Second Sheffield People’s Assembly to strengthen accountability
Ellesmere Children's Centre in partnership with Operation Black Vote and The Humanity Project are inviting residents, community organisations, young people, practitioners, and civic leaders to take part in the second Sheffield People's Assembly on Race Equality on Saturday, July.
Taking place from 11am at Ellesmere Children's Centre, the Assembly represents an important milestone in Sheffield's journey towards racial justice. Building on the success of the first Assembly held in March, the event will bring communities and institutions together to move beyond consultation and towards collective action, shared leadership, and community-led governance.
The inaugural Assembly brought together participants from across Sheffield to review progress since the publication of the Sheffield Race Equality Commission's 39 recommendations.
While participants welcomed the Commission's ambition, many expressed concern about the slow pace of implementation, limited transparency, and the continuing gap between commitments and meaningful outcomes.
Dr Sharon Curtis OBE, Chief Executive of Ellesmere Children's Centre, said: "We've always believed that lasting change begins by bringing people together. We're proud to host this Assembly because it creates a space where communities and institutions can work side by side to build a fairer Sheffield. Real progress on race equality will only happen when we work together with trust, shared purpose, and a commitment to change."
Discussions highlighted persistent inequalities across education, health, policing, employment, economic opportunity, representation, and institutional accountability. The message from participants was unequivocal: communities want to be active partners in shaping change—not passive recipients of decisions made on their behalf.
In response, the second Assembly has been designed as a collaborative forum where residents, grassroots organisations, public institutions, and civic leaders will work together to identify practical priorities for the next 6–18 months. Through deliberative dialogue, participants will help shape a new model of community-led governance for Sheffield.
David Weaver, Chair of Operation Black Vote, said: "Communities have been clear: they want to move from being consulted to becoming genuine partners in shaping solutions. This Assembly is about creating the democratic structures that enable meaningful participation, shared responsibility, and stronger accountability."
A key proposal emerging from the process is the establishment of the Sheffield Race Equality Community Assembly Board—an independent, community-led body that will monitor progress on race equality commitments, strengthen accountability, build partnerships across sectors, and ensure communities remain at the heart of decision-making.
Moussa Amine Sylla, Senior Community Organiser, said: "For too long, communities have been asked to share their experiences without having real influence over the decisions that affect them. The People's Assembly is about changing that—building the structures that enable communities and institutions to share power, strengthen accountability, and create solutions together."