Third Sector
Introduction
In West Yorkshire the PCC Mark Burns-Williamson has developed a strategic approach to engagement with the third sector. The sector is defined as the voluntary, community, faith based and social enterprise organisations that operate on a not-for-profit basis.
The PCC made a commitment to engage with the third sector at a strategic level when he was first elected in November 2012. In 2013/14 he provided continuation funding to the West Yorkshire Safer Communities Network to continue the work initially undertaken by Voluntary Action Leeds. He also appointed a Third Sector Adviser, on secondment from VAL, who started work in January 2014.
Third Sector District Networks
Since 2016 he has provided grants to five infrastructure organisations to maintain safer communities' networks at district level. Current grants awarded will run until March 2020.
District networks provide support and opportunities for local networking, as well as assistance with Safer Communities Fund bids. The lead organisation and individuals for each network are as follows:
| District | Lead Organisation |
| Bradford | CNET |
| Calderdale | NBF |
| Kirklees | Third Sector Leaders supported by Volunteering Kirklees |
| Leeds | Voluntary Action Leeds |
| Wakefield | NOVA |
Third Sector Advisory Group
The PCC has a Third Sector Advisory Group whose remit is to:
- advise the PCC and his office on issues of policing and crime from a sector perspective
- advise on the sector's existing and potential role in delivery including collaboration, commissioning and grants
- promote a thriving third sector in West Yorkshire maximising its contribution to the outcomes of the Police and Crime Plan
- advise on a programme of work to inform the sector in West Yorkshire about the work of the PCC and his office and provide opportunities to influence it
- advise and assist in raising the profile of current third sector contribution to safer community outcomes and stimulating further contributions
The West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, is looking for new representatives of the Third Sector to join the Third Sector Advisory Group. To find out more about recruitment read the document below.
Conferences and Reports
The PCC has held an annual conference aimed at the third sector throughout his two terms of office. The first took place in Leeds in 2013 and since then has been annual touring the districts of West Yorkshire.
Early Intervention and Prevention - Leeds - 15 November 2018
The PCC's sixth annual conference will took place on Thursday 15 November at Leeds Civic Hall, Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 1UR, a short walk from Leeds Train Station. It was organised by the PCC in collaboration with Safer Leeds, Leeds Community Safety Partnership.
The topic for the conference was early intervention and prevention, increasingly recognised as the key challenge in our joint efforts to keep West Yorkshire safe and feeling safe, and to reduce crime.
Participants heard from a range of perspectives on the challenges involved and barriers to be overcome to make early intervention and prevention a reality, including from service users, the third sector and the public sector.
PCC's Third Sector Conference - Halifax - 9 November 2017
The conference was a unique opportunity to engage with both the PCC Mark Burns Williamson, and for the first time at this event, Dee Collins the Chief Constable. The theme of the event is working with the police.
The conference heard about the Chief Constable's vision for policing in West Yorkshire, and discussed how the sector can contribute to a truly inclusive approach.
Working in groups, the conference discussed realistic scenarios developed specially for the conference that the Police have to deal with in their day to day work, and how better working relationships with the sector could help both to prevent them but also how they are dealt with once they happen. The scenarios covered domestic abuse, hate crime, mental health, re-offending and human trafficking.
It was attended by over 130 people from over 90 organisations.
PCC's Third Sector Conference - Wakefield - 21 November 2016
The conference was arranged in conjunction with the Wakefield Community Safety Partnership with a key theme of service user involvement.
The aims of the conference were:
- To enable a wider third sector audience to engage with the PCC.
- To receive a report about the work of the Third Sector Advisory Group.
- To discuss the role of sector in promoting the involvement of victims and offenders in the design and development of services.
- To support the development of district based third sector networks.
It was attended by over 140 people from over 80 organisations.
PCC's Third Sector Conference - Textile Centre of Excellence Huddersfield - 14th December 2015
The aim of the event was to bring together a wide range of people from the third sector - defined as voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise - with three aims:
- To receive a report about the work of the PCC's Third Sector Advisory Group
- To discuss new developments designed to deliver the outcomes in the Police and Crime Plan
- To review two years operation of the PCC's Safer Communities Fund
It was attended by over 80 people from all over West Yorkshire.
PCC's Third Sector Conference - Bradford City Hall - 3rd February 2015
The aim of the event was to bring together a wide range of people from the third sector - defined as voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise - to hear a key note speech from the West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson; to receive a report back about the work of the Third Sector Advisory Group; to discuss a range of issues arising from the work; and to focus in on engaging with service users and other communities whose voices are seldom heard in the criminal justice system. Over 70 people attended the conference from across West Yorkshire.