Our Vision & Mission
Our vision is to co-create positive change
Our mission is to build collectives of knowledge and practice - fostering unique networks and actions to effect real change towards better health and society.
We work with collectives of knowledge and practice to undertake projects related to health, social change and development. We bring together a diverse range of people to understand and address the health and social issues that matter to them. Then, build on what we learn to work together, advocate for, and action change – sharing our expertise and findings to inform policy and shape wider agendas.
Working creatively and collaboratively, we aim to work with a network of Associates, to deliver projects and commissions that make a difference to health and society.
We invest to increase impact:
We generate income and social value from commissions and re-invest in people and projects that further the aims of Vocal Collective. This could be, for example, through funding community-led projects, offering free development opportunities, and pro-bono partnering on specific initiatives.
With a shared passion for improving outcomes for everyone, it’s important for us to work with a wide range of people and to amplify voices that may have been ignored previously. This unique approach revolves around patient and public involvement and engagement, dialogue, co-production, asset-based and participatory methods. By bringing people together, we are creating more resilient, collaborative and relevant approaches to issues related to health and with the potential to benefit society more widely.
Our Story
Vocal Collective is a Community Interest Company (CIC) - a social enterprise. It has emerged as a 'sister' organisation to Vocal.
Vocal Collective was established in October 2023. Vocal has existed, in some way, since 2003. The creation of Vocal Collective is one of the outcomes of Wellcome Trust funding: Our Health, Our Voices. The aim of this funding was to support the development of organisations leading practice in the sector of engagement and involvement in health research, for them to diversify and mature into sustainable and agile entities.
As part of the ‘Our Health, Our Voices’ funding and objectives, a comprehensive options appraisal culminated in the agreement, with Manchester University NHS Trust (MFT), as the host organisation of Vocal, to establish Vocal Collective. Vocal Collective works as a separate but complementary initiative to Vocal, which remains as part of MFT.
Meet the Team
Director
Bella has extensive expertise in collective knowledge production and exchange. Her strengths lie in strategic thinking, planning and effective communication. With experience from roles in the NHS, academia, funding and policy, Bella combines a thorough understanding of research, health and co-production.
Bella Starling
Mark is an experienced CEO/COO spanning a range of industries. He has senior operational management experience in multinational healthcare organisations and executive level experience in SMEs. Most recently he was Head of Innovation at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), moving innovation to commercialisation. He has managed several innovative technology projects involving diverse delivery consortia including NHS and local authority teams, SMEs and large multinational commercial organisations.
Mark Claydon
Annie is a coach and creative leader. Her career includes academic research, working in the voluntary sector and ten years at the BBC. An experienced facilitator of co-production, she also leads large-scale public engagement initiatives bringing together science, culture and arts
Annie Keane