CVS Partnership
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Is this your final report on the project? YES |
No. January - March 2008 |
A. Progress towards achieving outcomes/ outputs in the agreed project workplan
The project aims to establish a County-wide CVS partnership that develops strategic policy and provision, where appropriate, while retaining local identity and delivery of generic infrastructure services to frontlines VCOs.
| Outcomes/ Outputs |
Target Date |
Implementation/Current Status
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Evidence |
Risks |
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Establish a governance and quality standards framework to support activities across the partnership. |
Steering Group established and meeting quarterly |
Steering Group has developed and discussed various governance options to take the CVS partnership onto a more formal footing and planned an away day involving a wider range of trustees and staff members to decide on a preferred option to take back to individual CVS boards for agreement. Funding has been requested from Capacity Builders Modernisation fund to develop an appropriate legal structure alongside shared protocols, common standards and opportunities for collaborative service delivery. Funding requested includes enabling all CVSs to work towards achieving the NAVCA Quality Award and joint meetings have been held to share good practice and learning. |
Minutes and reports from meetings. Options paper - Where do we go next Modernisation funding bid |
Without extended funding further progress will be difficult. |
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Organise a programme of CVS staff and trustee events to develop a strategic plan and shared vision of a CVS ‘Model of excellence'. |
March 08 |
Away held beginning of March to agree the preferred option for of governance for CVS partnership. A proposal is being considered by individual boards to set up a new legal entity to enable a more formal approach to collaborative work across the county and to draw down resources that would not be available to individual CVSs. |
Agenda and papers for away day. Report from away day. Minutes of individual board meetings to agree next step.
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" |
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Negotiate with strategic funders to ensure that services are sustainable in the longer-term. |
Sept 2008 |
CVSs represented on ChangeUp Consortium and clear links have been established between the IDP and the work of the partnership to ensure that the generic support needs of frontline VCOs are reflected in any plans that will inform future investment in VCS infrastructure. HVA has taken on the Chair of the consortium and played a key role in developing a clear business plan to ensure that the consortium continues to be fit for purpose bringing together infrastructure organisations and statutory sector partners. Specific priorities include CVS partnership development and Volunteering infrastructure. EAVS and SDCVS are continuing to work in partnership to ‘plug' some of gap in Wealden. CVSs are in the process of developing joint proposals in preparation of the next Basis funding round. Negotiations have taken place with ESCC to support a proposed model for countywide VCS representation and funding has been secured to develop this work over the coming year. |
CVS attendance at and minutes of ChangeUp meetings. ChangeUp Business Plan. Service Level agreements and draft Memorandum of Understanding between SDCVS/EAVS Wealden Support Partnership. Funding proposal to ESCC and proposed model for countywide representation. |
Local strategic funding may not be adequate for full range of services in the longer term. CVS partnership aims to make services more efficient and effective with improved access across the county |
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Develop a shared strategy for information management, communication and resources to support local service delivery. |
June 2008 |
SDCVS leading the development of a shared ‘information platform' for information management and resources to support local CVS delivery, information about services and support to front-line VCOs and systems to support county-wide representation, communication and consultation (CaSPer). A joint information officers group is meeting regularly to further develop a shared approach. |
Funds identified to ‘buy in' technical expertise. CaSPer Website under development. Additional resources to develop work linked with bid to ESEP to support countywide representation and ongoing support via ESCC funding. |
No risks at present |
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Develop a common approach to membership renewal and base-line data collection. |
Ongoing |
Work continues to develop a convergent approach to policies and procedures regarding data protection, local databases/directories, membership criteria, membership level targets and members' feedback. This includes comparing and upgrading database facilities. HVA has been able to produce a local State of the Sector report in Hastings to establish a local baseline and demonstrate the economic value and contribution of the VCS. |
Membership renewal and data collection proforma Reports to Steering Group Minutes of joint information meetings. State of the Sector report as an example of what can be achieved. |
Individual databases are at different levels of development with different levels of capacity to gather information and input data at a local level. |
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Research best practice to support organisational development work, including developing legal, technical and funding expertise across the partnership |
March 2009 |
Initial self-assessment identified differing levels and practice of in depth one-to-one support across the county dependent on levels of funding and staffing resources Looking at other models of delivery e.g. ESSI project in West Sussex with a view to preparing a joint bid to the next Basis round. Established joint approach to administering and assisting VCOs to access ESCC small grants and liasing with Sussex Community foundation re ‘Grassroots Grants'. |
Self-assessment review and draft strategic plan SLA and mini SLAs re small grants support. |
This area of work most likely to require additional resources in longer-term Development Officer to explore funding options and business models to ensure county-wide coverage. |
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Develop a preferred option for delivery of CVS short-courses |
March 2009 |
Links established with SVCSLC (HVA and SDCVS represented on Board) to support delivery of learning opportunities to VCOs and using existing resources more effectively to promote learning opportunities across county. Joint proposal for events to promote good governance practice being planned. Potential for specialist workers employed across the CVS partners to build the capacity deliver ‘bespoke' programmes tailored to user needs identified through other work areas e.g. funding, financial management, volunteer recruitment etc. Joint meeting between CVSs and SVCSLC to develop further collaboration in this area and consider wider workforce development needs. |
Self-assessment review Current models of learning delivery e.g. HVA's ‘Committee Conundrum' short courses Governance training proposal |
Future funding for SVCSLC and future priorities of LSC currently uncertain |
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Maximise resources for VCOs by working closely with specialist infrastructure organisations |
Ongoing |
Regular liaison with other LIOs takes place directly through ChangeUp Consortium. EAVS is the lead agency and together with HVA are members of the East Sussex Volunteering Project Steering Group. This includes working towards ‘developing a robust volunteering infrastructure support model' in East Sussex. Potential for developing model through an integrated approach with CVSs. Close links with SVCSLC as above. Liasing with Sussex Community Foundation to support collaborative approach to new ‘Grass Roots' grants. |
ChangeUp minutes County Volunteering Steering group minutes. Report and consultation on proposed Volunteering Infrastructure model. Meetings held with Sussex Community Foundation. |
Potential for some duplication between different infrastructure organisations Funding for developing Volunteering infrastructure currently unknown - awaiting outcome of Improving Reach bid. Continue to work closely through ChangeUp Consortium and joint working groups to ensure clarity and openness between LIOs. |
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Ensure that developments meet outcomes associated with the ChangeUp Additional Support Programme. |
Ongoing |
Joint work with Sompriti re provision of training to BME groups in East Sussex on governance, planning and financial management. Development of County-wide representation work to include establishing clear links and support to TAO (BME network) and other underrepresented groups. |
ChangeUp Business Plan. Proposals re county-wide representation. |
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Work to facilitate effective representation of local VCOs at a county and sub-regional level. |
January 2008 |
Successful funding bid to the ESEP to ‘kick start' work in relation to County tier VCS representation to replace the previous VOICES network. Preliminary work has included consultation and meetings with ESCC and ex-VOICES members to develop proposals for an improved model. This focuses on developing a more inclusive approach with clear links between district and countywide mechanisms and developing good models of accountability, two-way communication and involvement. ESCC have agreed to fund further development of this work over the coming year. |
Self-assessment review and draft strategic plan Representation discussion paper and consultation meetings held. Funding bid to ESEP and ESCC Paper outlining proposed model. |
Capacity of smaller local VCOs to engage at a county level Inertia of some super district agencies to address links at more local levels Develop appropriate structures for engagement and improve systems for communication and feedback |
B. General observations on the progress of the project.
B1. What has worked well in your project?
Please give examples of aspects of your project that you consider to be good practice
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East Sussex CVSs are using the ChangeUp process as an opportunity to strengthen and build on the existing partnership working between the borough and district CVSs. Specific examples of where collaborative work has enhanced service delivery include:
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Please give an example of the impact your project has had on front line organisations in your area, during the quarter.
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Enhanced access to small grants and funding advice/information across the county. Agreed funding to support a more robust structure for county-wide voice/representation of VCS. Wealden VCOs able to access support services via joint work between EAVS and Southdowns CVS. Improved access to information about infrastructure support available including web based prospectus on CaSPer. Greater potential for integrated approach to volunteering infrastructure within generic CVS provision subject to funding outcome. Improved co-ordination of short course development including ‘opening up' courses to allow VCOs from different CVS areas to attend. |
If not included above, please give an example of how equality and diversity good practice has been incorporated into this project, during the quarter.
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CVS partnership development is taking into account the infrastructure needs of BME VCOs, particularly the need for increased one to one support on organisational development, governance and fundraising as identified in the ChangeUp IDP and Additional Support Programme. This includes liasing with Sompriti (specialist BME VCO) and supporting community development work taking place at a local level. Proposed model for county wide representation is inclusive of communities of 'identity' and will include a number of places for BME, disability, gay/lesbian, older people, faith based organisations etc. In addition several non-aligned places will ensure that any issues that do not fit easily within the other categories are not left out so that the overall structure remains relevant to the whole sector. |
B2. Overall do you feel that the project is achieving its intended outcomes?
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ü |
No
If it is not, can you outline why you think this is?
B3. Is your project within budget?
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Yes (please tick) |
P
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No (please give a brief explanation) |
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C. The Future of the Project C1. Will the project continue beyond the ChangeUp/Defra funding?
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P |
Yes
No
Unsure at this stage
C2. Have you secured any funding for the project from other sources?
N.B . We have just received early notification from the ChangeUp consortium that Capacity Builders have agreed continuation funding for the CVS Partnership development, which will mean that we can continue to build on achievements so far.
