Ways to get involved...

How to get involved?

There are a number of external forums which enable local people to have an impact upon council policies and services in our work around equalities and diversity. These include the Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community Forum and the New Residents and Refugees Forum. For more information about these groups, please contact the diversity and equalities team.

Please see below for further information about the Forums:

Tower Hamlets Pan-Disability Panel (THPDP) –

The Tower Hamlets Pan Disability Panel (THPDP) provides deaf and disabled people and others interested in disability issues with an opportunity to shape local services.  These include housing, transport, education, training, employment, access to leisure, health and support services and many others.

The THPDP provides the Council and its partners with access to people whose lives are affected by disability, enabling them to listen to views and opinions when developing and commissioning services.

Members of the THPDP can commit to regular meetings where they discuss local disability related issues. Themed subgroups meet and work with the wider local community. The themed subgroups then make informed recommendations to the Council and its partners.  The subgroup themes are based on One Tower Hamlets and the Community Plan themes.

Members of the THPDP can also get involved in a way that suits them.  If they don’t want to make a regular commitment to meetings, other ways to get involved include email, telephone, postal survey and attending focus groups and events.

Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum (THIFF) –

The Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum in Tower Hamlets provides a great opportunity to celebrate the significant contribution that faith organisations have in the lives of people in Tower Hamlets, and has provided the space to identify how faith organisations can play an even bigger role in the future success of all communities who live and work here.

One of the most important roles of the Inter Faith Network is to facilitate better communication and understanding between the different faiths in Tower Hamlets. In the current international climate, this role is a vital one.

The Inter Faith Forum has set itself an ambitious agenda and to achieve this is working closely with a large number of faith leaders representing the broad range of faiths in the borough, the Council, the Police and local umbrella and network bodies.

For further information about the Forum please click here, Faith in Tower Hamlets

LGBT Community Forum –

The forum is for those who live, work, socialise, study or visit Tower Hamlets. The forum aims to offer LGBT community members a chance to meet local, pan London and national service providers and talk to them about what facilities they provide. This offers LGBT community members a chance to publicly question representatives from local service providers about their commitment to local LGBT communities.

For further information about the Forum please click here, Tower Hamlets LGBT

New Residents and Refugees Forum –

Allows new communities to have access to local policy negotiation and ensure dialogue between new communities and service providers. The forum is open to statutory services, third sector organisations, and direct community representatives.  

The forum will be chaired by the head of the Scrutiny and Equalities Team of Tower Hamlets Council, and will also include representatives from the NHS, Tower Hamlets PCT, Metropolitan Police, Housing Associations, and other public services. If you form part of a new community and would like to ensure they are represented or for more information on the New Residents and Refugee Forum please contact Alex Sutton on 020 7749 7629 or at alex.sutton@praxis.org.uk

For further information about the Forum please click here, Praxis

Women in Tower Hamlets Inclusive Network (WITHIN) –

The Women in Tower Hamlets Inclusive Network (WITHIN) is a network for voluntary sector women's organisations and women’s projects in London Borough of Tower Hamlets. These organisations play a key role in promoting women's involvement in community and public life.

WITHIN provides a vital point of contact for information, consultation and community involvement on issues of concern to women living in the borough. Membership is open to women’s organisations operating in LBTH.

For further information about the Network please click here, WITHIN

Contact us:

Scrutiny and Equality Team
Chief Executive’s Directorate
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG

Tel: 020 7364 5347