Event: Leading in Learning Lunchtime Seminar

This free lunchtime workshop is for Trustees and Leaders of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) training and learning providers operating in the North West of England.

The aim is to provide a legal and policy overview in order to inform effective leadership and governance.

This is a partnership event between VSNW, the NW Association of Colleges, and Bates Wells & Braithwaite consultancy and legal practice.

Leading in Learning - Agenda

12.00-  Lunch and networking

12.30   Welcome and introductions – Warren Escadale, VSNW Chief Executive

12.40   Julian Blake, Partner and Joint Head of Charity & Social Enterprise, Bates Wells Braithwaite

Legal high-level overview of the roles and responsibilities of leaders and trustees of learning and training providers. On booking, participants will have the chance to shape content. The intention is to look beyond the basic principles of governance, and the tendency to highlight risk, to a balanced perspective highlighting the proactive aspects of leading a learning provider.

1.40     Q&A

2.00     Richard Caulfield, Director NW Association of Colleges, and Warren Escadale

The VCSE training and learning provider landscape is undergoing yet another fundamental shift. This session will provide an overview of the developing policy context looking in particular at the challenges and potential opportunities.

2.40     Q&A

3.00     Close/Informal discussions about next steps

Address: Warrington Gateway, 85-101 Sankey Street, Warrington Wa1 1SR, 27th March 2017, Noon-3.15pm

To book for your place go to http://bit.do/LiLLs

New report - Independence in Question

Independence in Question is the fifth annual assessment of the state of health of the voluntary sector, following on from the final report the Panel on the Independence of the Voluntary Sector published in February 2015. The report was published by Civil Exchange with the support of the Baring Foundation and the Lankelly Chase Foundation.

The report warns that the independence of the charity sector is at a five year low, leaving an unhealthy imbalance between community, private sector and state power and the sector in a critical position, and it calls for united action by the voluntary sector to stave off potential further threats.

The report also highlights how the new ‘no advocacy’ clauses in all taxpayer funded grants announced in February 2016 mark a key shift in the balance of voices shaping public policy. The input of grass root and expert voluntary organisations ensures all voices in society can be heard, the report argues, and is especially important at a time of massive changes in services and benefits. It documents a range of challenges that are weakening the voluntary sector including unsupportive statutory funding and contracting arrangements, and challenge to the independent purpose of some charities caused partly by commercialisation which may affect the distinction between the sector and the private and public sectors.

Link
Independence in Question: the voluntary sector in 2016

VSNW and Compact Voice survey into cross-partnership working

Last summer, we conducted a short survey looking at cross-sector partnership working in the North West, in association with Compact Voice. We are now asking VCS organisations to complete a follow-up survey to assess if the level of partnership engagement has changed.

The five minute survey has seven questions and it will provide us with a valuable insight into the extent to which charities are engaged in the commissioning of public services, and how they are working with different commissioning bodies.

Commissioners include not only local authorities but also newer bodies such as Clinical Commissioning Groups, Police and Crime Commissioners and Local Enterprise Partnerships. The results of the survey will help us to identify the changes to partnerships with these bodies and the continuing support and guidance that is required to further improve their effectiveness.

The survey is available via the following link - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KPWVSX5. The deadline for completing the survey is 5pm on Wednesday 6th April.

VSNW sign letter to the Prime Minister on anti-advocacy clauses

Along with over 140 other charities, Voluntary Sector North West have signed a letter to the Prime Minister to express concern about the proposed 'anti-advocacy' clause that the government is proposing to include in new grant contracts from 1st May 2016.

More details about the proposed new clause can be found on the GOV.UK website - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-new-clause-to-be-inserted-into-grant-agreements. The exact phrase reads:

"The following costs are not Eligible Expenditure: Payments that support activity intended to influence or attempt to influence Parliament, government or political parties, or attempting to influence the awarding or renewal of contracts and grants, or attempting to influence legislative or regulatory action".

Many other groups have expressed concern about the impact of such a clause on the important work that many of us do in helping to inform government policy. Some of the details are still unclear about how the clause will actually work in practice.

The letter and full list of signatories can be found on the NCVO website - https://www.ncvo.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/1249-charities-letter-to-the-prime-minister-on-anti-advocacy-clauses-in-grant-agreements

NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans - NAVCA Briefing

NHS England requires every area to produce a Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) as part of the NHS Five Year Forward View. This presents a great opportunity for local infrastructure. STPs are local blueprints that every part of the country will need to produce for “accelerating its implementation of the Forward View”. The “most compelling and credible” STPs who will receive the earliest additional funding will be judged on the reach and quality of the local process, including community, voluntary sector and local authority engagement.

NAVCA have stated that a lot of members are finding health and CCGs an increasingly important source of support for local charities and community groups. If this is the case for you, no doubt you will already be involved in developing STPs. However, there are members who tell NAVCA they are struggling to get heard. STPs may give organisations a new opportunity to develop relationships with the partners in their local health and care system – as they will want to show they are engaging with the voluntary sector. The briefing will give an overview of STPs and suggest ways you can make the most from this opportunity.

Link
NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans briefing

Locality and NAVCA Devolution Principles

Locality and NAVCA, together with their members in West Yorkshire, have produced a joint publication which outlines a set of five key principles that should underpin devolution

Devolution promises an opportunity to reimagine our economy, public services and democracy. Not only can it revive England’s local economies, it can also give people the power to transform their public services and improve where they live. There are well established voluntary and community sector organisations in every part of England that can help devolution achieve this.   

However, devolution has so far failed to involve people and communities. A top-down approach to devolution risks creating new layers of sub-regional decision makers that push influence, power and resources further away from people and communities. 

This is why Locality and NAVCA, together with their members in West Yorkshire, have developed a set of five key principles which should underpin devolution.

Key principles of devolution:

1. Creating a social economy. Devolution is an opportunity for creating an economy that works for the people in it, strengthening communities and prioritising social justice.
2. Representation of the voluntary and community sector within new leadership structures. Devolved structures should give local people a strong voice through their voluntary and community groups.
3. Ensuring accountability through effective community engagement. Strong and identifiable accountability to ensure power structures are responsive to the needs of communities.
4. Decisions taken at the most local level appropriate. Decision making and spending powers should be at the most appropriate local level, with devolved rights and responsibilities on managing budgets.
5. Working with local organisations to transform public services. Devolution is a key opportunity for public service innovation through local commissioning and delivery.

Using these principles to shape devolution in your area

In areas where devolution deals have either been announced or are expected, community-led organisations and local infrastructure charities can help involve local people and influence processes locally.

Some areas are running consultations on their deals such as the Sheffield City Region, which is currently seeking submissions. In Leeds, Voluntary Action Leeds organised a devolution roundtable for the local voluntary and community sector where the Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, Tom Riordan, spoke about these principles of devolution.

Voluntary and community sector organisations can use these principles as a framework for local discussions or in submissions to consultations on devolution for their area. They know that the picture is mixed in terms of engagement with voluntary and community organisations, which is why having a coherent message across the local voluntary and community sector is really important.

Local authorities can use these principles as a starting point for conversations with local voluntary and community sector organisations.

Devolution will deliver more for people and communities if it strengthens their involvement in local decision making. Working with local voluntary and community sector organisations is essential to making this happen.

More information can be found on the Navca website - http://www.navca.org.uk/blog/view/realising-the-revolution-

Collaborative Working: The Third Sector and the University of Liverpool

Knowsley CVS, other Merseyside social sector organisations and the University of Liverpool recently held a forum to discuss how the VCS and the university can collaborate more.

This collaboration could be;

• Developing joint research projects
• Adding skills and capacity to organisations using students whilst providing real work experience.
• Helping academics with their own thought leadership about major issues facing the sector.

Karl Wilding, Director of Public Policy at NCVO, suggested his own ideas about some of the big issues facing the sector where research and evidence could help and the rest of the session focussed on feedback from the sector advising the university on how it could make itself more accessible to the social sector, not least better communication about what is on offer and how /who to get in touch with.

Also, Knowsley CVS recently took advantage of a Knowledge Exchange programme with the university to carry out research into social value in Knowsley and they are in regular dialogue with all the local universities and Knowsley CC about volunteering opportunities for groups. A link to the social value report is attached below.

Link

Get Real - Social Value at Work in the Heart of Knowsley

Voluntary Action Oldham and CVAT to merge

At their respective AGMs in October, the members of both Voluntary Action Oldham and Community and Voluntary Action Tameside voted unanimously in favour of merging their organisations

The reasons for this decision were both financial and to help increase the future viability of the merged organisation. The major source of income for both organisations are the local authorities and therefore, with the increasing pressure on their budgets, there have been implications for both Voluntary Action Oldham and CVAT.

The Case for Change document (attached below) gives further information about the background to the merger. It is expected that work will now be undertaken until March 2016 to map out what the new organisation will look like with the aim to formally merge in April 2016.

Link
The Case for Change

VSNW Conference - VCSE Review

We would encourage everyone to contribute to the VCSE Review before the deadline of 6th November. The chair of the review, Alex Fox, spoke about this at our recent conference and AGM and a video of this speech is now available

Alex Fox