Agenda Item 3.i
Hackney voluntary and community sector
strategy: outline actions
Adopted by Team Hackney, Hackney Local Strategic Partnership
NAVCA & HCVS
March 2011
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Agenda Item 3.i
14th April 2011
Team Hackney Board
Voluntary Sector Strategy: outline actions
Summary
This document follows a series consultation activities and reports about developing a Voluntary
and Community Sector (VCS) strategy for Hackney. The document proposes four key themes
for partnership working between the Council, Team Hackney Partners and the VCS, and sets
these in the current policy context.
Under each theme, headline actions are then suggested, which will be taken forward by officers
in the Performance, Policy and Delivery Division in London Borough of Hackney, working with
HCVS. The four themes are:
1. Building a sustainable sector
2. Bringing public & voluntary services closer together
3. Increasing community engagement and VCS involvement in delivery of the Sustainable
Community Strategy
4. Building support to the sector and valuing its work
Actions required by Team Hackney Board

To consider the four key themes, in the light of the current policy context and to discuss and
agree whether these are the right four themes for partnership working between the VCS
and Team Hackney partners.

To agree the headline actions under each of the four themes, and to task Performance,
Policy and Delivery Division officers to work with HCVS to develop detailed work plans
under each theme. These work plans would inform both the third sector priorities for the
PPD division and the contract deliverables for HCVS for 2011/12 which are currently being
scoped.
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Agenda Item 3.i
Introduction
Hackney CVS and Hackney Council have been working, along with their partners in both sectors,
to develop a voluntary and community sector (VCS) strategy which sets out a vision for voluntary
organisations and community groups in Hackney.
NAVCA, the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action, has been commissioned by
HCVS to develop the Strategy, which will be ultimately owned by Team Hackney who make
strategic decisions about the provision of local resources. The strategy will need to take a longterm view, setting out a 10-year vision for voluntary organisations and community groups in
Hackney.
This document proposes four key themes for partnership working between the Council, Team
Hackney Partners and the VCS, and sets these in the current policy context. Under each theme,
headline actions are then suggested, which will be taken forward by officers in the Performance,
Policy and Delivery Division in London Borough of Hackney, working with HCVS.
A vision for Hackney’s voluntary and community sector
“A responsive, effective, inclusive and aspirational voluntary and community sector that
works in partnership with people and organisations across the borough to improve the
quality of life of local people.”
In developing the vision, strategy and action plan we have identified the following priorities for
action to realise the vision for the VCS:
1. A positive approach to exploring new ways of working and developing the sector
2. Sustainable funding that gives the stability to plan and the freedom to deliver new and
innovative services that meet the needs of everyone in Hackney
3. Premises and accommodation that provide organisations with the facilities they need to
provide quality services and develop closer partnership working
4. Strong sector leadership
5. High quality evidence of need and impact to ensure that services are meeting the needs of
Hackney’s communities
6. An inclusive and flexible approach to partnership that builds on successes and brings in
new partners and is able to work together effectively to meet the needs of local people in a
time of economic recession and change.
Team Hackney and its partners are committed to making this vision a reality, but it needs to be
more widely shared if we are to make progress. We have developed an action plan that we hope
will start to make the vision a reality. In order to implement the above priorities officers from across
the public sector bodies will need to examine the draft strategy and suggest actions which each
agency can support the implementation of.
Relations between public bodies and the VCS in Hackney are well established; the Green Flag
award for Hackney’s Compact is testament to this. HCVS is a strong umbrella organisation, with a
track record of supporting marginalised communities to develop grassroots projects, and also plays
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Agenda Item 3.i
host to the Community Empowerment Network, which provides an independent voice for local
organisations to input into the Local Strategic Partnership’s priority setting and decision making
processes.
Hackney has developed a range of partnership initiatives that benefit from having the VCS at their
heart. As a result the VCS is playing its part in transforming adult social care, developing new
commissioning arrangements, tackling youth crime and domestic violence, promoting economic
development and reducing worklessness. The public spending cuts will put pressure on local
partnerships. This makes it particularly important that the Council and other partners see real value
and benefit in their relationship with the local VCS and are able to work productively with the sector
to provide workable solutions to local priorities. Equally, the VCS need to demonstrate the positive
impact their partnership contribution will make. The current economic challenges will affect all
sectors, so managing the spending reductions in a way that protects the most vital services will
require a strong partnership approach. The sector’s infrastructure organisations will need to help
the sector to engage and deliver ‘more’ or at least ‘as much’ with less public funding. This includes
attracting external funding, developing local delivery consortia and advocating for the continuation
of grant funding.
The funding environment means that tough decisions will be necessary and priorities will need to
be set. It is suggested that local VCS priorities might be:


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Services and work that meet Hackney’s identified key priorities (preventative as well as
reactive services).
Support to small organisations that are important to the diversity of Hackney but struggle to
obtain funding .
Support to services and projects that support the whole VCS or a substantial part of it
(Hubs, funding advice and capacity building support).
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Agenda Item 3.i
Implementation of VCS strategy: Outline actions
This outline plan proposes four key themes:
1. Building a sustainable sector
2. Bringing public & voluntary services closer together
3. Increasing community engagement and VCS involvement in delivery of the Sustainable
Community Strategy
4. Building support to the sector and valuing its work
1. Building a sustainable sector
Funding for local VCS organisations is becoming more limited, more focussed and favours larger
organisations. With the loss of the Area Based Grant many funds either available to the VCS
through competitive tender, or through dedicated grants programmes have disappeared including
elements of PAYP programme and the whole of the Team Hackney Community Grants
programme. Commissioning of the third sector is improving and more in line with Third Sector
Commissioning Strategy and COMPACT principles but there is more work needed to streamline
and simplify processes, understand local need, communicate better with the sector about
commissioning, develop a diverse provider market and horizon scan to better plan future
commissioning processes. To keep the sector healthy and able to respond to the new funding
challenges the action plan needs to be focussed in a way that utilises existing structures such as
local VCS provider networks and commissioner networks. It also needs to recognise that consortia
and sector partnerships for delivery are complex, time consuming and resource intensive. Similarly
where commissioning is targeted at the VCS, commissioners need to ‘explore the provision of
multi-year funding wherever appropriate and work to join up different funding streams’ in
line with the Hackney COMPACT principles.
Grant funding makes a valuable contribution to supporting a diverse sector serving local residents.
‘A responsive, effective, inclusive and aspirational voluntary and community sector’ needs a
grant funding base in order to attract external funds to the Borough and to become more
sustainable. We need to explore new sources of grant funding , creating interest and enthusiasm at
the local level particularly generating employment and volunteering opportunities for local people.
Premises remain a key consideration for the VCS. The Hackney COMPACT contains a range
of key commitments to the sector including:
 Sharing premises between organisations, potentially including the development of serviced
offices
 Securing new premises e.g. through regeneration projects
 Potential for community management of public assets
In the changing policy context and the adoption of the Economic Development Strategy, the most
appropriate method of making progress in this area will need to be explored.
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Agenda Item 3.i
Key suggested actions
1.1 Increase external funding through Philanthropy and Charitable sources
These actions will include exploring how charitable giving is increased in terms of both financial
contributions (e.g. considering the feasibility of building a local endowment fund, supporting local
groups to access charitable funding), developing corporate social responsibility and in encouraging
local people to get involved as trustees.
1.2. Helping local communities develop and access sustainable accommodation
These actions would include considering the use of public sector assets, opportunities for colocation within the VCS and with public partners, consider the implications of the Council’s policy
on assets and explore the implications of new emerging government policy such as the Localism
Bill’s Right to Buy. The actions would also ensure the Compact principles in terms of premises for
the VCS are taken forward.
1.3. Work with commissioners to explore the potential for grants for public service delivery
This work would explore with local commissioners and other funders the need and potential for a
grants programme which would be distinct from the Council’s VCS Main grants programme for
local VCS groups to deliver Community Strategy priorities focussed on the most vulnerable
residents.
1.4. Strategically plan funding to the sector
These actions would support the implementation of the 3rd Sector Commissioning Framework
including reviewing investment in the VCS and how funding levels for this are set.
1.5. Responding to new agendas
This would involve developing a shared understanding of the policy agendas affecting the VCS and
the potential opportunities to support the sector – Big Society Bank, Community Organisers, Social
Impact Bonds, Right to Buy and Right to Challenge.
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Agenda Item 3.i
2. Bringing public & voluntary services closer together
The Council’s Corporate Plan includes a commitment to ‘bring service providers in Hackney
closer together to be more effective in delivery of services and outcomes for the residents
of Hackney.’ This is particularly important with reduced budgets across the public sector and the
need for greater effectiveness and removal of any duplication.
The spending reductions in 2011/12 have not really affected frontline services to a great extent in
the Council. However protecting frontline services will present a greater challenge in future years
as budgets reduce. The Council and LSP partners will be considering where the sector can
add value to public service delivery – it’s recognised that in Hackney this poses a range of
political, strategic and operational challenges. Over next six months it would be helpful to develop
a shared understanding about the impact of service cuts, where the gaps are and what needs to be
done to protect the most vulnerable.
The CEN/LSP event on the 9th February established the need to focus services on the most
vulnerable and to maintain a focus on Prevention and Early intervention. The LSP Thematic
Boards will be tasked with responding to the issues and suggested actions raised at the event.
This needs to happen alongside the Community Strategy refresh so that by autumn 2011 there is
clarity in preparation for budget setting for 2012/13.
Maintaining strong relationships between the sectors is critical and the VCS should be supported
to continue its critical friend role in Team Hackney through the CEN infrastructure. With new
policy agendas such as the Right to Challenge, it’s important all partners will want to ensure that
appropriate services are developed that are fit for purpose and offer best value in the short and
long term.
Umbrella bodies have a critical role to play in working with the Council and partners to develop the
capacity of the sector to explore this further and to establish where there is capacity and
willingness in the sector to play an enhanced public service delivery role. Developing the local
provider markets is a key element of this work to ensure that local community and voluntary
organisations can meet the requirements of commissioners and commissioning opportunities as
well as be supported to develop consortia and partnerships which provide the best outcomes for
local people. The key areas of health & wellbeing; education; children & young people; and
worklessness are areas where provider markets exist in the sector but need much more
support to be able to compete with national charities or the private sector.
Hackney has a 3rd Sector Commissioning Framework and set of commissioning principles. There is
some coordination of commissioning practice around adult social care/personalisation through the
Commissioning for Personalisation Group and also strategic leadership through the 3rd Sector
Commissioners network. Not all partners are yet engaged and we look forward to working
closely with those organisations to encourage and promote greater partnership engagement. In
order to ensure the COMPACT commitment to the sector around improved commissioning practice
more work is required to work across the public sector landscape to ensure these principles are
upheld.
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Agenda Item 3.i
Key suggested actions
2.1 Working together on key issues
Actions would ensure that the VCS works together with the Council and partners on the common
themes emerging from 9th Feb CEN/Partnership event and on the Community Strategy refresh and
would also review and consider where the sector adds value to existing public services and how
VCS engagement is developed. Work under this area would also consider the contribution of the
advice sector and of the needs of migrant and refugee communities.
2.2 Developing the VCS market and improving commissioning & contracting practice
There would be a broad ranging series of actions under this heading, building on existing work,
such as developing provider networks (e.g. supporting employment, health inequalities, children
and young people’s provision), encouraging the involvement of smaller local groups in provision
delivered by large contractors, preparing for personalisation and scoping and developing consortia
where they might add value.
The actions would also support the implementation of the third sector commissioning frameworkincluding working with commissioners to ensure they draw on the same evidence base, co-ordinate
or join up commissioning arrangements where possible, promote commissioning opportunities and
ensuring contracts are proportionate to the scale of delivery.
This work would also engage new commissioners (e.g. schools and GPS) and help them to
understand the VCS offer.
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Agenda Item 3.i
3. Increasing community engagement and VCS involvement in
delivery of the Sustainable Community Strategy
The Sustainable Community Strategy will be refreshed this year to reflect the new climate and
environment for public services. There is a need for LSP partners to engage residents in the
difficult decisions that need to be taken in reducing frontline services – hence the suggestion
of a Corporate Engagement Strategy which seeks to engage communities in key decisions
affecting them and utilises existing structures where possible. The Council’s new Corporate Plan
identifies the need to ‘seek community engagement in reframing public services in these tougher
times to ensure that together we are able to successfully achieve the outcomes in the Sustainable
Community Strategy’. It also suggests that the Council ‘champions and works with its strategic
partners and the third sector to promote a shared approach to reducing inequality and promoting
community cohesion’.
The VCS (especially the established CEN infrastructure and networks) is a gateway to many of
Hackney’s diverse communities and can provide important engagement mechanisms to support
partners in discussing where savings can be made without adverse impact on Hackney’s most
vulnerable residents. The COMPACT principles need to be looked at to reflect the current
challenges. Within the Council there are a range of service reviews underway, some of which
involve the VCS in discussions. These reviews will set the context for future commissioning and
are an opportunity to establish which communities need particular development support and what
services need to be continued or enhanced because they play an important long term prevention
function. The Community Cohesion review has established some key challenges and focus for the
Council and LSP about community engagement and inequalities. We all recognise the
importance of community and citizen engagement strategies taking into account diversity
and the dynamics of population change and turnover in Hackney.
3.1 Build on the Compact principle to ‘Undertake effective community engagement to
ensure Hackney is meeting the changing needs of local communities’ and mainstream
resources targeted at the people in greatest need
These actions would include scoping the development of a shared programme which improves
understanding and the capacity of local communities who are vulnerable, especially mobile
communities not currently represented by mainstream community organisations, supporting the
engagement and quality of local community networks, facilitating representatives of the CEN and
identifying parts of the voluntary and community sector where community development support is
most needed in line with a focus on the most vulnerable communities.
3.2 Explore the development of a Corporate Community engagement strategy that:
These actions would identify the shared goals and priorities between the Council and the VCS,
developing and strengthening community engagement.
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Agenda Item 3.i
4. Building support to the sector and valuing its work
Much of what is being proposed in this strategy cannot be done without appropriate support to the
Third Sector, especially smaller organisations and those serving particular communities. The
pressure on the sector to demonstrate its effectiveness is increasingly important in an
environment of shrinking resources but there are not widely used tools or mechanisms to
do this. Similarly there is recognition by many organisations in the sector of the need to work more
closely together in order to become more sustainable. There are many established fora and
consortia approaches that local organisations can be part of. We did not find much evidence of
duplication but there are many opportunities for the sector to work more closely in partnership on
key themes and service delivery. It’s important that the sector is aware of the opportunities to work
more collaboratively and has the tools and expertise to do so and to evaluate their impact. This all
poses challenges to umbrella bodies, particularly, who have less resources to support the sector.
The work of the VCS is sometimes misunderstood and undervalued. Equally the
independence of the sector is vital to maintain as public and voluntary sector provision becomes
closer.
The VCS in Hackney is a major employer. Hackney based organisations employ almost 12,000
people but over half of these are in organisations with an income over £10 million and these people
are not necessarily employed in Hackney. However estimates of the number of sector employees
in Hackney are between 6,000 and 7,000 people. The sector also has a key role in developing the
skills and helping people into employment. Volunteering can be a key way of developing
employability skills and more than 30,000 people in Hackney regularly volunteer as active citizens.
There is a real need to ensure that workers are appropriately trained and have access to
development opportunities. There is also an opportunity to explore and develop a more coordinated approach to recruitment between the public and voluntary sectors.
4.1 Agree a clear and consistent approach to measuring the sector’s value and impact that:
These actions would scope out an approach for measuring the sector’s value that could be used
by large and small organisations, would be applicable to all activities, was proportionate to the
amount of public funding received, allowed comparison across sectors, and was based on a clear
understanding of funding aims, objectives and outcomes for people supported.
4.2 Helping the sector to build their capacity and connectivity
These actions would develop the support services needed for the sector within HCVS and umbrella
organisations, building on existing services, and drawing on existing resources. The services
identified as required include

Business planning support for social enterprise, income generation and asset development
activity

Brokerage support for groups wishing to develop service delivery partnerships and
consortia linked to existing provider networks and fora
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Agenda Item 3.i

Support to new community organisations, groups and informal networks and networking
opportunities for small groups based on theme and locality

Capacity building for local organisations to help them monitor and evaluate their work

Support with marketing of services offered by small groups
There would also be an exploration of how public and VCS organisations could better share
training and workforce development resources between the VCS and statutory partners.
4.3 Celebrating the role, impact and diversity of the VCS
These actions would explore ways celebrate the role of the sector, community champions and
active citizens as well as developing accessible intelligence and data about the sector. in terms of
– its capacity, investment (public and charitable), its impact and contribution to public life
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