Voluntary

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Area Profiles

• Voluntary Community Sector Contribution

Emma Whittlesea, 16th May 2006
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(No Transcript)
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Main purpose of the VCS component

• To profile the local VCS to identify and describe
  the extent and contribution of the local
  voluntary and community sector to quality of
  life, outcomes for citizens and services in the
  area in context of partnership working and
  delivery
• To enable and inform the LSP and VCS to develop a
  strategy for securing and improving involvement
  of the VCS in a full range of activities
• To inform the LSP and VCS to co-operate on a
  strategy for capacity building of the sector in
  context of priority outcomes

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Final Guidance

• Getting to know your local voluntary and
  community sector A guide to Area Profiles
• Will be published by NAVCA and will be available
  from the 14th June
• Will cover
• Developing a directory of VCS organisations
  operating in the local area
• Carrying out additional research to collect more
  detailed information
• Mapping the local VCS

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Stage 1. Developing a directory of VCS
organisations

• Developing a baseline directory (or database) is
  really important (and most difficult and
  resource-intensive)
• A high quality directory will enable an overview
  of the shape, activities and potential of the
  local sector
• It helps place the VCS in context (how, for
  example, it compares with the sector in nearby
  local authorities or in a region is it larger or
  more diverse or better funded?)
• It also enables additional information to be
  gathered for example, to choose a
  representative sample of organisations to
  participate in focus groups or to survey, or to
  target specific theme or citizen groups

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Developing the directory at the local level
involves a number of different steps

• Step 1 Collecting directories that already exist
  locally
• Step 2 Adding these directories together -
  create a master directory
• Step 3 Filling in gaps / utilising the GuideStar
  UK indicators
• Step 4 Updating and collecting standard
  information

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Stage 2. Additional Research

• To collect more detailed information (for
  example, qualitative research such as interviews
  with key players or focus groups or quantitative
  research such as postal surveys)
• Stage 3. Mapping
• Mapping the local voluntary and community sector
  using the information gathered and contained in
  the directory (number of organisations, employees
  and volunteers total reported income
  distribution of organisations by area of
  operations (neighbourhood, local authority,
  region, etc), income band and service area)

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Evaluation and outcomes

• Guidance has provided the basis and impetus for
  local work and the partnership approach and
  support
• Provided useful results and improved information
  and understanding locally
• Has been refined and adjusted in light of Phase 2
  pilot
• Flexibility to adapt is key - local constraints
  and resources means the process will be adapted
  to achieve relevant outcomes
• Timeframe required 6-12 months
• Resource intensive

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Key policy links..

• A.C interested in the final data and output for
  Area Profiles / future area based regulation
• Relationship to Local Area Agreements could be a
  driving mechanism - need to provide information
  on local VCS
• PSA 6 on the VCS
• ODPM LSP agenda
• A lot of potential players and interests LGA,
  IDEA, HO (ACU), ODPM, NACVS, NCVO, Treasury etc.
• Treasury Third Sector Unit
• Cabinet Third Sector Office
• Change Up Capacity builders

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Future Work

• Continued promotion
• Further testing at a regional level
• Further improvements future review?
• Online question bank (supplementary questions)
• CAF/HO studies mapping published online
  Library
• Improved links to partners work e.g. Change Up,
  Treasury Pathfinders, LAAs etc?
• How can the data be captured nationally?

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For further information

• Emma Whittlesea, VCS Area Profiles Co-ordinator
• Contractor to the Audit Commission
• emma.whittlesea_at_sustainconsultancy.co.uk
• 01752 663288 / 07775 845939
• Getting to know your local voluntary and
  community sector - A Guide to Area Profiles will
  be available from 14th June on the NAVCA website,
  www.navca.org.uk, and on the Audit Commissions
  Area Profiles website, www.audit-commission.gov.uk
  /area profiles