

We will continue to research and consider links with all other London network groups.
We will invite guests from other networks/organisations to speak to at our meetings.
Any future decisions on developing a particular link or relationship with any other group must be taken by our network as a whole.

Initially meetings will take place every two months; at a later stage they will be quarterly.
One seat at each meeting is available for a representative from each borough – attendance may be shared out between several reps within each borough, as long as information is shared effectively between meetings.
We will establish a ‘wiki’ – an online meeting page which all members can access and add to at any time.

The roles of chair and minute-taker will be rotated at each meeting.
The facilitator is responsible for organizing venue and facilities for each meeting.
The chair for each meeting is responsible for circulating an agenda in advance, confirming attendance and inviting relevant guests, in consultation with the network.
All members are responsible for disseminating information gathered from this group to our own networks (both up and down).
In particular, it is essential that members are able to represent the views and needs of the CYP VCS in their borough, and to feed back effectively to these groups.
All members are responsible for seeking an appropriate representative to attend any meeting they are unable to attend themselves, and for sharing information with them.
As a group, we are responsible for planning ahead: setting dates, establishing agendas and planning for guest speakers.

We will strive to ensure that in our own operations and in the way we influence those of other organisations, there will be quality of opportunity regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation or disability.