Jargon Buster

We try not to, but as in any other sector we do use a lot of jargon and acronyms. 

Below is a guide to help you out with the more common ones.

Community group

A Community Group is a group of people who come together to pursue a common cause or interest for the good of their community. This community can be a geographic area e.g. Dalston or a group of people, e.g. Somalis. They are often run by volunteers, manage themselves and many have a management committee or set of rules, although they don't necessarily have to.

CVS

An acronym for Council for Voluntary Service - a type of charity in England and "the place where local voluntary and community organisations speak to each other". They offer a wide variety of services and support for local organisations, for example training, or advice on funding. CVSs are generally in areas with a local Council including London boroughs.  The CVS for Hackney is Hackney CVS - see below.

CYP

An acronym for Children & Young People

Floor Target

Minimum standards set by the government for improvements in deprived areas, covering five areas: unemployment, crime, education, health and the environment.

GLA

Greater London Authority

Guiding Principles

Code of conduct produced by Team Hackney for partnership board and sub-group members.

Hackney Community Empowerment Network - CEN

A group of representatives from Hackney’s thriving voluntary and community sector, whose role it is to support the voluntary and community sector to participate as fully as possible in decision making and shaping local services.   

Hackney CVS

Hosts the CEN, employs the staff team and Hackney CVS staff provide additional support to the CEN, providing grants to local community projects and networks and training, hosting local events and providing information about Team Hackney. Visit www.hcvs.org.uk for more.

Housing Association

Non profit landlords providing housing to people in housing need. Housing Associations registered with the Housing Corporation are given the official title, i.e. Registered Social Landlords (RSLs).

LGBT

An acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender.  If LGBTQ - the Q stands for Queer.

Local Area Agreement - LAA

A three-year agreement setting out what the priorities are for Hackney.  The agreement is developed by Team Hackney and other local partners and endorsed by the Government Office for London.  The LAA consists of outcomes, indicators and targets aimed at delivering a better quality of life for local people through improving performance on specific, agreed local priorities.

Local Strategic Partnership or LSP

Initiative in every local authority to develop partnership working between public agencies, voluntary groups and business and to  deliver public services more effectively.  In Hackney, the Local Strategic Partnership is called Team Hackney

LBH

London Borough of Hackney or Hackney Council

Mainstreaming

Realigning the allocation of mainstream resources - such as the police and health services - to better target the most deprived areas.

Primary Care Trust - PCT

These are local health bodies that are responsible for providing primary and community health services.

PIE: Performance Intelligence and Equalities

Steering Group for Team Hackney - oversees the work

RASM

An acronym for Refugee, Migrant and Asylum Seeker

Sustainable Community Strategy

The plan which local authorities are required to prepare for improving the quality of life for local people, i.e. improving their economic, environmental and social well being and by which the councils are expected to co-ordinate the actions of the public, private voluntary and community organisations that operate locally.

Team Hackney

Hackney’s Local Strategic Partnership which brings together senior people in all the main public sector agencies in Hackney – the Primary Care Trust, the Council and Councillors, the Police as well as local housing associations, regeneration and education agencies, the probation and fire service as well as the business sector and employment agencies. It delivers local priorities through the Hackney Local Area Agreement, a three- year strategic work plan agreed with Central Government and the Hackney Community Strategy.

Tenants & Residents Association (TRA)

An organisation run by and for tenants and leaseholders of council and social landlord-owned property. It usually is a community sector organisation that operates on a not-for-profit basis.

Thematic Partnership

The five themed boards that make up the family of Team Hackney (LSP) partnerships.  Members represent the statutory, private and voluntary/ community sectors. 

Voluntary sector

Although both self help and community organisations are voluntary organisations the term Voluntary Sector usually describes the network of larger organisations, many of whom will have a policy remit. Such organisations often have a strategic or advocacy role. NCVO describes voluntary organisations that are: formal (have a constitution); independent of government and self-governing; not-for-profit and operate with a meaningful degree of volunteer involvement.

Voluntary and Community Sector - VCS

The name used to describe organisations that are neither public or private sector. Voluntary organisations are typically larger and unlike community organisations may not be rooted in one individual local community. Voluntary sector usually describes the network of larger organisations many of whom will have a policy remit. Such organisations often have a strategic or advocacy role. NCVO describes voluntary organisations that are: formal (have a constitution); independent of government and self-governing; not-for-profit and operate with a meaningful degree of volunteer involvement.