Hillingdon Association of Voluntary Services

The Children Youth and Families Forum (CYFF) is facilitated by Hillingdon Association of Voluntary Services. The work of the forum is supported and taken forward by the Childrens Services Development Officer. The CYFF exists however, for the voluntary sector as a whole and its decisions and actions are owned collectively by all members.
Aims of the Group. To enable all voluntary and community organisations working with children, young people and families to participate in planning, policy and development of services to children, young people and families in the Borough of Hillingdon.
To provide a forum for voluntary sector, users of services and carer representatives on local joint planning, policy and service development groups to exchange information and discuss issues affecting all groups. To share information, ideas and good practice. To enable voluntary sector, users of services and carer representatives on local joint planning, policy and service development groups to feedback information to other groups. These representatives can also obtain briefings for future meetings and have a responsibility to raise issues of concern at the relevant joint planning groups. To provide a forum for voluntary and community organisations to agree joint responses to local initiatives, and to take forward joint initiatives arising from the forum. To raise awareness within the voluntary sector, service users and carers of the key role of the voluntary sector in implementing the children, youth and families agenda. To raise awareness in the statutory sector of the key role of the voluntary sector in implementing the children, youth and families agenda.
Objectives of the group. The CYFF will:- Meet approximately every six weeks to consider local children, youth and families issues. Share and discuss information on national and local children, youth and families initiatives Nominate and support representatives to local joint planning, policy and service development groups. Receive regular reports from its representatives Promote the work of the voluntary sector in children, youth and families services. The Children’s Services Development Officer will hold an annual review to monitor the effectiveness of the group over the previous year and to agree objectives for the future year's work.
Membership of the group. The CYFF is a consortium of local voluntary and community organisations working with children, young people and/or families groups or issues. It aims to ensure that its membership is as inclusive as possible and it hears and promotes the voice of the sector as a whole.
Membership is informal and is open to all voluntary and community organisations working in the Borough of Hillingdon or with Hillingdon residents in the field of children, youth and families issues. The voluntary sector representatives on the joint planning, policy and service development groups. Users of services and carer representatives on joint planning, policy and service development groups.
To join the CYFF it is only necessary to fulfil one of the above criteria. Organisations should request that their name is added to the mailing list. In the event of a vote on an issue of significance, every organisation will be deemed to have one vote. If you wish to join the forum please contact Fiona Millar, Children’s Services development Officer on fiona@havs.org.uk or 01895 442929 In a recent survey of voluntary groups, those who attend the forum reported that the forum was valuable to voluntary groups, information discussed at the forum informed them in their organisations and helped their organisations to develop. Groups also appreciate the forum because it helps them to network and make valuable contacts, they have an opportunity to raise issues of concern and share ideas and feel less isolated in their work.

The Next Forum is 23rd September 25th November at the Key House at 10am