VCS Strategy Action plan – update report for the Voluntary Sector Liaison Group
Building a sustainable sector
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.
Work done to date
Proposed activities
By
Whom/Timescale
Hackney CVS is working across
London with other CVSs and LVSC to
adopt the United Way approach to
generate investment from donors and
large businesses though sponsorship,
payroll giving, and major gifts for
effective community led programmes
which address inequalities and are
delivered by local VCS supply chains.
Seed funding is sought from Big
Lottery Transforming Local
Infrastructure Fund. Target is to raise
£2.5m for London in 18 months
Hackney CVS has established the
Hackney Infrastructure
Partnership to bid for Lottery
funding to transform local
infrastructure support. Part if this
work includes developing new
sources of funding for the sector,
such as business donations and
payroll giving. It is proposed that
the HIP become part of the VSLG
to help steer a coordinated
approach to supporting the sector.
The 8 proposed outcomes are
attached
Hackney CVS and Council to work
on: a) exploring local giving
campaign, looking at Islington
approach
Hackney CVS and
HIP
Nick Hurd has written to Jules Pipe
about the £80m Communities First
Funding – letter attached. £30m is
available as grants for local
neighbourhoods. The following wards
will receive funding over the next four
years (Chattam £50,895, Dalston
£33,910, De Beauvoir £33,910,
Hoxton £33, 910 and Leabridge
£33,910). Decisions about these
grants will need to involve local
people, elected councilors and civil
society organisations.
1.2. Helping local communities
develop and access sustainable
accommodation
United Way London
(LVSC)
Hackney CVS and
Partnerships (LBH)
b) Communities First programme
– set up meetings with CDF and
Locality to take forward
£50m is available to help set up local
grant endowments to be long term
source of local grants
Council reviewing VCS Lettings LOLA
???
Hackney CVS setting up a new
Hackney CVS hub due to open in
March 2012
These actions would include
considering the use of public sector
assets, opportunities for co-location
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
temporary VCS hub which will benefit
smaller organisations who cant afford
to pay commercial rates or lease
whole offices. Will include
training/conference facilities, back
office support, online infrastructure
support and access to specialist
premises advice
Feb/March 2012
Grants a part of COMPACT
commitment and Third Sector
Commissioning Strategy which was
adopted by LSP in April 2012
Discussion with Commissioners
about applicability of grants
moving forward
Council currently reviewing Council
VCS Main Grants Programme.
Increasing level of small grants a key
consideration for future.
Council currently setting budget for
2012/13. True understanding of
impact of cuts on sector not yet
known – Dec 2011.
Need to have a specific meeting to
discuss likely impact on the sector
and how equalities can be
maintained
East London CVS Network have
produced an excellent summary of key
policy agendas – attached.
VSLG? Discussions about key
agendas?
CEN planning to hold meetings
around some of the key agendas
Council lead with
Hackney CVS?
Impact Bonds, Right to Buy and
Right to Challenge.
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
framework- including working with
commissioners to ensure they draw
on the same evidence base, co-
SCS Strategy underway
Hackney CEN has been engaged –
notes of meeting attached
Hackney CVS developing Special
Purpose Vehicle – leaflet attached
which will develop a bidding
partnership for large and small health
& social care providers to bid for local
authority and NHS commissioning
opportunities. Shadow Board has been
established. Target is to get 50 VCS
providers to sign up for membership.
Small providers can be ‘spot
purchased’ by the SPV so they don’t
have subcontracting burden. SPV will
be in place to bid for forthcoming
mental health commissioning. Project
will also be part of the Hackney
Infrastructure Partnership 8 strands –
see above.
Continue to raise awareness of
SPV and to start to prepare sector
for membership. Part of key role
for Hackney CVS and Interlink
(partners) will be to get the sector
fit for membership through a
dedicated support programme
Through HSCF, Hackney CVS is
working with NHS to look at their
commissioning programmes and to
VCS Fair for GPs, Commissioners
to meet with VCS providers?
Underway for next
24 months
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.
facilitate engagement between GPs
and the sector
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.
TO BE DEVELOPED
3.2 Explore the development of a
Corporate Community
TO BE DEVELOPED
Hackney CVS working on second stage
lottery application (Improving Futures)
which will provide a small resource
and focus for developing links with
local schools and the VCS – see
attached summary
engagement strategy that:
These actions would identify the
shared goals and priorities between
the Council and the VCS, developing
and strengthening community
engagement.
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
• Support to new community
organisations, groups and informal
networks and networking
Hackney CVS is supporting a range of
impact tools in the sector including
Project Oracle with Young Hackney
Hackney CVS will be using the NCVO
Valuing Infrastructure Tool to monitor
its impact on the sector with
partnership in HIP
Hackney CVS has established the
Hackney Infrastructure Partnership
(HIP) – see above. It is proposed that
members of this partnership are
invited to participate in the VSLG. Part
of this programme will be about
increasing pro bono support form City
Firms, a dedicated income generation
programme for local VCS
organisations, developing a
consultancy service so that sector can
purchase intensive support, moving to
online infrastructure support so that
groups can access support 24 hours –
this is also more cost effective – needs
to be tested however. Hackney CVS
has run a recent needs survey of the
sector which has raised some key
issues about helping the sector
If bid to Lottery is successful 8
priority areas/strands will be
delivered – see attached summary
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.
fundraise – survey results attached
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
Hackney CVS hosts the Annual Adiaha
Antigha awards for local VCS
organisations. The CEN hosts annual
CEN network awards. VCH hosts
annual volunteer awards.
Hackney CVS supporting a range of
consortia:
Special Purpose Vehicle – consortia for
health & social care providers
Economic Development Network – to
engage with PRIME contractors (A4E,
CDG, Prospects, Seetec etc)
Hackney CVS leading a consortia
around Improving Children’s Futures
Mayor Pipe has indicated interest
in hosting an annual event that
celebrates community
contributions. Scope to draw
together all currently awards into
one all singing and dancing
celebration
Council and
Hackney CVS to
scope