Who we are
The Equalities Coalition is a network of VCS organisations, groups and individuals formed in 2006. It represents seven diversity groups or "strands": children and young people, disability and deaf, religion & belief, gender, older age, race and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
A Management Group oversees the Coalition's work and implements the Equalities Coalition Action Plan (2007-10) . The Management Group is made up of:
- representatives from within all seven equality strands across the North East. Each strand is led by an organisation, which aims to strengthen the work done in that area as well as promoting work between equality areas.
- a Chair team, who help to ensure that the Coalition is meeting it's wider aims and objectives. You can contact the Chair team at chair.equalitiescoalition@gmail.com
The Equalities Coalition Has been responsible for a number of projects:
- Coalition for Action on Diversity & Equality (CADE)
- Capacity Building & Voice Task Group
- Equality Advocates Action Learning Project June - August 2009
The North East boasts the first coalition of its kind in the country, which has grown over the last four years to support the voluntary and community sector.
The ChangeUp programme in 2004 funded a group of pioneering organisations to work collaboratively and establish a new initiative which we now know as the VCS Equalities Coalition. It is a successful example of pump priming funding for capacity building.
The project has led to vital support for organisations to network. The Regional Infrastructure Consortium has continued to prioritise funding for the coalition and has shared learning with partners and other funders.
Significant investment from the regional development agency, One North East, has seen the coalition develop and grow over the last three years. The VCS Equalities Coalition is an effective mechanism to achieve a collective voice and affect policy making in the region. The coalition is working collectively to achieve agreed tasks within a three-year action plan.