CSJ Alliance News 15 April 2011

The CSJ Alliance Conference 2011 took place on Tuesday 29 March, hosted by Microsoft. The one-day event was packed with seminars aimed at inspiring and equipping delegates.  It brought together 130 representatives from some of the UK's most effective local 'poverty fighting' charities and social enterprises, with some travelling from as far as Belfast, Exeter and Glasgow.

The purpose of the day was to encourage CSJ Alliance members and give them practical tooks for engaging with policy-makers and politicians at both a local and national level.  Speakers at the event included Rt Hon. Frank Field MP, Cllr. David Parsons CBE (Leader of the Leicestershire County Council) and Philippa Stroud, Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.  Alliance members Patrick Regan, CEO of youth and hang charity XLP and Gracia McGrath OBE, Chief Executive of children's mentoring charity Chance UK, also spoke.

Further seminars on fundraising, branding and presentation were extremely popular and focused on the impact charities can have on policy-makers, how to win over local government, and how to approach and keep hold of funders.  Delegates were also given the chance to guide and challenge the direction of the policy work of the CSJ through a series on dynamic breakout sessions in the afternoon.

Enthusiasm ran high throughout the day as delegates had the chance to meet others working to tackle the same social problems from across the UK. Networking, collaboration and the sharing of ideas were central to the day.

Many thanks go to Microsoft for kindly sponsoring the event.    

Thank you also to all our speakers and to each of our Alliance members who came to the event and made it such a lively and interesting day.