West Midlands
2.30-3.45pm
Room: G9A
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Supported by Power to Change, this energetic, participative workshop session will pick up from the themes of Grace Blakeley’s address, and look at how communities and strategic authorities can strengthen dialogue and co-design economic decision-making. Grounded in a shared belief that local people know their places best, we’ll bring together representatives from combined and local authorities with community organisations to reflect on both the value of- and barriers to- enabling people to have a greater say in policy making. Together, we’ll crowdsource practical solutions for more democratic local economies.
Speakers
Lauren Bond (Chair) is CLES’s Head of Delivery. She joined CLES in June 2021 as the Anchor Network Coordinator for Sandwell, where she was in charge of a partnership of Sandwell based institutions. Lauren led this partnership to work on the key areas of procurement and employment to shape the Sandwell economy, which included redirecting hundreds of thousands of pounds of public sector food and drink procurement spend back into the local economy. As Head of Delivery, Lauren continues to develop CLES’s work in the West Midlands and beyond.
Si Chun Lam is Head of Research, Intelligence and Inclusive Growth at West Midlands Combined Authority. An economist by training, Si Chun has coordinated research and transformation programmes in public health, social care, and education. Now working across the West Midlands, Si Chun is working to bring together the region’s approach to research, intelligence, analysis and data to create a more deliberate and socially purposeful model of growth that is created and shared across the whole population and place – leaving nobody behind.
Miriam Aslam is Inclusive Communities Lead at West Midlands Combined Authority. Previously, Miriam held roles at Age Concern Birmingham and the West Midlands Police Crime Commissioner. Miriam has experience in various roles such as Co-Director at The Real Junk Food Project and Operations Support Coordinator at The Prince’s Trust. Her diverse experience includes positions in community development, voluntary sector support, and business development.
Nora Young and Sarah Marlow are both members of SEND Seen, an organisation dedicated to improving provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Birmingham.
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