The Fit for the Future strategy was developed in 2003 following extensive consultation with all the partners involved in the initiative. This ongoing collaborative approach ensures the strategy is relevant to all the partners, with a strong commitment to ensure that it is continually reviewed and updated in light of new information.

A voluntary and community engagement event was held which gave the sector the opportunity to contribute to the development of the themes and to consider how Fit for the Future could support the work of the sector and how the sector could support the Fit for the Future agenda.

The information gathered through the various consultation events, which included the voluntary and community event, time-out sessions with key partners and community summits were used to determine key priorities that were used to commission some initial areas of work. The commissioning process was an open and transparent process, which gave the voluntary and community sector equal opportunity to put forward their proposals to deliver work against the identified priorities.

A ‘developmental commissioning’ process was also used to commission work around community development and health and services targeted specifically at young people. This process involved the voluntary and community sector and young people themselves working with service providers to identify the specific problems they face and how services could be developed to address these problems. Work is now underway which ensures that the voluntary and community sector and young people are actively involved in service planning and delivery.

Consultation is an ongoing process for Fit for the Future and is integral to the way the strategy is developed and integrated. Individual projects within Fit for the Future carry out specific consultation during the project development stage and as part of the ongoing monitoring and evaluation process.

A programme of presentations was given to various ‘boards’ to explain about Fit for the Future and presentations continue to be given on an ad hoc basis to various groups such as staff groups within the PCT, Community Partnerships, Area Forum meetings, Community Summits at which people are encouraged to participate or become involved in Fit for the Future and provide any comments or suggestions or raise any issues that they feel Fit for the Future could help to resolve.