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Influencing & Partnerships

Brent Mencap has always worked in informal and formal partnerships to improve the lives of PWLD and influence decision makers and service providers. There is a wealth of excellent statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations in Brent that provide different types of services and support. This section names a small number of organisations, but our network is much wider. There is ample detail about how our projects involve partners to improve people’s lives in our Trustees Annual Report (read HERE). Our aim is always to deliver or find the right service or advice for the people we support and provide feedback about the barriers people face.

 

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Influencing 

We are  committed to working in partnership and using our users/patients’ lived experience to influence local policy and services. But we had to outline 2 major ongoing organisational challenges in our response to Brent Council’s draft 24-25 budget in December 2023 (read the full draft budget HERE). 

  •  The general lack of respect, understanding and recognition shown by Brent Council and the ICP to the income generated, services provided, and contribution made by the Voluntary Sector in Brent to the wellbeing and health of Brent people of all ages.

  • Not being treated as equal, knowledgeable partners by the above and not having the voices, wishes and experiences of the people we support  heard and acknowledged.

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In November 2024, we again responded to Brent Council’s Budget proposals for 2025-2026 in a similar way. We saw no prospect of anything improving for residents in near future. Our users’ lived experiences, our evidence and  expertise are not valued, recognised or listened to. Our self-advocacy group’s experiences and  Brent Mencap efforts have highlighted gaps in service for PWLD, people with other disabilities and long-term conditions e.g. lack of ASC responses or support into employment. There is a long history of user experiences/views and voluntary sector expertise being ignored. We feel disrespected and not listened to by a Council that is unresponsive and dismissive. This is a waste of valuable knowledge and capacity. 

 

We circulated this document to councillors, our partners and contacts in January 2025. We received 3 responses from Brent Council, held one meeting with the Safeguarding team managers and hope to meet with a commissioning manager from ASC soon.

 

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Partnership Work

We choose our formal working partnerships carefully ensuring project plans allow sufficient time and funding, researching partners’ skills, working culture and values to ensure the best result for participants. We are always careful in assessing risks and benefits to our organisation and our beneficiaries before committing ourselves.

 

In 2023-2024 we were delighted to work with: 

  1. Harness and Kingsbury and Willesden NHS localities on Social Prescribing, Health Coaching and Care Navigation.

  2. The continued Health Educators Partnership Service with Brent Carers Centre, Plias, Saafi and Community Barnet and Brent Health Matters. 

  3. New partners “Create” to support their funding bid to deliver Creative workshops for young people with a learning disability at Brent Mencap from April 2023.

  4. Our neighbours: the Work Rights Centre, Brent Bereavement Service, Brent Irish Advisory Service, the Shaw Trust, BBMC the studio next door and Brent Trades Council who own the iconic but rather derelict building on the other side.

  5. Brent Council Brent NHS and voluntary sector partners in different partnerships.

  6. Local organisations such as Advice for Renters, Sufra, Brent CAB, Brent Council Hubs and many more.

 

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Community Ripples

We’ve found that our creative and wellbeing participants and self-advocates created many community ripples of their own. They positively influence the public, staff and customers of  partners below in their own way, changing views and defying stereotypes, one ripple at a time.  

 

  • CREATE Arts

  • Camden Arts Centre

  • Kiln Theatre

  • ActionSpace

  • Brent Police

  • Brent Disability Forum

  • Brent LD Partnership Board

  • Local Councillors

  • Brent Start, Adult Education

  • Millennium Day Centre

  • Brent Safeguarding

  • Numerous care providers

  • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

  • Brent Health Matters

  • Brent Black Music Centre

  • Flower Friends

  • Sensoria Arts

  • NHS in Brent

  • Twining’s Enterprise

  • RESPOND

  • Thames Reach

  • Brent Mutual Aid Gardening Group

  • University of Surrey

  • Woodfield School

  • National Poetry Library

  • Brent Libraries

  • Track Academy

  • TfL

  • Royal Mencap Network

 

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Accessible Information /Digital Exclusion

Many older and disabled people we know are not as digitally confident or aware as other sections of the population. Many do not want to be either. This digital exclusion was highlighted through the Covid pandemic. Many still prefer information and support  in non-digital, accessible paper formats and through human contact. For this reason, we provide paper-based information, leaflets, and are reachable by phone or if people call at the office. 

 

We raise the need for accessible information continuously at regular strategic meetings with Brent Council and partners throughout 2023-2024. Discussions took place about how to reach out to marginalised, hard to reach groups. We stressed the need for simple, easy to read paper information as well as digital resources.  However important letters and information about care packages ,charges or cuts sent to people with a learning disability are still never written in easy read formats nor accessible in any way. 

Brent Mencap
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