Connected Voice brings together the voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations serving North East England with the second of our Autumn/Winter 2020 Networking Events.

This time we're focusing on showcasing the agility, ingenuity and resilience that local VCSE organisations have demonstrated in delivering services differently, and the challenges we've all faced in responding to the needs of our communities and people here in the North-East of England.

In accordance with COVID-19 restrictions, we're delivering this event by Zoom.

The event will be hosted by Connected Voice Chief Executive Lisa Goodwin

We've put together a programme of brilliant speakers, who'll be talking about:

• The innovative and world-class services they have provided over lockdown
• The challenges their organisations, and the people they serve are facing, and the support they have received from Connected Voice.
• How some of the elements of changed service provision have moved things forward quickly, and introduced elements they want to keep
• Reflections on how the local VCSE can adapt and better serve the changing populations of our region
• How they have been able to reach new and more diverse people and communities with their services, as demands and service patterns have changed.
• How work has focused on meeting the needs of some of the people and communities disproportionately hardest-hit by COVID-19 and the impacts of lockdown

Confirmed speakers include:

• Bob Malpiedi from Chilli Studios talking about their innovative ways of supporting people with mental health challenges with podcasts and award-winning online workshops to improve mental health through creativity
• Vanessa Nogueras from Business Manager, Urban Green. Speaking of her own personal experience as a Puerto Rican woman living and working in the North-East, and of Urban Green's work to increase diversity of its community engagement, with the support of Connected Voice, and their work to broaden and increase usage of Newcastle's open spaces by the City's diverse and changing population.
• Lewis Latimer from AKT talking about their innovative work in meeting the hidden needs of young LGBTQ homeless people, as demand for their services has soared during 2020.
• Richard Boggie from Difference North East - the North East's collaborative voice for disabled people providing strong regional representation, talking about the 'Manifesto for a better normal' - setting out aspects of policy and practice that have let disabled people down, and those that have helped and could continue to help as part of a new approach.
• Music performance by artists from Skimstone Arts
• Video presentations by Digital Voice featuring a range of organisations

• As well as the main speakers, we'll have a quickfire round of organisations who will have two minutes to share what they're doing differently.

• Duncan Nicholson, Head of Regional Funding for the National Lottery Community Fund's North-East and Cumbria Team - Telling us more about how they've prioritised the needs of people and communities hardest hit by the events of the last few months.
• Follow us on Twitter @ConnectedVoice_ for the latest updates #DoingThingsDifferently

• An overview of Connected Voice Support and Development, our team supporting VCSE organisations serving Newcastle and Gateshead, with everything from starting up, funding support, and much more.
• We'll also be leading workshops with very practical outcomes for your own organisation..

Note: Connected Voice is the voluntary sector infrastructure support organisation for Newcastle and Gateshead in the North-East of England. Free places at this event will be prioritised for VCSE organisations serving this part of our region. Registrations from outside our area, and our sector, may therefore be declined.