HEAR runs and is involved in a number of projects that help bring members together.

Bridging Divides

Funded by City Bridge Trust, aims to bridge the divides between sectors, different parts of London, specialist equality and non-equality groups, user led and grassroots groups and larger London wide organisations.

It enables their voice to be heard and influence key decision makers, bringing member priorities to key statutory sector bodies, including those working on London's response and recovery from Covid 19 and the Building a Fairer City programme.

Health equality is a main focus and includes HEAR organising events where members are able to meet and hear from senior colleagues within decision making bodies for example Greater London Authority (GLA) and London public health bodies.

The project is also instrumental with HEAR's core activities of building and maintaining the membership, network, steering group and in organising and distributing bulletins and newsletters.

Stronger Voices

Funded by Trust for London, aims to support members to effectively campaign together and have their voices heard by decision makers simultaneous to increasing impact of user led groups and experts by experience.

The project works around specific themes which includes working with the Home Office to improve support for disabled refugees and asylum seekers, digital exclusion, impact of covid 19 and cost of living crisis and financial hardship.

The project includes working with partners to achieve results, for example with Age UK London on widening social tariffs to increase access to broadband and phones for low or no income families, and with Superhighways to develop campaign videos on digital exclusion.

Within this project HEAR coordinates a Digital Inclusion London Network in order to share knowledge and learning on tackling digital exclusion, facilitate connections, plan campaigning and raise awareness across all sectors of the needs and priorities of digitally excluded Londoners. 

Other examples include, working with the Greater London Authority to distribute leaflets in the community, using HEAR’s membership, to improve access to information on support during the cost of living crisis

Partnership Projects

HEAR is currently partnering with two projects led by Superhighways: Digital Foundations, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, and Datawise London, funded by City Bridge Trust.

Digital Foundations

Digital Foundations is a 5 year project focused on basic digital and tech infrastructure skills to support small charities and community groups run services and reach their communities.

Datawise London

Phase 2 of Datawise London is a 3 year programme exploring and developing systems, resources, tools and communities of practice for small charities to help them collect and use data effectively to better support communities.

Co-production on funding design

HEAR is currently co-producing on funding design and implementation with funders such as London Funders and City Bridge Trust.

Inclusive volunteering:

Over the years promoting inclusion, diversity and accessibility in volunteering has been an important strand of collaborative work for HEAR.

Examples include working with Lewisham Volunteer Centre, Greater London Volunteering, London Plus and Race on the Agenda.

Current work includes a research partnership project, funded by Spirit of 2012, looking at inclusive practice within disability and volunteering.