CDP Network Event, 25 January 2022
Cambridgeshire Digital Partnership (CDP) kicked off the New Year with their first Network Event. It was a great start, with over 30 attendees ‘in the room’ from a range of organisations, including the Princes Trust, NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust, It Takes a City, The Red Hen Project, Department for Work and Pensions, Cambridgeshire Skills, Connecting Cambridgeshire, and Trussell Trust
The event also welcomed guest presentations from Eliza Ellis-Hyman, Skills and Business Engagement Manager for Growth Works and Amos Akinwale, AEB Programme Officer for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Eliza spoke to us about Growth Works connecting learners and employers with opportunities that enable growth, and Amos shared information on funding and adult digital skills training.
What you told us
This first event acted as a starting point, to find out more about what organisations want from the network. CDP gathered this information by asking attendees three questions.
- How does your organisation come across digital inequality?
- What would you like this network to achieve?
- What would you like from future meetings?
The Steering Group categorised the ideas, feedback, and thoughts shared during these discussions into themes, to highlight shared priorities, goals, and concerns.
This has informed the partnerships delivery plan for the year ahead, summarised into the following 10 Action Points.
What CDP will do 2022/3
- Deliver quarterly network meetings with opportunity for supporters to give updates, hear from guest speakers on best practice, work together to create resources and promote digital inclusion.
- Set-up and maintain internal and external information sharing platforms for network members to communicate with each other and to raise awareness of their work.
- Make a communications pack to raise awareness of the partnership and incorporate this into the welcome to supporters.
- Work in partnership to seek funding and explore options for an external directory that maps digital services in the city and county.
- Deliver virtual CambsDigi conference in line with Get Online Week October 2022.
- Build connections with businesses, primarily through Steering Group connections and host a themed event as part of the conference.
- Deliver a communications plan to support network meetings and advocate beyond supporters.
- Explore and apply for appropriate funds to pay for CDP administration.
- Continue conversations about organisation structure, applying for charity status when appropriate.
- Deliver annual review of network through evaluation survey.
How will CDP bring people together?
The Steering Group have agreed that, for the time being, the partnership will remain under the umbrella of CCVS, and do not expect to introduce a membership charge until April 2023. CDP will encourage interested organisations to join as ‘supporters’ however, at this point, anyone with a link to digital inclusion in Cambridgeshire will be welcome to attend a network event.
This will enable the partnership to facilitate connections across sectors.
CDP will develop this further by building a presence on Meet-Up, to reach individuals with an interest in digital, beyond the voluntary sector.
Benefits of becoming a CDP Supporter include
- Having the option of a static page on the CDP website.
- Contributing to and having access to an ‘updates’ document before and after network meetings.
- Being invited to a shared online platform to communicate with other supporters’ in-between meetings.
- Receiving a quarterly newsletter.
- Priority tickets to CambsDigi 2022 conference.
Excited about the year ahead!
Thank you to everyone already involved with the partnership, we are looking forward to the year ahead, building on what we’ve started by bringing people together to connect, communicate and champion for digital inclusion in Cambridgeshire.
Check out our new upcoming events page and book your place for the next Network Event.
Get in touch with any questions or to join as a supporter [email protected]
Connect with us on LinkedIn & follow on Twitter @CambsDigi