Regional and National Support

ChangeUp is a nationally supported programmes funded since 2005 to explore and promote consistent infrastructure support to community and voluntary organisations.

Local Support

In East Sussex the work of the ChangeUp Consortium is featured in this website.

West Sussex ChangeUp consortium is coordinated by Action in Rural Sussex

In Brighton and Hove their ChangeUp Consortium is
coordinated by the Voluntary Sector Forum Brighton & Hove Changeup Consortium

Regional Support 

Regional managers

Each region has a Capacitybuilders' regional manager allocated to it. The role of regional managers is to lead the co-ordination and communication of Capacitybuilders’ strategy and programmes at a regional and local level. Regional managers also facilitate the exchange of views, learning and intelligence between the regions and Capacitybuilders as a national organisation. Each regional manager acts as a named lead for one English region and takes a role in developing and delivering the team’s work across England and informing Capacitybuilders' national strategy and grant-making policies.
South East Regional Manager
Kat Pearce, Regional Manager South East
Mobile : 07789 171631
Email : kat.pearce@capacitybuilders.org.uk

Capacitybuilders, 77 Paradise Circus, Birmingham B1 2DT
Switchboard: 0121 237 5100

Third sector structures

A 'consortium' (plural 'consortia') refers to a group or network of support providers who come together to plan strategically to improve the support services available in their region.

South East Regional Strategic Cross-Sector Partnership (RSCP)

The South East Regional Consortium was originally set up to manage ChangeUp funding in partnership with the Government Office in the South East (GOSE).

Membership was split between third sector and public sector organisations and it was chaired by a member from a third sector organisation.

Due to the number of consortia in the region, consortium membership was originally sought from four sub-regions; however, now all consortia are invited to send a representative.

Review

A review of the aims and purpose of the Regional Consortium was conducted in 2006 and it was decided that, with the advent of Capacitybuilders, the consortium would turn its attention to awareness raising of third sector issues and strategic influencing of public sector partners at regional and national level.

Name change and increased membership

It changed its name to the South East Regional Strategic Cross-Sector Partnership (RSCP) and membership was expanded. It continues to be chaired by a representative from the third sector.

Third sector representatives

Third sector representatives come from the regional network, RAISE (Regional Action and Involvement South East); South East Rural Community Councils; UNI, the BME regional network; SE², the regional Social Enterprise Partnership; local consortia and frontline organisations. Public sector partners represent Government Office South East (GOSE), South East Development Agency (SEEDA), South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA), the SE Strategic Health Authority, Learning and Skills Council (LSC), Job Centre Plus and local authorities at county and district levels, as well as funders including Big Lottery and Capacitybuilders.

Sub structures

There are 19 top tier authorities and each one has a ChangeUp Consortium which is able to send representatives to the RSCP.

The RSCP has four sub-groups working on Local Area Agreements (LAA's); the Regional Compact, ICT and the Regional Infrastructure Group. It is also addressing the Sub-National Review and taking forward an earlier report on funding and finance.

ChangeUp Consortium Co-ordinators meet quarterly with Capacitybuilders' Regional manager to exchange information, network and share knowledge and experience.

                                                              
      

National Support

The Improving Support web portal is co-ordinated by Capacity Builders Capacitybuilders and funded through its National Support Services programme. The portal offers a single access point to the work and developments of the National Support Service workstreams and pulls together in one page all relevant resources for support providers available in this website (such as events, news, latest thinking articles, signposting links to relevant websites and forums and contacts).Initially there were nine workstreams, these have been expanded to include the following: 

Building resilienceHelping third sector organisations deal with the downturn.  

Campaigning

Supporting and empowering people and organisations to change their world through campaigning and influencing government policy.

Change

Using insight to respond effectively to social change.

Collaboration

Joining up to achieve more.

Equality and diversity

Supporting equality, diversity and human rights.

Evaluation and learning

Helping organisations to recognise strengths and weaknesses, enabling effective planning to improve performance.

General support

Managed by SKiLD, general support information.Human resources and employment Attracting, retaining and motivating your workforce.

Information and communication technology

Helping third sector organisations to use technology more efficiently and sustainably.

Income and finance

Achieving sustainability and independence through income generation and finance.

Leadership and governance

Strengthening leadership and governance of organisations.

Marketing and communications

Using marketing and communications to be seen and heard.

Performance

Improving service delivery and outcomes through Performance Management.

Social enterprise

Helping social enterprises grow.

Voice and influence (coming soon)

Making sure the views, experience and expertise of third sector organisations inform government policy making.

Volunteering

Overcoming barriers and exploring new forms of involvement in volunteering.

    NAVCA Local Commissioning and Procurement Unit

The Unit will be delivering a four-year programme funded by the Big Lottery Fund to provide support and guidance to local infrastructure organisations (LIOs) on commissioning and procurement.

National hubs

Funding from Capacitybuilders for the six national hubs ended in 2008. It is planned to make the assets and resources that have been built up available to the third sector. Some hub websites are still regularly updated, others provide signposts to resources:

  • Finance Hub - guidance on procurement,
    fundraising and social enterprise for VCS organisations
  • Governance Hub -  information to help trustees of VCS organisations to build governance capacity and
    enhance their skills
  • ICT Hub a co-ordinated framework of ICT
    guidance, good practice, advice and support for voluntary and community organisations, accessible at a local level
  • Performance Hub guidance for local, sub-regional, regional and national infrastructure organisations to help improve the quality and quantity of support they can offer to VCOs.
  • Workforce Hub information and news on skills development and good employment practice for VCS organisations
  • Volunteering Hub a range of resources for
    anyone who works with or manages volunteers as well as to those who want to volunteer