Drive to involve families in making change

Efforts to support families get involved in system led change and amplify their voice heard are being championed by 'What Matters To You' working in partnership with Dundee City Council. 

The Children, Families, and Communities Committee will note the achievements of the first year of the What Matters to You (WM2U) 2024 - 2026 Partnership Plan and discuss the priorities for the next two years. 

Since the plan's launch, several actions have taken place to strengthen engagement with the local community. One example of this is the creation of the "Guid Stuff in Kirkton" video, which was created to highlight local voices and encourage greater participation from the local community. 

In addition, WM2U worked in Ardler Community Centre meeting with families to encourage them to get more involved in the local community and voice what matters most to them. 

Charleston families have also shared their priorities, participated in training and now running their own family activities, which is core to the WM2U ethos of helping families do things for themselves, with the right support.  

The WM2U Partnership Plan has four core objectives : 

Work alongside families to co-produce and embed new ways of working and accelerate existing and effective interventions 

Scale the WM2U approach deeply across Dundee City Council  

Listen to the voices of children and families to increase investment in prevention and enable children to flourish within their own families

Redesign children's services locally and contribute to national policy implementation and shape nationally policy  

In the first year of the plan, money has been allocated to each Local Community Planning Partnership (LCPP) to be distributed in partnership with families on priorities they have identified. 

Looking ahead, the council will continue working with partners to gather data, evaluate progress, and identify areas for improvement to ensure the plan's success.  

WM2U is funded by The Hunter Foundation and BBC Children in Need. WM2U will have invested over one million pounds in its partnership with Dundee City Council by the time the work is concluded in 2026. 

Depute Convener of Children, Families and Communities Councillor Roisin Smith said: "We understand the importance of engaging with and supporting families as early as possible.  

"To create meaningful, impactful interventions, it’s key that children and families have a voice, so we can tailor our approach to what truly works for them. 

"This plan will allow us to work with partners across the city to drive change that will allow families to thrive in their own homes."

The Children, Families, Communities Committee will meet on Monday 28th October.  

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