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Principles met

  • Co-production

    We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

  • Enterprise and social economy

    We will promote community-based approaches to economic development that focus on supporting the creation of jobs, social enterprises and other businesses and providing an environment for co-operative and mutual enterprises to thrive.

  • Innovation

    We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.

  • Learning

    We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects and approaches in order to encourage broader application of co-operative principles within individual member Councils and across the Network.

The Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) has been established for over 30 years and was one of the first inter-agency groups in Stevenage. It brings together organisations from across the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector, alongside the local authority, to address social exclusion and support residents facing economic inequality.

The partnership has always emphasised practical collaboration, information sharing, needs identification, awareness-raising, and the development of joint responses to local issues. This includes joint projects, shared research, and providing a space for partners to coordinate activities and learn from one another.SIP meets monthly and agrees its priority areas each year through consultation with members, ensuring its work remains relevant and locally driven.

Why Formalisation is Being Explored
Prior to Covid, there were early discussions about formalising SIP’s structure. The intention was to strengthen partnership working, improve access to funding and create a more sustainable model for collaboration.

Following Covid, this became a clearer priority. With support from Stevenage Borough Council, an officer was assigned to work with SIP and explore different incorporation options.

This work included:

  • consulting members on their views and ambitions
  • researching different models, including CICs, social enterprises and co-operatives
  • sharing findings and gathering feedback through the partnership.

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