Each year the ECHF coordinate a minimum of 8 Forum Meetings. Agenda items from members tend to lean to one of two main themes: funding (in all forms) and evaluation. In 2020 the focus was somewhat different due to COVID-19 pressures. 

The National Agenda (of community action) is covered by CHEX regularly. Members regularly showcase their organisation and services to encourage collaboration.  

In addition we invitee a number of guest speakers to talk about topics to support members such as: Voluntary Sector Forums, Social Prescribing, Third Sector Volunteering Strategy, ASH Scotland's Charter for a Smoke Free Scotland, Cancer Support Scotland.  

Within 2020 there were nine leadership development opportunists with an average attendance of 17 members. These were organised as per members needs from the Annual Survey and ongoing dialogue. 

Topics over the past year included:

• Getting the most from your board
• Transition Planning
• Planning Post COVID
• Collective Evaluation 
• Action Learning Set 3
• Equality and Diversity
• Using Outcomes to address Health Inequalities
• Managing Change 
• Leading Culture

In previous years the opportunities have covered:

• Having Difficult Conversations
• Equality and Diversity
• Business Planning and Strategy
• GDPR
• Defusing Conflict
• Corporate Partnership
• Contracts and Written Statements
• Food Hygiene 
• First Aid.

Since late 2019 there was a shift change in the training strategy where we shifted to leadership development' of the members themselves; rather than their staff teams. 

Moving into 2021 we are focusing on digital training, due to the ongoing nature of third sector work seemingly for the foreseeable adopting a somewhat blended approach between 'real life' and 'online life'. 

Further, we also provided subsidised coaching to the group, ran two rounds of Action Learning sets  and designed and delivered a bespoke leadership event. This was in conjunction with a high profile local organisational development consultancy specialising in health inequality and community work.

In our annual survey we asked the following question: 

"The Forum aims to provide relevant, co-ordinated tailored training, support and information to your organisation." 

1. 93% of members rated us 'Very Good' to 'Excellent'. 
2. 80% of respondents had attended at least one development opportunity over the year, with all of those believing they were valuable to their organisation.

Some of the things our members say about us: 

Forum members are a mix of charities, SCIOs and social enterprises. The forum membership has increased year on year since 2017. Membership currently totals 41 organisations, which is a 33% increase since 2019/20.  They vary in size and by location across Edinburgh. Whilst the exact work they do varies, all members work using a community development approach to address health inequalities. Some areas where work may happen are: healthy eating, social isolation, mental health, digital inclusion and building community capacity. 

To promote good engagement - both with members and with key stakeholders in the communities - the forum made a move to rotating the meeting venue. Average meeting attendance has steadily increased; from 14 in 2017 to 16 in 2018 and 20 in 2020. During 2020 we made a move to online meetings which may also have contributed to the increased numbers. 

A regular newsletter is sent out. During 2020 this was read on average by 80% of members. This is a high uptake by comparison to the wider sector. Additionally, the new website (launched in late 2018) allows us feature articles worthy of sharing to the wider network and allows both us, and our members, to raise their profile and work. During 2020 there were 1928 unique visits which is an increase of 40% on the previous year. 

In terms of social media, twitter is our most active channel. Follower growth rose 46% to 400 in 2020. This is likely to do with the increase engagement on the channel since there was an increase of tweet volume by 36%. Facebook has been a less popular channel but could pick up with more resource should that be helpful to the membership. 

Each year the annual survey highlights which areas the membership feel that we do well and would like us to focus on for the coming year. In 2020 our top three were: 

• Communication
• Networking
• Championing Health Inequalities work

Peer Support, Professional Development, Championing a Community Development Approach, Strategic Influencing and Evaluation also rate highly. 

The lowest three which potentially requiring some attention from the board are; 

• Visibility
• Policy Development
• Research

Here is a snippet of feedback from one of our newer members: 

"I wanted to 'Thank You' for all your help and support this year especially. Little groups like us with just one member of staff ie. me, really needed the support and you guys were truly a Godsend"

Members engagement continues to rise which is evident by increasing numbers at meetings, an increase in collaborative work with each other, the number of requests and informal feedback the team receives and continued participation in our annual survey. 

Here is what some of our members say: 

"The Forum has provided support to us as an organisation in so many ways: communication; information; evaluation and grant applications not to mention peer support.  I think the network and help provided is invaluable - particularly for a small organisation such as ours."

"I feel the Forum is the most beneficial meeting that I attend thoughout the year."

"ECHF is an essential service for all managers of projects addressing health inequalities, particularly helpful for new managers."

Keeping in touch with the membership is vital in linking members together for various reasons, including sharing of resources. Often organisations are busy with service delivery and not able to look at the wider network. The forum team quickly made the decision to rotate the venues for meetings since this would provide members to connect and share work and this has proved successful with an increase in meeting attendance and 74% of members wishing this to continue. 87% of members reported that they felt (strongly or somewhat) that they received collective support from the forum and forum staff. This is reflected in qualitative feedback also: 

1. "I find the peer support and networking opportunities fantastic within the forum"
2. "Stephanie-Ann and Grace are a welcoming, flexible and supportive working partnership who have increased the Forum's profile, updated the Social Media side of things and offered a really inclusive and collaborative approach to all members."
3. "Thank you to you both for really trying to understand and develop the forum to make it easier to engage and develop working relationships with others.  Both your passion, enthusiasm, skills and knowledge have shifted the way I think about the forum and engage with it."

The day to day work within 2020 changed somewhat with the pressures of COVID. However the ECHF team organised drop in sessions as well as securing some rapid funding to distribute to members. The team keep track of meeting attendance and set up dedicated opportunities to catch up with those who have not made it along in a while or are disengaging. 

As part of our Annual Survey we ask the members directly:  'Do you feel that the forum give you increased knowledge, confidence and skills to effectively manage your organisation?'

• 73% say that the feel strongly about this whilst 13% think this is somewhat the case. 

We receive informal feedback often after a meeting or event which we collate. One such example is here: 

Here is a further snapshot of what our members say:

"Thank You for all that you provide. I think the forum is proactive and thinks of unique, sustainable solutions to issues that exist across a lot of its members"

"Thank you for training and support my organisation and I received this year. It was exactly what we required."

"You are doing a really great job keeping us all informed and linked in."

"I think you are doing a great job - excellent training programme, well run meetings and an obvious commitment to doing the best you can to support organisations in the Forum. "

"I really appreciate the information you send us which keeps me up to date."

"Just a quick note to thank you for arranging the training yesterday - it was excellent!  Seems a really good idea to provide training as a partnership approach. Also wanted to say your leaflet looks great - so informative and colourful!"

"Thanks for all the information. It was clear and concise and easy to read. Really didn’t take long and very informative."

Meetings are held regularly and agenda items are set by the current landscape and member priorities, to remain pertinent and relevant.

Prior to 2017 much of the agenda could be fairly insular, focussed on the work of the members themselves. Whilst this is certainly interesting, it was not the best use of time and expertise in the room and so there has been a shift to talking at a more strategic level.

 Agenda priorities over 17/18 included the new locality structure, GP link workers and the changing grants landscape. The latter in particular led to more discussion and work around how organisations business plan, strategise and evaluate. 

Into 18/19 the focus on grants continued and we invested a lot of time into evaluation and in particular a collective evaluation framework. Other relevant topics during this year included settled status, funding streams, community planning. winter pressures and the restructuring of public health.

19/20 took us largely into COVID territory and the ECHF was a reliable communication channel at a frenetic time. Over this year the focus was on PPE, carers, emergency food provision, HR, the furlough scheme and to carry out a collective COVID response evaluation. 

We asked the members  how they felt about the following statement: 

"The Forum gives strategic insights and confidence to help me advocate for my organisation / communities I care about"

1.   73% felt strongly and 13% felt that this was somewhat the case; a sharp rise on the previous year's figures. 

What members say: 

• (we are) "better informed on health inequalities issues and organisations/ policies tackling these in Edinburgh"
• "I feel much more infomed about health and social care integration and the Funding Review. This enables me to speak with confidence and authority at local meetings and to keep staff informed." 
• "The forum helps me because there is such a mixture of organisations and strategic leads at the table and I find it really current, on top of the issues. I feel like I am getting strategic and planning information in a timely fashion and that isn’t the case with other forums."
• "Discussions at forum meetings on strategic developments has widened my knowledge and influenced my thinking & decision making regarding development within my organisation "

Over the past year, many of our member organisations had to collaborate in order to respond to COVID. 87% agree that "strong and enduring partnerships can be formed within the network." 67% feel strongly that this is the case which is compared with 35% the previous year. 

When we asked what organisations had done differently as a result of the forum; here were some replies:

• "The forum has provided professional development, personal support and peer connections at the most crucial times."
• "ECHF opportunities have given me an understanding of (other member) challenges and scope to do more joint working"
  
• "Yes, the ECHF has strengthened partnerships, it is great to connect and share common issues / be inventive" 
• "The Forum has created the opportunity to develop partnerships with other organisation or in areas where didnt happen previously. Also created the opportunity for 1:1 support between members."
• "We work in partnership with The Health Agency to increase physical activity levels across South West Edinburgh. This enables us to work at strategic level."
• "Partnership working with another organisation would not have happened without being a member of the forum."
•  "ECHF is a way to connect with peers to get and give support"

We asked our members how they felt about the following statement: 

"The ECHF can help me to plan for the future and take action to improve my effectiveness"

• 93% of respondents agreed, while 67% felt that this was strongly the case; an increase of 24% on the previous year. This in an encouraging trend which could be attributed to our continued focus on funding, evaluation, partnership working and leadership development.

We also asked our members how they felt about the following: 

"I feel that the ECHF gives me increased knowledge, confidence and skills to effectively manage my organisation"

• 87% agree and 73% felt that this was strongly the case.

We hosted bespoke leadership development opportunities again in 2020. Focussing heavily on leading culture and managing change, they aimed to provide a forward thinking toolkit to leaders. Some example feedback can be seen on the informal post it notes captured between two sessions:

When asked directly if the leadership development provided tools for the future, the answer was overwhelmingly 'yes': 

• Yes, going to try to use 6 month plan and learn and hopefully use responsibility chart to many delegated tasks
• Yes, plenty of change tools
• Yes, loved the true north. Thinking through paradox and balance
• Yes, I have planned actions for nearest month and will be able to use some tools in the future
• Change framework. Self care tools. V interesting reading
• Yes, exercises, thought processes, time line. 
• Yes, advice from others in the team
• Yes many, all will be revisited. Thanks for the handouts. 

Some more general member feedback over the year included:

• "Thanks to the training I was able to plan better for the future of my organisation."
• "We have reviewed our recruitment approaches as a result of the forum training, really helpful."
• "We adapted our evaluation accordingly within the organisation as a result of the forum."
• "The ECHF supported me in the development of a communications policy and new website as well as embracing the use of social media.  I also attended when I was managing a project that wasn't in receipt of HI funding but was able to secure funding when the fund reopened to new applicants and I feel our membership of the Forum was key to our success."
• "We evaluate our services differently as a result of the forum."
• " I was much more relaxed about GDPR and the grants process and used the training and sessions to support my staff better"

During our annual survey 80% felt that member organisations are stronger, more resilient and more sustainable as a result of being a member. All of our members agree that the ECHF provides a mechanism to share resources and work more efficiently.  

Some comments included:

• "The leadership development session reduced my anxiety and gave me a host of several tools"
• "I am a better leader/manager at a time of change as a result of formal and informal support I have received via the Forum"
• "We are always stronger together - ECHF provides joint information, voice and presence for community health initiatives in the City. Our organisation very much values the forum and its work on behalf of our organsiation and others."
• "I have felt the work of this forum around GDPR and the Grants process in particular has been invaluable; not only in aiding my understanding but supporting me with anxiety in task that can leave you quite isolated as a leader, where you are expected to have all the answers."
• "As a result of the ECHF we have stronger procedures and practice in terms of HR and data protection"
• "The ECHF has created the opportunity to develop partnerships with other organisation or in areas where didnt happen previously."
• "I believe that the Forum has developed into an essential and invaluable support for all of the members. There has never been better relationships with funders in my 10 years experience of being part of the Forum. Given the funding climate at the moment the Forum provides managers with an opportunity to share experiences and support each other. Many members have said to me how valuable the Forum is to them.."

Data collected here forms part of the wider HI evaluation piece of work and includes case studies from the communities themselves. 

What follows is a small snapshot of some comments from member service users:

• The help from FreshStart allowed Luke to settle into his new home and the volunteers benefitted from feeling more connected to their community, developed skills and gained confidence in interacting with others.
• “My life has changed hugely since joining HAR. My life feels like it is on the path I was side tracked from.  I have gained my self worth and confidence again. I would never have thought my life would be so good one year ago. HAR are such a joy to volunteer for.”
• "I can honestly say that without the support of the team of professionals I was fortunate to meet during the past year I could not have embarked on the journey of healing and can now look forward to the future. HAR is a key example of how professionals, organisations, agencies, community support groups, medical and legal professionals can work together to support people in need."
• “I enjoyed walking back home along the canal, which I didn't do before the challenge.  Taking part raised my awareness of my fitness level and encouraged me to be more active, which has continued after the challenge."
• "What helped me as a person to overcome my fears were the various trainings that were held at NKS about how to handle fear, stigma, and the possible challenges one could face, and how to stand up to them.  It was all very educational. During the confidence building class I heard of stories of how people overcome their issues that relate to fitting into society, so yes, all helped. Now I see life from a different perspective."
• "I used to cook ready meals and convenience food all the time; it wasn’t very healthy and it was expensive too. But then I joined the cooking classes at Fresh Start. They really helped me plan my meals and make my money go further – I am now spending a lot less on my messages.  I buy and cook more vegetables and I am a lot more adventurous with my food choices."
• "If I couldn't work out with my baby at the buggygroup I then I would definitely be less active as childcare is hard for me to find."
• "BuggyGym has helped me physically and my wellbeing, it motivates me and gives me a positive outlook. I have noticed my strength has definitely improved. I am a lot stronger and I have more stamina. It has really benefitted me , I feel so much fitter and stronger and positive."
• This project has made a huge difference to me and my family s health, in the weaning classes I have not only learned about weaning but about different healthy foods and how to cook them. The recipes were very tasty and all the family enjoyed them. The knowledge gained in the class is very valuable to my family's health and I am glad I had the chance to attend those classes in my community."