Partnership Working at its best!

Here at SoLO we love partnerships.  How right was John Donne when he wrote the poem “No man is an island” and we constantly see the benefits of linking with others to serve our local community.

The YAS Alliance met yesterday for their quarterly meeting to review the partnership work that is currently focused at the Meriden Adventure Playground in Chelmsley Wood.  Representatives from MAPA (Meriden Adventure Playground Association), Urban Heard, Gro-Organic and SoLO met together to reflect on the first three months of activity funded by the Youth Investment Fund and the Big Lottery.

What a lot has happened!!!  We shared the work that Gro-organic are doing with young offenders, the provision that MAPA are providing for those not in education, the starting of the satellite youth workers who will be interacting with young people who don’t want to engage.  Urban Heard shared about the relationships they are starting to build with young people to encourage social activism and SoLO workers are excited about the new activities that are springing up for children with disabilities including a sleep over this weekend.

We are sharing training across the organisations, volunteers and expertise. MAPA has benefitted from the skills of Urban Heard with a fresh re-brand, SoLO benefitted from the skills of Gro-organic to help them upload evidence on the YIF Portal, all partners are benefitting from access to SoLO’s on-line training portal.  There was energy, fun and collaboration evidenced at the meeting and real excitement for the future.  This coupled with some connections being brought in with local businesses supporting this amazing provision in an area of great need – marvellous!