Introducing Better Connect
This is our first video for our new channel – Better Connect.
It features our Chief Officer – Sam Alexander – and gives a brief welcome and outlines some of the exciting changes
Transcript of video:
Introducing Better Connect
Hi, I’m Sam Alexander and as the CEO of Better Connect, it’s my great pleasure to tell you a little bit about us…
Better Connect exists to create and facilitate better connections across our region so that every person can thrive in their life and work. Building on our strong track record as Your Consortium, we are excited to move into the next stage of our evolution as a company and are delighted to share with you how we’re changing.
Why the sudden change?
For us, this has very much been an evolution – a gradual change that is now culminating in the launch of Better Connect. We have been looking at the needs of our programme participants, partners, sector and region and asking “could we be adding even more value?” We’ve examined our strengths and the things we’d like to build on as well as looking at things we want to do differently.
So what’s changing?
The most obvious change is that we have a new name, a new look and a new modern and intuitive website that should be much easier for partners to use. But that’s only the start. Following overwhelming demand from our partners, we have set up a regular newsletter where we will share new opportunities, ways to engage with our programmes and inspiring stories of lives transformed. Make sure you sign-up if you haven’t already as this is the best way to stay connected.
In 2021, we launched two new programmes that are focused on supporting people to thrive at work; our aptly named Thriving at Work and our Kickstart programme. We will continue to grow and develop this new strand of our work, seeing progression into a job as part of the journey to thriving at work, rather than the destination. Working with our partners, we will also support businesses to create empowering and inclusive workplaces to help realise our vision of Yorkshire being a place where every person can thrive in their life and work.
We will also be building on our track record of leading high quality, cross-sector strategic partnerships. Since we were established in 2007, we have supported voluntary and community sector organisations to better connect with funding and new opportunities. We recognise the immense value that the voluntary and community sector are able to bring when we work together. We have also discovered the benefits of better connecting with other sectors; FE colleges, Local Authorities and small businesses and we’re keen to do more of this.
So what’s staying the same?
All the really important stuff! We retain the same company number and structure, registered office and all our phone numbers will stay the same. We retain our incredible staff team and committed Board of Directors. We will continue to deliver all our current programmes and work with all our existing partners. We will continue to represent the voluntary sector and the social inclusion agenda in strategic settings and to seek out new opportunities for partnership programmes. We remain committed to our 6 values of collaborative, empowering, fair, mindful, pioneering and hopeful. These continue to be the foundation of everything we do.
What next?
If you haven’t already, I invite you to explore our new website, where you’ll find a lot more information about Better Connect and the opportunities we currently have available. Do sign up to receive the newsletter so you can stay up to date and connect with us on social. Whether you’ve been working with us for many years, or are newly discovering us now, we’re excited to connect with you.
