Four of the North’s leading charities have united through the Northern Inclusion Consortium (the NIC). In their summer 2019 relaunch, they vow to use their collaborative power to encourage sustained health in our region, help nurture a stable economy, and improve social wellbeing.
The NIC was founded to fight some of the region’s most pressing issues such as homelessness, addiction, drug deaths, crime and health inequality.
This partnership will help reduce the toll of regional inequality by dismantling walls between voluntary-sector organisations and government to create an environment where everyone works together.
With recent news naming the North East as the UK’s ‘drug death capital’, there has never been a more important time to bring people’s needs to the forefront. Middlesbrough is said to have the highest rate of alcohol-related harm, opioid and crack use in England. Furthermore, data shows the North East continues to have the highest unemployment rate in the country.
The NIC’s primary objectives are to co-design more robust services for the most vulnerable people; provide training to other organisations; and make a lasting, systematic change by giving everyone a voice.
The NIC calls for collaboration between service-users, charities, the public sector and government.
Following last year’s appointment of Jessie Joe Jacobs – prominent social change leader – as their new Director, the Consortium embarked upon a research phase, to better understand the challenges and opportunities that presented the individual organisations and the sector.
Jessie says: “For too long there has been a power imbalance between those who hold funds and make policy and those who face issues or who are working at the coal face to support people with these issues. We see this particularly in the North East where Whitehall and Westminster seem a million miles away.”
“The NIC will seek to be a bridge between those with power and resources and those who need them, working together to find new ways to deliver services, share from our vast amount of expertise in working with the most vulnerable, whilst really listening to voices from the ground.”
Paul Hayes, Chair of the NIC stated: “if we don’t come together to fight the issues, a lot of what we do is a wasted effort.”
“Our communities and those who are in place to serve them are in need of new ideas, innovations and ways of meeting the needs of our region. The NIC is a charity collaboration which pledges to build a bridge between those with power and resources and those who need them”.
The Consortium is founded by four of the North’s leading charities: Mental Health Concern, Changing Lives, Humankind, and Groundwork North East and Cumbria.
They already deliver collaborative projects around the North East. However, this summer they relaunch with a new vision of becoming a sector shaper and influencer; building partnerships and collaborations; co-designing services; and providing opportunities for people to be empowered and have their voices heard by decision and policy makers.