Terms of Reference

MEMBERSHIP

Before you fill in the application form, please study the terms of reference first!

1. Membership of the Network will be open to any group that falls into one of these categories:
   1. Chinese voluntary and community groups whose services & membership cover at least one London borough.
   2. London-based national or regional Chinese voluntary organisations who carry out a substantial proportion of their work in London.
   3. Projects that are set up by mainstream voluntary or statutory sector to cater for the needs of the Chinese community in London.
2. To become a Network member, you have to:
   1. Demonstrate that your group are democratically managed and accountable to your service users or the groups you represent or support.
   2. Be committed to the aims of the Network.
3. Membership of the Network will be by a written commitment to the aims of the Network from any groups in the above categories.
4. As a Network member, you will:
   1. Receive a Funding Bulletin monthly giving you up-to-date funding information and tips.
   2. Be invited to attend three tailor-made Funding Application Workshops organized for you. All of these workshops are free for members.
   3. Receive a certificate of Network membership and a copy of COMPACT - BME Organisations Code of Good Practice. This can instil confidence to funders and other partners.
   4. Be invited to attend and have your views represented at consultation meetings arranged by policy makers, funders and regional networks.
   5. Have the right to nominate and vote for Steering Committee members and the right to guide the implementation of the works of Network.

AIMS

5. The main aims of the London Chinese Community Network will be to:
   1. Respond to policies. The Network will consider all policy developments which affect the Chinese voluntary and community sector in London and the users of London voluntary and community groups, organise debates and consultations, and draft responses to these policy developments.
   2. Advocate effectively for the sector. The Network will work to ensure that the sector is recognised and consulted by policy makers. It will seek to articulate the grassroots' voices of the Chinese voluntary and community sector and to influence the agenda across all policy areas which influence or impact on the sector and its users.
   3. Unlock further funding for the sector. The Network will work to ensure that information about funding opportunities is made widely available to its members and other Chinese voluntary and community organisations in London, and that they have access to technical support to develop quality funding applications.
   4. Improve the effectiveness of the sector. The Network will work to ensure that Chinese voluntary and community organisations in London are able to compete effectively in a competitive funding environment through capacity building provisions.

CONSULTATION PROCEDURES

6. By joining the Network, groups will be kept informed about emerging issues and policies. Network members will be able to indicate the issues and areas that they wish to be consulted on and involved in, to participate in organised debates and consultations, and to request that a debate or consultation on issues that are of concern to them be organised.
7. The Network's policy responses will be developed through involving members in debates and consultations, which can take place at conferences, through working parties and via postal surveys. Feedback and information on progress will be disseminated through regular newsletters to members. The Network will organise all these processes.

INITIAL ESTABLISHMENT

8. An initial Network Steering Committee has been established to oversee the implementation of the works of the Network until the membership recruitment process is well advanced and a broadly representative Network can make democratic decisions on its priorities and the election of the Steering Committee.

MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

9. Network members will elect the Steering Committee on an annual basis.
10. The Forum's Manager and Network Co-ordinator will be members of the Steering Committee. In addition, Network members will elect between 8 to 12 ex-officio members to the Steering Committee at the first General Meeting who will meet on a regular basis to prioritise issues for debate, schedule consultations and reports, approve Network policy responses and ensure that Network members' issues and concerns on policies are being addressed.
11. The Steering Committee will take responsibility for organising the sector's input where policy makers and civil servants ask for a swift response on urgent developments. It will act as a signposting service, directing enquirers to specialists and experts, and where necessary, act as spokespeople for the sector.
12. The Network should ensure that membership of the Steering Committee is representative of issues and interests affecting the Chinese Community in London.

ACTIVITIES OF THE NETWORK

13. Meetings of the Network will take place periodically.
14. Network members can propose other activities for the Network if the need for these becomes apparent.

THE ROLE OF THE CHINESE IN BRITAIN FORUM

15. The Forum will initially host the Network and will provide premises, resources and management to the Network until such time as the Network is sufficiently established and funded to consider being independently located. If appropriate, the Network will establish a separate legal identity.

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(These terms of reference has been discussed, finalised and approved in the Chinese Community Liaison Group Meeting on 25 April 2001)