Building Connected, Inclusive & Resilient Communities

Adur Voluntary Action (AVA) and Community Works (CW) have joined forces to launch ‘Communities Together’, a new project to help build connection and belonging across Adur and Worthing. The ‘Communities Together’ project brings together diverse communities, local groups and organisations to share knowledge, build stronger connections and strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Funded by the Adur & Worthing Councils’ Thriving Together Grant Fund, this project and event will provide opportunities to connect, share experiences and learn from one another, while exploring how inclusive practice can become part of everyday work. 

Together, we’ll build the skills, confidence and partnerships needed to create safer and more welcoming spaces, and support positive change across our communities.   

We welcome all Adur and Worthing VCSE organisations to take part and help shape a more inclusive, connected and resilient community.

The event will also include a delicious free lunch, providing a great opportunity to connect, share ideas and build relationships with others across the community.

Special Guests: 

• Ben Dew of Allsorts Youth Project has led lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, or exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity (LGBTQ+) Awareness Training for over 12 years. He will lead an ‘Introduction to LGBTQ+’ session to help you better understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and the related terminology.  Ben aims to create a safe learning environment where people can ask  any questions .  Participants report feeling more confident in supporting, and being an ally to, LGBTQ+ people after these sessions. 

• Esteem will run their ‘“Beyond one size fits all – Working together with young adults to create inclusive environments’“ session. This will explore:  fostering environments and practices which build connection and belonging with young adults; understanding the breadth of neurodiversity and exploring accessible communication and participation and building together as a tool for inclusion. Esteem work with young adults to support lasting self-esteem and stronger communities through group activities and one to one sessions.  
• Black Anti-Racism Community Organisation (BARCO) will run their: ‘Leading with Joy: What Black-Led Community Work Can Teach You About Belonging’ session. BARCO is an organisation built on a simple but radical idea: that joy and celebration are themselves tools for inclusion and resistance. This session introduces BARCO’s ‘joy as resistance’ approach and unpacks how it shapes everything from event design to everyday service delivery. BARCO will share what’s worked and what hasn’t in getting Black communities to walk through the door and stay engaged. Participants come away with a fresh, practical lens on accessibility that goes beyond compliance and into genuine connection. 

Additional information

• Our Code of Conduct: Your knowledge and skills are highly valued and respected by Adur Voluntary Action and Community Works. In turn, we’re committed to providing spaces and services which are enjoyable, informative and look after the wellbeing of all our members, our guests, our staff and our volunteers. Our Code of Conduct sets out how we can best achieve that together.
• Venue accessibility: The event is taking place in the The Barn at Southwick Community Centre. The venue is wheelchair friendly, is wheelchair accessible and has a hearing loop. We’re also providing a prayer room. Finally, there is an accessible toilet and both gender neutral and gender specific toilets within the venue as well as parking spaces for blue badge holders.

If there is anything else that would help this event to be more accessible for you, please let us know on the booking form or get in touch with Magda: magda@communityworks.org.uk

• Shared information: You can also find translated versions of this web post and other accessible formats by clicking the person symbol in the bottom right corner of our webpage.
• To enable as many VCSE organisations as possible to have the chance to attend, places are limited to 1 person per organisation, unless spaces are still available nearer the day.

For more information about this event contact: Magda Pasiut: magda@communityworks.org.uk 

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!