An Open Space Event: 1st March 2007

An Open Space event
1st March 2007
What should we do to improve support for frontline organisations and how will we know when weve done it?
Open Space Introduction Session Report

City Parochial Foundation commissioned Steve Burkeman and Alison Harker to research and produce Building Blocks because of its longstanding interest in ensuring that frontline organisations get the highest quality of support from second tier organisations (STOs). We are extremely grateful to the authors for their stimulating report and to all of you for giving up your time today to come and discuss and debate this important question:
What should we do to improve support for frontline organisations and how will we know when weve done it?
I look forward to participating in what I am condent will be a useful and enjoyable day. Bharat Mehta Chief Executive City Parochial Foundation
2 What should we do to improve support for frontline organisations and how will we know when weve done it?
Open delegates Open Space Session Reports List of Space Session Report
*Delegates put their number against a recommendation that they intended to pursue Nour-Eddine Aboudihaj Sasan Abtahi Noeleen Adams Saeed Ahmed Hanif Ahmed Tanzeem Ahmed Kate Aldous J Adams Atifa Alikhan Carl Allen Andrea Allez Xhevat Ademi Simin Azimi Sean Baine Hosna Bangladesh Susanna Bennett Tim Brogden Emily Buchanan Nicola Busby Steve Burkeman Tania Bronstein Ben Cairns Rachel Carter Lisa Charalambous Obi Chinyere-Ezeh May Chung Kevin Clifford Birgitta Clift Paul Conway Annie Cooper Julie Corbett-Bird Gemma Cossins Dinah Cox Linda Damerell Sandya Dass John Denny Jo Ecclestone Jacqui Finn Ian Foster Maknun Gamaledin-Ashami Hilary Garner Lisa Greensill Andy Gregg Martin Hall Mubin Haq 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 152 9 10 11 159 13 14 15 19 21 23 24 25 151 150 26 28 30 31 32 33 35 36 37 38 39 41 42 43 46 49 51 52 53 153 155 56 57 Wandsworth Voluntary Sector Organisation Agency London Councils Law Centres Federation Harrow Council for Racial Equality Consortium of Bengali Associations Olmec NCVO Connexions TAPA West London Network Local Compact Voice for England National Assoc.for Voluntary and Community Action Refugee Womens Association Southwark Action for Voluntary Organisations Bangladeshi Womens Society Sutton Centre for the Voluntary Sector London Voluntary Service Council Sheila McKechnie Foundation Facefront Inclusive Theatre Author of Building Blocks Consultant Institute for Voluntary Action Research London Voluntary Service Council Central London CVS Network Lifecare Consulting Limited Milton Keynes Council for Voluntary Organisations People First Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales Hackney Training and Employment Network Office of the Third Sector Blackfriars Settlement London Voluntary Service Council Race on the Agenda Development Trusts Association London Consultant Vassell Elderly Project Sainsbury Family Charitable Trust South London CVS Partnership LVSTC Paul Hamlyn Foundation Kingston Voluntary Action GOL LASA The City Bridge Trust City Parochial Foundation
Open delegates List of Space Session Report

Deborah Hart Vivienne Hayes Sarah Hayward Robin Hazlewood Jill Healey Karen Heart Ted Hill Bob Holt Zoe Howes Noel Hudson Nicola Humberstone Paula Jeffery Vaughan Jones Chuks Kamalu Kishore Kanani Keefa Kiwanuka Helena Kowalska Elizabeth Ladimeji Diana Leat Andrew Lee Kay Lee Jain Lemom Alison Licorish Rob Macmillan Mr Maharasingham Mohamed Maigag Sharon McGilchrist Rachael McGill Wendy McGuire Bharat Mehta Joan Millbank Dr. Harshad Mistri Alastair Murray Colin Nee Janice Needham Itango Ngondo Henry Nicholson Mara Normile Mahmood Norouzi Gerard Omasta-Milsom Patrick Opendi Sarah Oyedele Dr. Pambu Wai-Fong Pang Elahe Panahe 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 67 68 69 70 75 76 78 79 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 91 92 94 158 95 96 97 98 99 101 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 113 114 115 Women in London Womens Resource Centre Employability Forum City Parochial Foundation Greater London Authority North London CVS Partnership Hillingdon Association for Voluntary Services London Borough of Hounslow An Viet Foundation Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum Association of Greater London Older Women Enfield Voluntary Action Praxis Evelyn Oldfield Unit Hackney Council for Voluntary Service Brent Association for Voluntary Action Southwark Supplementary Education and Mother Tongue Assoc. NCVO Carnegie UK Trust People First Evelyn Oldfield Unit London Councils Lewisham Council Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research Sheffield Hallam University Tamil Action Committee Haringey Somali Community London Borough of Tower Hamlets Southwark Community Care Forum Southwark Community Care Forum City Parochial Foundation Consultant Ashram Lambeth Asian Elderly Day Centre Housing Justice (Un-leash) Charities Evaluation Services Consultant Congolese Community Council Blind Africans and Caribbeans Freelance Consultant in the Third Sector REACH Generation Roots Voluntary Action Camden Corecog East London Financial Inclusion Unit City Parochial Foundation
Open delegates List of Space Session Report

Ian Perkins Heather Petch Debbie Pippard Karin Podschun Ian Redding Marcia Roswell-Joseph Sarah Ruiz Olivia Sixsmith Angela Spence David Spence Mark St. John Reedman Esther Sterngold Emma Strang France Rajah Thangarajah Vu Khanh Thanh Tim Walker Alice Wallace Jill Walsh Joseph Wattes Shaheen Westcombe Jane Wilmot Jenny Willmott Tim Wilson Alastair Wilson George Wright 116 117 118 119 122 123 125 126 127 129 131 132 133 136 137 138 140 141 144 145 146 147 148 Off the Streets and into Work HACT Big Lottery Fund LVSTC London Councils London Funders Newham Voluntary Sector Consortium Citizens Advice Black Training and Enterprise Group Kairos in Soho Consortium of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Voluntary and Community Organisations Interlink Foundation Consultant Haringey Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations An Viet Foundation Citizens Advice London Region East London CVS Network Capacitybuilders One Drop Presents.... Bexley Council National Council for Voluntary Youth Services Performance Hub School for Social Entrepreneurs Stockwell Partnership
City Parochial Foundation: Jaspal Babra Chris Bazlinton Sioned Churchill Ray Eden Mubin Haq Robin Hazlewood Bharat Mehta Mara Normile Elahe Panahi Jane Wilmot
Open Space Key points Session Report

On arriving at the meeting delegates were invited to review and respond to the Key Points from the Building Blocks Report
Key Points from Chapter 3: Frontline groups

1. There is an imbalance between the number and type of groups wanting help, and the amount of help available. 2. Small groups which have been established in recent years seem to be better supported than medium-sized ones. 3. Lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender organisations face particular difculties in nding appropriate support. 4. There is a wide range of support for black, minority ethnic and refugee organisations, but despite this there are continuing problems. 5. Disability organisations report a variety of experiences. 6. Local branches of national organisations tend to be better supported than those without such a structure behind them.
Responses
Seems to be a perception that BME groups are somehow all united with the same concerns (similar assumption about faith groups). This is not necessarily the case many have more differences than similarities. Cant just all be covered by any one programme. Medium sized organisations speak about this as stand alone. They must jointly identify needs and request the support from second tier organisations. BME groups get support but have difculty to continue infrastructure due to no core funding. This needs unpicking. There is little or no support for LGBT-specic frontline groups, its true, but does this mean that LGBT frontline groups cannot access appropriate support from generic and specialist support from organisations like CVS, Hubs, CES, NCVO etc? There is a danger of suggesting that there is a wide range of support for BME organisations without qualifying this as it can leave people assuming that this is adequate. It may be that given there are more emerging small organisations in this sector there is always going to be a demand for support.

Chapter 4: Second-tier organisations
1. There are many second-tier organisations (STOs) other than Councils for Voluntary Service (CVSs) providing support. CVSs and some STOs share similar issues.There are mixed opinions about the quality of infrastructure support. 2. There are a number of intrinsic difculties with the CVS model. They are burdened with high expectations and heavy demands. As generalist bodies with an all encompassing brief they can quickly become overloaded. Specialist STOs, because of their constituency or the issues with which they deal, can more easily control what they take on. 3. CVSs and other STOs face increasing difculty in raising funds from local authorities and primary care trusts, which, with the tacit support of many frontline organisations, are under pressure to fund direct improvements in frontline services.
Responses
CVS tends to tackle issues of FLO with no concern about diversity and cultural issues of FLO Many if not most frontline groups are unaware of the role and value of CVS and may turn instead to specialist/sub-sector support (if available). I have worked for frontline groups for 17 years before I became aware of the existence of CVS. CVSs do not tend to be funded to do a lot of marketing/PR/outreach very time consuming. The current (structure) of 2nd tier organisations is too broad and general with limited resources they cannot be all things to all people. The presumption than an organisation can speak for or represent the sector as a whole does not make sense or stand up in practice. They need to have clear limited roles. One size does not t all. We need different models for different parts of the sector. Training needs to be general and specic to cater for the needs of different organisations. It can only speak for the sector as a whole on general issues funding, premises and perhaps providing a forum for the wide and varied views. STOs and CVS often work along very separatist lines. In order to promote efciency would it be possible for STOs and CVSs to be less possessive as it were and join forces more regularly. This would enhance knowledge, expertise and access to funding. Staff are on overload in all CVSs. However we cannot stop as those demands are on us. A great deal of time is spent on reporting for grants. Can this be changed a little? Intrinsic difculties? Does this mean/imply the CVS model is awed from the outset? I dont think a generalist model is a bad one perhaps the high expectations and demands indicate that groups want/need CVSs.

Second-tier organisations
1. There is a lack of clarity about where appropriate support for different kinds of groups at different stages of development might be found. There are many second-tier organisations but who they benet, how they do it and when their intervention is appropriate is unclear to those who might seek their help. This encourages haphazard working in the sector. 2. Perhaps the CVSs (Councils for Voluntary Service) most important role - that of facilitating the voice of voluntary organisations to statutory bodies is most difcult to fund because smaller frontline organisations either do not understand the nature or signicance of the work involved, or because it is difcult for the CVSs to convince such organisations that they have the competence to do the job well. 3. Support is also provided by others, such as local authorities, the Charity Commission, consultants, the business community, ACAS, helpful individuals, and funders.
Responses
BMEs have a great role to play as they understand the issue facing their front line organisations. It is the funders who need to recognise this. STOs should work within an evidence based culture, i.e. where they can show (independent verication) the added value theyve given their clients. It is not just the campaigning/promoting voice role that is often not fully understood by frontline organisations also all sorts of CVS services are needed but they dont know they do. Good critical analysis of 2nd tier BUT very little critical analysis of frontline organisations skews conclusions and recommendations and what they need to do also very important. Recommendations to withdraw from 2nd tier and give ring-fenced money for training to frontline organisations could lead to problems, for example: a) frontline groups use money to pay consultants with dubious credentials to train them b)most money will be channelled into paying consultants to do fundraising. This suggests wants rather than needs if consultants no good will not be successful. If successful, still danger that project will not succeed because capacity of group will be strengthened and all money will be wasted. Threat to sustainability of 2nd tier support if no longer have funding streams available will not survive or groups potentially paying for support services.

What frontline groups want or need
1. Groups tend to say that what they most need is help with funding. But this may mask other more urgent needs. 2. Frontline groups listed many areas in which they need support both hard and soft skills. 3. The way in which help and especially information is provided is just as important as the content. 4. Second-tier organisations need better ways of identifying what frontline organisations need by way of support, including seeking feedback from users and potential users. 5. Much training on offer is seen as repetitive and too basic. 6. A clear expression by frontline groups that they need support from knowledgeable, experienced, committed and skilled individuals/bodies which are not their rivals for funding.
Responses
Many frontline groups struggle to raise core costs e.g. rent. Funders could help with this. Medium sized organisations that deliver services for public bodies may benet from training and one of support of various kinds. That is necessary but not sufcient. Front line organisations need consistent support over a couple of years to organise for full cost recovery and simultaneously improve HR, IT, nancial management and enable them to compete in the world of contract and tender. These groups need to build up their infrastructure and demonstrate to funders that they will show value for money. And you cant separate funding from other very important and less accessible/more complex areas politicise, procedures, nance. Training for CVS workers on a regular basis is vital to cope with the changing climate, eg commissioning, employment law, child protection, full cost recovery. There is obviously a need for a range of training to be provided to the sector recognising the different stages of development STO need to be able to work together to develop their unique areas of specialism and not re-create each others work. STOs need to prove that they have the support of FLO before they get funded!

What works best?
1. One-to-one help works best, but it is also expensive, time-consuming, and hard to nd. 2. Support is often provided by relatively inexperienced people, whereas frontline organisations especially value help from people with experience and knowledge. 3. Help is especially valued at the early stages of a groups development. 4. As groups grow, they need more specialist help, covering issues such as fundraising and IT. 5. There seems to be a lack of support around diversity issues and community development.
Responses
This is partly because staff in STOs may not stay in their organisations long enough to gain the experience and knowledge partly because the STOs themselves are under-funded so that staff are underpaid. Over-stretched and leave, look to move on. Refugee groups in particular need support with the language of funding applications. They often have good project ideas but struggle to articulate. Offer training to staff in CVS that have a proven track record. But it works best so is worth funders paying for.
The role of the Charity Commission and others

1. The growth in the number of voluntary and community groups is not, in the authors view, entirely a good thing, for a variety of reasons. 2. The Charity Commission, working with others, has a role to play in signposting people to sources of advice about governance and other issues, in order to ensure that those organisations which do register as charities are soundly based. 3. The potential for more confusion as more players enter the stage through initiatives such as ChangeUp.
Responses
The Charity Commission must require groups to show that they do network with STOs before being registered. C.M. should make sure trustees understand and are skilled to full their roles. In Stockwell and Lambeth there are several, often competing, groups from the Horn of Africa, many doing similar work. The challenge for funders is to encourage joint working whilst acknowledging political sensitivities. Theres duplication and extremely patchy quality. But theres no helicopter view of the prole of the sector, so groups starting up dont always know if they are duplicating effort and hence wasting resources. Good idea for Charity Commission to do this will they?

The role of funders
1. Many organisations have good relations with funders and see them as a source of more than merely money. 2. There is some doubt about the extent to which funders now focus on the support of capacitybuilding, and a feeling that this support needs to be more strategically planned. 3. There is room for more coordination between funders. 4. Confusion over who determines needs, who decides which of those needs should be met. Small organisations fell that their voices are not heard that it is funders and outside agencies which decide what these organisations need, rather than the organisations themselves.
Responses
STO support, even on a borough-wide basis, is too widely spread. Where possible it should be provided more locally. There are very few funders but important ones who fund capacity building work. Thank you CPF for being a forerunner. Funders should encourage organisers of small VOs to improve their skills to provide better services sign post to get training. Funding criterial generally getting narrower makes this situation worse project is packaged to t, not based on real and specic needs. Funders should admit where they lack knowledge of BMEs and ask. Never too late to learn! STOs know more about local need than funders do. STOs tend to dilute specialisms in order to t funders criteria. They should not be threatened by lack of funds for their area of work. Much closer collaboration between STOs and funders needed for funders to establish need. Funders need to be more culturally aware and should approach the relevant organisation to provide the relevant training.
Open Space Open Space Session Report
The following reports were typed by participants and the votes taken from recommendation sheets. We apologise for any inaccuracies.
Open Space Session Report Open Space Session Reports

Topic: Votes/delegate
What should national infrastructure do to support STOs (to support frontline VCOs)
Participants
Jenny Willmott, NCVYS Andrea, NAVCA (sorry I didnt take note of the other particpants names.
Main points discussed

Gaining information from national infrastructure can be difcult often goes to director/ chief ofcers can be difcult for workers to access. How do we make sure info gets to STOs and is seen as relevant? Voice function how can national infrastructure be a representative voice? What about those that are arent members? Who hears the voice of those that arent engaged? How to involve small VCOs and diverse groups in infrastructure provision (local, regional and national) Difculties in understanding whats out there all the different information from national and regional infrastructure/ Changeup consortia/ hubs etc etc how can the information be coordinated, collated and disseminated effectively? Very little work has been done on commissioning and procurement - role of national infrastructure. NAVCA have a new project on this. Who monitors STOs quality? Role of national infrastructure in driving up quality. To what extent can going through quality marks be compulsory? What about small groups that dont always have the capacity and resources to go through quality marks? How can we ensure the creativity of the sector isnt affected by additional requirements/ regulations? Need to share learning from research and from pilot projects the learning, not necessarily the process. Need to not be scared to learn from mistakes/ bad experiences. Need to be condent to say to funders when something isnt working.
Recommendations
The group recommended that national infrastructure should support STOs by: 1. Looking at how information is disseminated to the sector ensuring information sent out gets to the right people. 2. Making and coordinating the information thats out there (regionally, nationally, from ChangeUp consortia, national hubs) 3. Driving up the quality of STOs via quality marks etc (to what extent should national infrastructure encourage or require STOs to go through quality marks?) 3 4. Sharing and disseminating learning from research and pilot projects that have taken place. 5. Play a role in inuencing commissioning and procurement 6. Carry out research and collate evidence on the benets of infrastructure 4 91 7. Support STOs in marketing and PR

Funders should only fund: access to finance and funding; voice and advocacy; marketing; legal forms; governance. Everything else can be done through generic infrastructure/business support.
Participants
Colin Nee; Mark St John Reedman; Dinah Cox; Diana Leat; Karin Podschun; Alice Wallace; Ian; Lisa Charalambous

Training standard does not exist that provides basic; intermediary and higher level skills on the distinct business support/infrastructure needs of the sector. Funders put pressure on groups to organise and incorporate when, particularly with small grassroots/community groups this is neither necessary nor desirable. These external pressures drive the growth in STOs and frontline organisations, often inappropriately. STOs to develop effective and efcient back-ofce functions that meet the needs of frontline organisations (particularly small groups) e.g. being the accountable body/providing contract management services for small/frontline organisations.
Recommendations
1. Use the inbuilt expertise in STOs to provide services (e.g. contract management and monitoring) for small groups, relieving the constraints from these groups from managing contracts. For example, a health and social care contract held by an STO can also fund a small group providing arts access to disabled or mental health users where the group itself would not have the capacity to bid to the PCT and where the PCT would not fund such work. 2. Need to be far more creative in terms of how frontline organisations are helped by STOs, it is not about often poor quality and duplicative capacity building.
5 3

What is the specific role of a CVS e.g. strategy and voice

Participants
Ian London Councils, Jacqui SLCVS network, Mark consortium LGBT, Lisa GoL, Birgitta TSB Lloyds foundation, Tim - LVSC

Interesting to see now opening up of NAVCA impacts CVS coverage across London is variable Las have to realise that they need support in this role. Need to be representative of different sub-sets of communities Funders have skewed the roles of CVSs CVSs can suffer mission drift. Need to concentrate and dene what core services are strategy, voice, engage needs to be resourced CVSs do see themselves as the voice of the sector; cross sectoral forums help to get small and medium sized organisations but there is a challenge getting to the very small orgs combined with public service delivery agenda. Do need a single body that brings all voices in a borough together Do CVSs have alternative methods of communicating community development skills How do we ensure that all voices are heard? Some of the voices can get lost dilemma between local groups Need to be critical and look at whether there is a need for all these infrastructure services; need to be clear about referral systems; need to honestly look at whether they are providing services that they really need. Not sure whether CVSs should be solo performers; connection VCS needs to be clearer about what/who they are representing
Recommendations
1. Need to have a focal point, single point of contact (the CVS) but they have to be linked to all the subsets and networks of the community not the voice in its own right but the facilitator of the voice 2. Or CVSs should be doing more around representation; or there should be sharing of the voice 3. Need to have structure in place to facilitate a voice function 1 2 11 138, 28

How do we effectively and realistically measure the support we provide (topic 14, second group)
Participants
Rachael, Emma, Olivia, Ben, May, Tim, Paul, Sandhya, Sasan, Colin

Qualitative/Soft data: Distance travelled not numbers. How do you measure things like self esteem/ improved quality of life? Is someones opinion of their own development valid? Is one workers opinion of this valid? Do funders recognise this? Numbers can be meaningless you may see lots of people but give a bad service, they dont know it could be better. STOs having to prove themselves to funders and frontline and its difcult because not obvious results. Frontline wonder where all the moneys going, think its wasted on bureaucracy core services hard to explain. The added value given by the existence of an STO in a neighbourhood is intangible but important. Results will be at one remove. How do you capture long-term change? Outcomes might be ve years later staff change, orgs change. Do funders understand this? This is not an exact science organisations are messy things, hard to separate services and issues out. Need to distinguish between generic services and targeted project work. STOs often in competition and duplicating services we all think we do it best. Funders want to stop this.
Recommendations
1. Ideas for things to monitor: how easy is it for people to access you and be seen quickly? Evidence of what groups youve helped are actually doing, how their services have developed, I have learned something new that no one else taught me 2. Phone people or ask them face to face. Customise it. Keep track of them dont say this is monitoring,; say just wondering how its going. 3. Self evaluation is meaningful if done often enough and over a long time period. 4. Measurement methods need to be customised to the activity, may need a variety of different approaches stemming from an understanding of the projects purpose. Ned to be able to discuss this with your funder and gain their understanding. continued

5. Mainstream monitoring 5 minutes added on to every session for feedback, incorporated into events, not an add on at the end. Change culture of frontline groups so they understand monitoring is part of everything, will always happen. 6. Funders need to understand long timescales real change may only be seen after 5 years. 7. You cant have good measurement if youre not clear about your aims, plans etc. Have a well-run organisation and have a monitoring and evaluation strategy. 8. Think about using generalist standards, e.g. NAVCO, and supplementing these with your specic ones. 9. Work meaningfully with other local orgs dont duplicate. This is very hard change is always resisted and if its to happen funders need to be behind it too e.g. fund events on a local level for people to discuss issues and areas of duplication and clarify their roles, short, medium and long term. Will take time and need expert support and consultancy.

If funds are given to front line organisations for 2nd tier provision how will 2nd tiers survive?
Participants
Compact Voice HTEN London Funders Ofce 3rd Sector LB Hounslow NAVCA LVSC Shefeld Halam Uni Charities Eval Service

If new system happens in haphazard way no guarantee that only the weakest 2nd tiers would disappear How will we quality control the competition between STOS and consultants? How will groups know which STOs to access for quality support?Need accreditation and standards so that front line orgs are ensured of quality services Concept of purchasing only works when you know what services you want Some front line orgs may not be aware of the services they need The market may lead to sustainable STOS surviving but not necessarily the survival of orgs with the interests of a diverse range of front line orgs at heart Do we want to transfer resources from 2nd tiers to consultants? STOs will not be sustainable if funded by spot funding from front line orgs this income will be erratic and will negatively impact on cash ow, nancial planning etc this in turn will inevitably lead to reduction in staff and services Front line orgs will have a reduced service if have to pay on day rate will get very little for e.g. 2000. In addition, if core funding to STOs is reduced there will be fewer services available for front lines to access. The smallest front line orgs who do not receive funding will also not have access to ring fenced funds for STOs and may no longer have access to some of the free services currently offered. STOs would begin to compete and may well lead to few large orgs surviving and rest crumbling. Loss localised service. Could develop register of STOs with quality control.

STOs best provided locally. If front line orgs dont know what need free lance consultants may not be best placed to guide them. Hard for STOS to charge for some services not necessarily value e.g. policy and voice Impossible to get all funders to act in same way What would happen to orgs with internal ST provision e.g. CAB If divide funds available locally e.g. Hounslow has 50k for local CVS if divide will purchase v little. Could LAAs be vehicles for ST funding? STOs need to win arguments about their existence need
Recommendations
1. Explore quality / assessment and register of STOS to ensure service level adequate 2. Explore opportunities for assessing / meeting needs of front line orgs in other ways than market forces e.g. ST bids needing to be supported by front line orgs, market research etc 3. Look for international models to see if applying market forces has been effective in VCS concern that most marginalised groups will be excluded.

How do we ensure the needs of communities of interest (equalities groups) are met in the services provided
Participants
Hesna, Vu, Jill, Amanda, Lisa, Andy, Nic, Mark

We need to assess what the needs are of these groups before actually trying to provide services asking the question why they might have different needs and what these are (Are there any differences) Be aware that certain groups or organisations are only set up to deal with one specic interest (included in their mem and arts) and thus might not need opening up to all (might not be relevant) The agenda of the 2nd tier structures does not t what is needed they do not look at issues of equality, human rights and justice Need to work together more effectively and link up CVS bodies could work to translate and facilitate for communities in other arena, but need to be clear about what is sensitive and the sensitivities of others but also force groups to be aware of this themselves Knowledge of smaller organisations and groups about what there issues are or their differences are should be part of the sensitivity awareness. Voice and Choice distinction about the role of the CVS challenging and needs to have more thought around because of natural tensions or difculties with funder and advocate function. Create realistic partnerships with specialist infrastructure to ensure that equalities issues are included and supported CVS could /should analyse and represent the needs of smaller VCS in a geographic area and then lobby on its behalf to ensure these needs are met /funded at the local level (space, resources etc) Inclusivity begins at home. All infrastructure organisations go through an equality Impact Assessment of what they do themselves (processes and procedures) so that they can be more inclusive and are practicing what they preach Good model of how 2nd tier infrastructure is inclusive- Community Accounting Service Tokenistic equalities inclusion more lobbying needed on equalities issues CEHR and Goods and services regulations already a hierarchy of groups based on existing power that is exclusive rather than equal
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Recommendations
1. Hear small organisation voice is included 2. What do communities of interest actually need 3. Assessing equalities internally (who and what are we supporting) 4. CVS Staff trained in equalities awareness

Should we be worried about the effect on quality of the idea of frontline organisations being able to purchase services?
Participants
Jane, Noel, Wendy, Rachael, Lisa, Jain, Azina, Simin, Karin, Jill

Specialist/technical services and services for medium sized groups could be appropriate for purchasing (this could be done at a regional/national rather. Core services, information, campaigning, partnership, representation are not appropriate for this. Could have both purchasing and non-purchasing. Those who can pay could subsidise others. National and London level support available is not being communicated to groups e.g. Change Up hubs. Organisations may not have the expertise/knowledge to know what they need they will buy what they want which may not be the same as what they need. Or they will pay for the advice they want to hear which may not be the best advice, or they will choose the cheapest. Varied quality of CVSs want to be able to shop around. Market may be taken over by consultants offering quick xes rather than a holistic service. Long term one to one relationship with an STO worker very important for developing groups long term. OK for funders to signpost as well as STOs but not instead of STOs have local knowledge. How would STOs plan and budget if not sure how much income will come in from services being purchased? National quality standards will help groups to judge. External, informed, specialist monitoring needed. You cant just leave it to the groups to decide area is too complex. The market-driven model has failed in other public areas health, schools, etc and been shown to provide less rather than more choice, less sustainability, shiny marketing brochures and less investment in services. If an organisation thrives it may not be because its services are good and vice versa. Could create a two tier frontline sector the groups who can pay to go to Waitrose and the ones who have to go to the Pound Shop. If STOs have to sell themselves in a market they will need funding for and help with this.
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Recommendations
See ipchart 1. Some areas of work might be t for purchasing, others denitely not where do you draw the line, e.g. core services for small orgs to be free, medium size funded to pay for specialist advice 2. How will STOs plan and budget without knowing what takeup of service will be? 3. How to prevent e.g. consultants providing quick x advice? 4. Free market does not ensure quality (front line groups may not have info to judge) so other standards needed. 5. Funders to recognise this will increase pressure on STOs to spend time and money on marketing

How do we effectively measure the support STOs provide to frontline groups?

Participants
Mubin, Bob Alifai, Wendy, Gemma, Noel, Olivia

As well as capacity building, measuring service delivery Need for independence Not always talking about measuring same things when dealing with large number, often just a signposting role Dont measure outputs, only outcomes
Recommendations
1.Sample measuring only, dont measure everything Anonymity for groups when seeking evaluation 2. Someone other than advisors undertaking evaluation meeting with group e.g capacity building workers in neighbouring boroughs undertaking this task for each other. NACVA competence standard qualication should be extended to all STOs 3. Valuing Advisors own feedback 4. STOs need to work and plan together to avoid duplication funders can help this agenda allocate funds, facilitate local events 15 96, 63, 89, 67, 95, 155, 159
5 11, 155

If we cannot support all frontline groups, how do we select which groups to support?
Participants
Mubin Haq, Sarah Ruiz, Andy Gregg, Gladys, Ben, Tania Bronstein, Joan Millbank, Mohamed, Mahmood, Steve Burkeman and Maknun.

General agreement that all frontline groups cannot be supported and sustained. That there needs to be a process in which groups are selected. At present this does happen amongst some STOs, but it happens in an informal way. This can lead to discrimination. The process therefore needs to be formalised. Some groups seeking support are not going to get off the ground, they may not be real, they may be duplicating existing groups. This needs to be addressed. There is a lack of knowledge as to what is happening in the eld. There is a lack of intelligence amongst funders, STOs and frontline groups. This leads to haphazard working. STOs should be supporting groups where there is a need for them. Frontline groups choose who they get support from. There is a market place already. However, this increases the need for STOs. A signicant need for support arises from funders and charity commission requirements. Are all of the policies and bits of paper they require needed? Growth in groups has arisen from: the growth of community chest/small grants programmes geared to small groups; and the failure of more established organisations in meeting needs of their communities.
Recommendations
1. STOs can only provide a universal service in some areas of work e.g. information sharing. It is unlikely that they (especially CVSs) can provide a universal service in all areas they work in e.g. 1-2-1 support. They therefore need to prioritise. 4 2. STOs and those providing support to frontline groups need to develop procedures/policies/priorities as to which groups they are going to support. This could include asking the following questions when assessing which groups to support: is there a need for the group and what it is trying to achieve? is there genuine involvement in the group e.g. more than one individual? does it have the ability to achieve some of its goals? Is it inclusive, open and willing to collaborate with others? However, these are relative questions. 4 continued

3. Support should be based on need. Is there a need for a group? Should a group be helped to merge or close down. They should be equipped to deal with realities. It should be more geared towards community development rather than organisational development. There therefore needs to be better intelligence gathering as to what is needed. And there needs to be better resources to analyse it. 20 108, 126
Topic:
Votes/delegate
What role for service users (frontline organisations) in determining the services provided by STOs?
Participants
Ian, Gemma, Tim, Tim B, Diana

What principles should consultation with users adhere to? Who determines this? Who should be consulted? Should it be Trustees, staff, funders or all of these? How often should service users/members be surveyed? How well do STOs do this currently? Good consultation is rarely funded and therefore rarely monitored externally. Often service users/members will claim consultation fatigue by being over-surveyed, and yet many will say STOs dont understand their needs. We need to ensure there is a clear outcome to consultation, including feedback and outcomes. STOs and frontline organisations need to better understand each others expectations. Should we develop some sort of charter?
Recommendations
1. There should be some central body in London that conducts a periodic census of the needs STOs have identied through consulting their service users/members. 1 2. There should be more tailored support to help organisations articulate what they want and need. Perhaps a role for business planning support or diagnostic assessments. 2 3. Ensure better mutual understanding amongst STOs about the services they provide. Ensure active implementation of the new STO database hosted by LVSC.

Stopping new groups from forming

Participants:
Bob, Angela, George, Paula, Sarah & Joan

A lot of new groups are led by people with a strong ego and who often have a personal agenda A lot of BME communities set up a new group because their needs are not being met elsewhere Established FLOs need to be more inclusive e.g. actively work on issues of concern to BME communities, disability interests, etc Some (individuals set up) groups because they see it as a way into employment There is a lot of status associated with being a charity director/trustee and CEO even if you are unpaid and have no staff / resources Too many sources of small start up funds, which encourage groups to form
Recommendations
1. Need local organisations to shelter new/ small groups, leaving the groups free to focus on direct activities i.e. set up a service/activity for community benet without setting up an organisation. Examples : Age Concern and Age Well Groups, Settlements and small neighbourhood groups. 11 98, 67, 96 2. Funders should act as gatekeepers i.e. need to understand more about need in locality before allocating a grant to a new group 3. References are barely worth the paper that they are written on.... 4. There needs to be closer working relations amongst funders e.g. local authorities, charitable trusts, charitable foundations, Big Lottery, to share information about who funds want 5. We need to stop dening communities by exclusion i.e. they are different from us therefore they are not us...
14 153, 62, 75

Is there a need for specialist technical services to be delivered by organisations that are able to serve organisations at different levels of development
Participants
Tanzeem Ahmed- (Olmec), Dr Mistry- (Ashram), Angela (BTEG), Zoe (An Viet), Obi (Life Care Consulting), Andrea (NAVCA), Jane

Need for more partnership work between small front line organisations and larger organisations where infrastructure can be shared. Here is different level of support needed at different times and for different levels in the development process. This support is not universally available across London. Support is a postcode lottery. Where there is technical support e.g from the Craneld Trust or solicitors rms , this is not well known to front line organisiations. Sometimes even the services available through the CVSs are not known to frontline organisations. There are pockets of good practice and examples of where this very good support or partnerships are in place. Infrastructure support can be provided by other front line agencies who have progressed and developed systems or policies or put in place certain nancial or IT systems which other organsiations can learn from. Perhaps these agencies can be funded to support others. There are capacity issues in infrastructures organsiations, both in terms of the level of resources as well as the skill sets that are available. These need to be acknowledged and honestly assessed so that appropriate referrals can be made to other organisations that may be better placed to deliver the service. Often front line organsiations have very extensive needs and these needs sometimes rest with one person trying to set up an organisation and deliver services. A lot of investment goes into the individual who has o be trained to be multi tasked . This takes a lot of one to one support and some of this is abortive is the person leaves and joins another sector.
Recommendations
1. Carry out a mapping of what second tier support is available and how far this matches the needs of organisations at different levels . Also identify what support is available from the private sector and other social enterprises 5
continued

2. Establish more partnership work and collaborative work where better resourced organsiations where the infrastructure is already in place can share their systems so smaller groups do not have to recreate this. Where there are synergies in the work, smaller organsiations can be freed up to do the community engagement and service delivery whilst the larger groups take charge of all the backroom functions. 3. Set up a business centre in each borough for voluntary organsiations which brings groups together and all the technical functions are provided so there is no duplication of nance, IT, payroll etc functions and costs are shared. 2 4. Provision of technical training that is accredited for advisors. Advisers need to adhere to industry specic skills standards . STO need to deliver services to sector standards so there is consistency across London. STAN should coordinate this as well as coordinate links between providers 16 104 Acknowledge that there are services that are working well and these should be part of the standards that all providers work towards.

Mentoring: How can it be used to support frontline organisations

Participants
Emma, Emily, Zoe, Simin, Jane, Andrew, Kevin

Support needs to be bespoke People who have had a good experience of mentoring are likely to want more The mentor asking the right questions is crucial Mentoring can become a self-sustaining project with the mentee becoming the mentor Organisations mentoring other organisations Mentoring can reduce isolation and create solidarity and condence Need for mentors with user experience or clear understanding of the relevant issues Mentoring can take different forms, peer to peer, group mentoring or 1-1 consultancy Mentoring should start from where mentee is at and be tailored accordingly Mentoring as useful way to set objectives and analyse the needs of the organisation
Recommendations
1. Mentoring in a funding capacity. Direct some funding resources towards mentoring capacity building throughout life of project, to improve effectiveness. 2 131 e.g: Award less money and spend some of money having upfront conversations at the beginning of the process about funding needs and capacity building requirement 2. That mentoring as capacity building should be funded more widely 3. The variety of forms of mentoring should be more widely promoted, particularly by funders. 5 131 1

How important it is that funders should encourage organisers of small groups to get training
How do you change the way small groups work? Do you force groups to get training? STOs need to provide for groups who do not want growth. Charity Commission also encourage groups to get training
Recommendations
1. Funders should ask small groups to get when allocating funds and monitor at the end 2. STOs should work toward strengthening the infrastructure of frontline organisations. 3. There should be enough resources available to Second tier organisations to provide tailored support to meet the need of particular frontline organisation rather than a generic support scheme. 4. Representatives from frontline organisations should be involved in the Management Committee of the STOs.

Engagement of disadvantage groups with Building Blocks

Access to mainstream voluntary sector, Lack of engagement with the sector, Issues of resources and sustainability, 2nd tier organisation of refugee sector in service delivery rather than voice, representation, advocacy for human rights, justice, equality issues taking into consideration the size of the refugee sector and its vulnerability to exclusion, marginalisation etc. This session includes other equality groups such as LGBT, BME The impact of commissioning on the refugee sector and the effect of the ending funding regimes like renewal SRB on the structure of the whole sector in West London. Knowledge gaps of rights and systems .Discrimination Disconnection with Race equality councils and VSC Gap in mainstream service delivery for the sector leaded to 2nd tier being service delivery Disengagement with the well established , developed organisations within the sector The need for partnerships within the disadvantaged groups The cultural issues within the refugee sector and the funders and the need for change Lack of recognition of the extra need of the refugee sector for both VSC and refugee sector 2nd tier organisations Change in funding criteria to include support for establishing voice for the sector The impact of political environment and hostility towards the refugee sector to be explored Lack of skills for community development Refugees are not part of the equality agendas, to be highlighted Lack of engagement with decision making process at local and pan London level Issues outside London ant the impact on the refugee sector to be explored and acknowledged Lack of funding and support choices for the refugee sector and losing out of opportunities
Recommendations
1. Extra support for the engagement of the disadvantaged group Extra support to develop specic functions for 2nd tier voice , representation, human rights and RCOs service provision. Role of the biggest organisation as strategic and policy support and establish clear lines of communications Support the well established organisations to grow. 4 138, 62 2. Develop connection with local racial equality councils and VSC, generic organisations and the refugee sector 5 87 3. Better investment in the refugee sector 4. Community development both geographical for 2nd tier organisations and for specic communities RCOs. Diversity within the sector is important in terms of service delivery 5. Broadening the race equality and human rights remit to include immigration

How do we get the groups to take up the support on offer?

Participants
Paula Jeffery EVA,Martin Hall City Bridge, Sioned City Parochial,Julie Corbett-Bird, Blackfriars Settlement, Rachel Southwark Community Care Forum

It is a time issue for really small groups. They focus on task of delivery rather than organisational development and maintenance There are few people in the group taking responsibility there difcult to sustain activities and access the support needed Encouraging mergers with larger organisations to ensure best service for users --- there are difcult issues to be addressed to achieve this
Recommendations
1. Funders encouraging mergers where appropriate between small groups and larger ones 2. Funders make accepting developmental support a condition of grant 3. Funders checking and making it a condition of grant that HR,Financial and other policies are updated and when????? Also business plans ????? 1 13

How can we challenge the hidden networks that influence decisions makers / funders so the FLOs can have their needs met?
Participants
Those who had access to decisions makers here need local people with overview and wider understanding who can represent needs. Hune ? Supplemental Education; Pat H&F Disability; Julie Blackfriars Settlement; Robin CPF; Sarah - ??; Deborah Women in London

Its who you know - 2 voluntary sectors (1) the mainstream (2) the small marginalised vol. Vol sector has lost its independent voice Difculty for vol sector of inuencing the mainstream (Byzantine bureaucracies) Need to work to gether to have more impact / inuecene Continuing networking needed to maintain inuence with funders Anger at direction of central government vis a vis vol sector eg Change Up Central Government is driving vol sector agenda (not hidden) where is hidden whether people who are talking to government whether they are good for sector Vol sector is not homogenous What about that vol sector that was not about public sector provision but additionality Cynicism lagerd groups come along and appropriate the ideas and experience that others have built up Need better ??? and provide voice and technical support, advice and local voice Vol Service councils can only do work which they are paid to do and not necessarily what is needed locally.
Recommendations
1. Maintaining equality of access is necessarily a continual struggle 2. Funders and decision makers must recognise multi-layered nature of voluntary sector 3. Consciously consult these different layers one size does not t all 2 11 99 7 99

What do we want from Change Up?

Participants
Tamil Action Cttee, Off the Streets and In to work, Reach, HACT, Organisation of blind African Caribbeans, Ofce of the third sector, Capacity builders, CPF trustee, CPF ofcer.

Groups not up to date on what is happening with change up Where is the money going as front line orgs being told there is no new money? Up date given by Jill about change up How long will it take to see real difference on the ground for front line gps? Jill another year before we see any changes It was important initially to get more data on what the key issues were, these were premises, nance etc. Discussion about what would success look like? This would be the improved performance of front-line orgs (Jill) Better access to STOs by front line gps e.g. how do they get to know about developments such as the LVSC website and London Funders? Information overload Should funding be invested directly to providing intensive support to front line gps There are about 40,000 charities in London and 400 STOs
Recommendations
1. Better marketing and communication of how change is structured and what its doing and what its vision is what difference will it make? 2. Needs to be targeted and better marketing of about information available and updates e.g. LVSC and London Funders websites 3. But too much information is creating confusion and need more practical assistance and tailored on-to-one support to ensure funds are beneting all communities 109 1

What could be an indicator for successful support?

Participants
Janice Needham, Sharon McGilchrist, Ian Foster, Nour-eddine Aboudihaj, Jenny Nillmett, Hanif Ahmed, Shakeen Westcombe

Different stakeholders may want different measures. FLO able deliver more/better services, STO stronger VCOs, funders value for money STO could be clearer on what change or outcome trying to achieve (e.g raise money for groups or improve sustainability) and what priorities are (but should be drawn up with FLO) and publicise these it is not possible to provide support to all. But funding can cloud this, as have own agenda. Indicators should draw on customer feedback, be quantitative and qualitative and ultimately look at beneciaries, e.g. number of people accessing services provided by front line organisations. Examples more condent in approaching funders, more able to work in partnership, engagement with local decision-making eg LSP, more groups with quality assurance system. Report says little on hard to reach groups. How do we know we are reaching these, providing appropriate support and measure success? Also need to support development of these communities. And lots of skills within hard to reach communities need to draw on these to a greater extent. Stress independence of STO essential for building trust.
Recommendations
1. STOs to clearly dene outcomes, strategic priorities (in consultation) and then identify relevant indicators 2. Greater focus on hard to reach or excluded groups how they can be identied, supported and this support evaluated 3. Need input from groups on measuring success, eg score on condence in accessing funders, condence in developing partnerships etc and then reassess at a later point (but cannot always attribute to STO intervention!) 1 4 138

Frontline Purchaser power can we get from A to B without carnage at the level of second tier support?
Participants
Mubeen Haq (CPF), Rob Macmillan (Shefeld Hallam), Colin Nee (CES), Bharat Mehta (CPF), Mahmood Norouzi (consultant), Emma Strang Francs (consultant), Sharon McGilchrist (Lb Tower Hamlets), Paul Conway, Hackney, Jaqui Finn, (South London CVS Partnership), Paul Conroy (Hackney Training & Employment Network)....sorry if Ive left anyone out.

Members of the group felt that some second tier organisations had become disconnected from the frontline orgs they exist to serve, and had lost their customer focus. No one expressed disagreement with Building Blocks reports diagnosis of the problem, but the group appeared evenly divided on whether shifting funds from STOs to create greater frontline purchasing power could form a key part of the solution. Shifting funds from second tier to frontline and ringfencing this for the purchase of infrastructure support could enable FCOs to have more control over how their needs are prioritised and met; it could shake out the second tier and make some of the less effective ones unviable; it could force STOs to be come more enterprising and customer focussed. However, it could be that other, less positive, outcomes may occur as well or instead. Theres no guarantee that it will be the less effective STOs that lose out; chunks of second tier provision would disappear and with them the choice of frontline orgs to purchase services from them; many frontline orgs would only be able to exercise their purchasing well without support and education; at the macro level, there would be a transfer of funds from STO orgs to individual freelancers with some like casualties being support for voice function including advocacy to maintain a healthy level of funding for infrastructure support. There might be more suitable alternative ways of addressing the problem of the currently (very) suboptimal STO support to the frontline eg. more effective needs assessment; smarter evaluation of STOs (why do funders insist on continuing to fund STOs which dont even collect let alone provide convincing data on customer satisfaction and customer outcomes?); more prescriptive commissioning and dropping providers which fail to meet the specication for service quality and results. So while there was agreement that greater purchaser power could be part of the solution, it would only be one part and would need to be introduced intelligently along with a package of other measures. If the Building Blocks recommendation are to go ahead, the issue of how funders would manage the new market to ensure that good STO survive, and are joined by good new STO provision, will be critical. Smart commissioning / contracting with approved providers is a part of this. Without this, moving ahead with the BB recommendations could have some very bad and irrevocable results. continued

The recommendations below are limited to the narrow question of how best to introduce an element of greater purchaser power in a way that maximises the benets and minimises the unwanted consequences.
Recommendations
1. Research the extent to which purchaser power is already operating in the VCS, and the positive and negative outcomes of this trend as this is a better predictor than a pilot (eg. in one borough) of how Building Blocks would operate if rolled out widely. 2. Carry out some market research into whether frontline orgs actually want more purchasing power and see this as a solution to the problem ; and also how they would use it as this would help us predict whether it would have perverse effects, eg. on the survival of the effective parts of second tier support. 3. Optimise the quality of freelance consultants through methods such as TSO offering associate membership to them, through training and licensing schemes (eg. the existing PQASSO licensed mentors programme) and through accreditation. 4. Smart commissioning and contracting, eg. with preferred providers, will be critical to ensure the survival of particular functions and valued providers and services which might otherwise be lost in a rush to marketisation. 1 91
6 108

Sheltering organisations delivering services in a local neighbourhood

Participants
Julie Blackfriars Settlement Joan Consultant Vaughan - Praxis George Stockwell Partnership Robin City Parochial

Does the system of capacity building individual groups accentuate and perpetuate fragmentation of conictive communities? Are we supporting groups for groups sake or for the wider benet of the local community. Starting point should be community needs who is there, what is needed, bringing groups together to meet need local neighbourhood organisations best placed to take on this role? Who holds overview? How do you get it? Who can mediate between groups? Need to create a model of networking between frontline organisations
Recommendations
1. There should be recognition that some local organisations working in neighbourhoods have a STO function in addition to delivery of frontline services and can be more effective at working with others to meet local needs. 2. Are we addressing these questions in the context of the way the sector is moving e.g Stronger Communities....... 8 148 1
3. We need a model that promotes clustering and networking creating an environment where organisations complement each other and develop their own specialisms in relation to each other thereby promoting mutual sustainability. 26 98, 37, 44

How can STOs commit to working more productively & efficiently together: minimising duplication & wasted effort.
Participants
Mary, Robin, Diana, Susanna, Sandriya, Olivia, Rajah, John

How can STOs nationally/locally share expertise what are the obstacles (time, money, organisational culture, not wanting/being able to share) Funders could play co-ordinating role do we want funders setting the agenda, imposing collaboration which is not real Collaboration needs to be facilitated & co-ordinated BASA clustering approach National collaboration to support frontline orgs duplication between national & local STOs
Recommendations
1.Identify what is common to all VCOs & put it in one place with open access e.g. web portal, common resource 2. Co-operation at national & local level needs nancial support & funders have a role here. 3. Need to develop local collaboration to share specialist knowledge could be facilitated through trading schemes (LETS) 1 2 6

To be effective, STO support needs to be delivered more locally than borough-wide

Participants
George, Pat, Jill, Linda, Amanda, Helena, Wendy, Eshter

Current borough-wide CVS model isnt working, seem to have lost their focus. Some advice/information is relevant on a nation-wide level whilst others is needed at a local neighbourhood level There is a real need for local 1:1 support on-going if necessary BUT locally based support is resource intensive Some specialist support e.g. supplementary school can be delivered borough-wide or beyond BASSAC model: Sharing without Merging. IT, HR support, purchasing power. Neighbourhood STOs could apply for funds on behalf of local partnerships. Particularly relevant for refugee groups who often struggle with the language of fundraising.
Recommendations
1. Neighbourhood based STOs should consider seeking funds on behalf of, and in partnership with, local groups. This could help avoid duplication and assist small groups to focus on the things that really matter 2. Local STOs could provide a central bank of support services such as IT, HR support, purchasing power.

Ensure the needs of all communities of interest (Equalities Groups) are met.
Participants
BIG, People First, Kairos, Olmec, Consultants (X2), LVSC, London Funders, Kay, ROTA (two others people whose names I didnt get.

Access to funding/ monitoring etc needs to be improved Recognition of expertise within equalities groups that is needed in service delivery, capacity building and policy development. For example a generic group may be able to explain the practicalities of lling in a funding application but not understand the funding climate, policy developments, other players and strategic issues with an area such as LGBT issues Longer term funding to develop underdeveloped sectors Need for partnership within each strand (e.g. race), Between strands (e.g. race and disability) and between equalities and mainstream organisations Sharing examples of good practice e.g. sharing back room staff, swaping membership rather than paying each other Need to develop trust and empathy within communities which can be done by people within community. Leads to people developing skills and becoming engaged within wider society Understanding that communities of interest do not necessarily t into geographic boundaries Recognise that people belong to more than one equalities group Small organisations (equalities and mainstream) may nd it difcult to cater to all different groups hence need for specialists Importance but difculty of mapping impact, especially in inuencing policy Need to outreach to nd out needs of equalities frontline organisations and difculty of accessing new groups do you walk the streets until you bump into them? Expense staff and money of outreach. Fear that move towards single equalities (CEHR etc) will lead government to look at specic areas such as employment, and not at the difference in employment faced by people from different equalities groups. Fear that this move will also lead to lack of funding and therefore loss of shared expertise within equalities sector. Is the saturation within equalities organisations or is it choice? continued

Recommendations
1. VOICE Fund it! (Properly) 23 28, 70, 101, 39, 26, 99, 127, 26 8 76, 39 2. Prove that we need separate equalities groups to work on issues or we will nd that needs will not be met. User Led = Expertise. 3. Work within different equalities strands and between them. Also work with the mainstream to ensure frontline equalities groups get support they need, to support communities.
6, 8, 26
Topic:
Votes/delegate
Refugee community organisations (RCOs) and their access to community accountancy services
Participants
Saeed Ahmad, Vu Thanh , Patrick Opendi, Chukwunyere Kamalu

Funders have concerns on nancial management of RCOs Groups fail because they have no nance workers But funders will not fund nance workers or core posts More and more difcult for RCOs to get funding Outsourcing clear tasks (eg payroll) to local accountancy projects would help Communication and matching of needs and services between community accountancy projects (CAPs) and RCOs is poor Community accountancy projects should help groups with new SORP (2005) and make them aware of their legal obligations
Recommendations
1. For frontline organisations to survive they need to have funded nance workers 2. There needs to be a network set up between community accountancy services and RCOs 3.To prevent groups failing funders should support CAPs to provide required community accountancy services to RCOs and wider voluntary sector.

One to One Support

Participants
Mohamed Maigag, Itango Ngondo, John Denny, Nour-eddine Aboundihaj, Kay Lee

Frontline organisations agree that one-to-one support is one of the most effective ways to receive assistance. Frontline organisations want and need tailored-made, customised one-to-one support (which should also have a holistic approach). Areas where one-to-one support is needed are nance, accounting, business planning, fundraising, policy development, quality standards and IT Frontline organisations are unique and have different needs. One-to-one support is the best way to address their issues and needs. Frontline organisations should be able to purchase their own support.
Recommendations
1. Local CVSs (and other STOs) should be providing tailored, customised one-to-one support. 18 89, 87, 96, 89, 148 10 29, 19, 23 71 2. Funders should ensure that there are enough resources for one-to-one support. CVSs should receive adequate funding to provide this service. 3. Monitoring and evaluation between STOs and frontline organisations is key to improving one-to-one support and consultancies

How would purchasing by frontline groups work?

Participants
CVSs; council ofcer; academic; front line organisations; third tier organisation; report author

Recognition that there is a problem object of the exercise is to improve performance of front line organisations and in many cases second tier organisations do not meet needs although in some cases they do. Report proposes a purchasing/market approach. But there are problems with this. How would it work? Pure market or some form of voucher system? Potentially high transaction costs. Small groups may not know what they want/need. Markets may accentuate inequalities i.e. large organisations know how to take advantage of the system and small organisations may lose out. Particular problems with small BME groups and issues of cultural appropriateness of services provided. Purchasing unsuitable for voice and representation functions. Still a need for core funding. Spot purchasing may be expensive. In a market system problems of quality control of providers and of learning from experiences. There are different issues for small and new groups and for established medium and large groups. There is a need to explore alternative approaches better market research by second tier organisations when requesting support possibility of applications for support for particular services actually coming from front line organisations in conjunction with a second tier organisation which would deliver the service. Need to make costs of STOs more transparent and justied.
Recommendations
1. Accept that there is an issue how do front line organisations get their support needs met most effectively? 2. Agree that there are aws in the market/purchasing approach and more work needs to be done on it at both a practical and theoretical level. 3. Explore other ways in which the objective of meeting front line organisations needs can be met through STOs e.g. better market research, joint applications with front line organisations to funders 3 2 155
5 14

How do we best support bigger frontline organisations and/or those with more complex needs?
Participants
Noel, Gerard, Karin, Gemma, Esther, Elizabeth, John

Can nd individuals to help out with specic issues (e.g starting to trade, writing a business plan). Some groups use trustees but this can be awkward if trustees dont really have the skills. Specialist volunteer support can provide consultants to advise a group through a specic issue. 2/3hrs a week of support until task is complete. Independent agencies (like Reach) can act as a broker, or funder (e.g Princes Trust). Maybe CVSs and other STOs could also have a brokerage role. How do we know that the support is of a good enough quality? Need funding for training advisors if you give money to CVSs to provide specialist support how do you know that what theyll deliver will be useful? What are complex needs? BME groups by their nature have complex needs are misunderstood by funders, local authorities etc. However, BME is too much of a broad term some of the newer groups to the UK are from Europe and their needs are different to those of maybe more established BME groups. Cultural understanding is key, and perhaps specialist agencies (for example Interlink) are best placed to work with these groups, rather than generic CVSs Complex needs (and also the part of the question referring to bigger groups) can also mean the need/wish to move to the next level, i.e to progress beyond the small groups survivialist stage of getting small greats to perhaps taking on a rst full time staff member, or going for a bigger Lottery grant, deciding to set up a social enterprise, taking on a council contract etc. However, not all groups NEED to grow we need to challenge this assumption and empower groups to make their own decisions/choices about how to develop, rather than be driven by funding/politics etc. We need advisors/development workers who can help groups through this process and who can advise them on the specics relating to their choices.
Recommendations
1. Funding for second tier organisations (both specialist and CVS, and also for organisations like STAN) to train up their existing advisors/development workers in specialist issues (e.g commissioning and procurement, social enterprise, employment law) 17 109, 88 2. Greater intelligence on whos already delivering what so we can make informed referrals on particular topics. 11 69, 132 3. A more detailed (and continuously updated) STAN directory, listing not only who advisors are and where they work, but also details on what their specialisms are, for example what specic funding programmes their experts on, whether they have particular knowledge about working with certain groups (e.g some advisors work with childrens groups and might have detailed knowledge about writing child protection policies etc, others might have extensive experience on helping groups to negotiate with local authorities through a commissioning process.....) This would help advisors to learn from each other. 5 38, 131

How might you work with HAs?

Participants
Bharat, CPF; Vaughan Jones, Praxis; Heather Petch, hact; Alice Wallace, E.London CVS Network; Sean Baine, SAVO

HAs have signicant resource property, infrastructure, expertise etc. Strongest bit of 3rd sector? Property means roots in certain areas and an incentive to invest in their asset base and the area in which it is located. Given the way theyve developed their property can be dispersed across London so not justify investment in strategic engagement in an area/borough. However, they can also be seen as transient as they keep restructuring and changing personnel. Do HAs, however, use their resources strategically? Do they work in partnership and coordinate their investment and activity? (A new Housing Corporation neighbourhoods strategy makes clear they should!). Where HAs resource community development activity do they link into other core activity e.g. housing management? Is it part of corporate strategy? There are specic opportunities for joint engagement at the moment e.g. Thames Gateway, Olympics. Are VCS as entrepreneurial as they could be in the way they approach/work with HAs? Do they make the right offer` e.g. offer to run a contract for community development work in an area in which HAs could invest in, of to provide advice for tenants on debt and rent arrears?
Recommendations
1. CPF and hact to sponsor/organise a conference bringing together VCS and HAs to explore better working together as a third sector. 117

How do we retain CVS expertise in terms of staff and ensure CVSs fit for purpose?
Participants
Hackney CVS, Lottery, front line service provider, trust, North London CVS Partnership

CVSs need to be clear about what they offer to front line organisations and what level of expertise can be accessed. Lack of trust between funders and CVSs. Funder do not always listen to CVSs. Some CVS do run poor services. Need to agree on a set of core CVS services that are required and fund them. Need to have this conversation with CVSs, NAVCA, Capascity Builders, Trust and London Councils. Acknowledge the agenda we are all trying to work to. After recognising core services dene level of expertise, jobs and develop staff to the desired level. Core staff should not be project funded. Core staff need set of competencies. Development and retention of staff crucial in developing service and corporate / sector intelligence. Staff should be able to develop strategic skills to engage other sectors to create / develop interventions that the CVS can facilitiate, but not deliver on necessarily. Staff need to work strategically and intelligently and be multi skilled in key areas. Will still need specialist. Recommendations Recognise that the structure / agenda is already in place to drive this, via Change Up, Capacity Builders, Navca performance standards of CVSs. = n t for purpose. Recognising other second tier in specialist areas. Need to map what CVSs have in terms of staff p/t f/t and what roles they perform to analyse gaps. Performance standards of committee, numbers on committee should allow for broad representation. Front line service providers need to be able to assess the benet they gain from second tier organisations, but this is not always clear to front or second tier organisations.
Recommendations
1. Funders need to work more closely with Second tier to set core standards in service delivery e.g. each CVS has a trained trainer as a core post. Making a set of core staff not project funded with staff coming and going. 2. Long term funding arrangements needed for such staff. Staff hold a huge amount of sector intelligence that can assist the CVS to provide better services. Must keep staff. 3. Recognise agenda and structure already driving this, eg Change Up/Capacity Builders, NAVCA = Fit for Purpose 4. Performance standards for Committees. Front line providers analysis of support needed/offered need to be clear about what is on offer and expectations and what is funded.

Buildings and premises

Participants
Anna Mahmoud, Nour-eddine Aboudihaj, Dr Mistri, Annie Cooper, Rajah Thangarajah, Sean Baine, Xhevat Ademi, Alison Licorish

Local authority premises used by 3rd sector are inappropriate wrong buildings, not enough buildings, short term contracts, or high (commercial) rent Not all groups need their own premises many just need access to a desk, meeting rooms etc, i.e. a space in a hub / resource centre. These currently tend to be used by connexions, one stop shops etc not accessible to small frontline organisations. Complex, messy nances as money ows from community group to LA for rent then back as service payments locks both bodies into a xed relationships which can stagnate and discourage innovation. Theres lots of underused land especially near train stations / tracks, which community groups and social enterprises could use effectively, but theres not enough pressure on local authorities to make them accessible for this. The smallest frontline groups are in particular need lack of premises excludes them from bidding for service delivery
Recommendations
1. Resource centres / hubs / incubators should provide premises for small frontline organisations: ofce space (IT and business address), meeting rooms, facilities (youth, elders meetings), social enterprises, one to one support, drop in centres, cultural centres. These could be linked to housing associations. Funding would include rent from social enterprises (once theyd been assisted at start up), local authority payment for services (long term SLAs etc), perhaps renting part to private sector (e.g. caf, shop), and the greater coordination of funding (including from Futurebuilders and housing associations) resulting from hosting many organisations together. Second tier organisations (e.g. CVS) could negotiate and run these, but with some shared management and responsibility to create a user-led building. 13 36, 67, 69, 8, 101, 95 2. In addition, recognising that the smallest groups may be cautious of premises outside their neighbourhood, each neighbourhood should have a basic facility: ofce and meeting space, provided by the housing association. New social housing developments should include this. 2 132 continued

3. We need more strategic asset management that involves the third sector. There should be greater pressure on local authorities for this, from government and CVSs (well placed for this strategic inuencing, though overstretched and lacking power compared to local authorities). It should be on the LSP and LAA agenda, recognising its benets. LSP could lead a strategic assessment of the full asset portfolio and of third sector need. There would be a closer link between community need and underused assets, the community sector would be better involved in decisions on using buildings. A failure to do this should be challenged, but he CVS and perhaps through the local authority rating system. 11 62, 83, 117, 36, 148, 153 4. Better use could be made of school buildings.
Votes/delegate

How can funders best decide how to spend limited funds?

Participants
Alistair, Alistair, Jain, Debbie, Kishore, Deborah, John, Ian, Martin, Robin, Janice

Visiting organisations and seeing for themselves (but easier to see quality of work with front line orgs than second tiers?) Include an amount of funding for capacity-building support in each grant made or link funding to provision of 1:1 consultancy, or fund second tiers directly in order to provide capacity-building support to grant holders. Can funders carve up the territory so that each type funds appriopriate types of service e.g. local authorities funding services, independent trust funding voice and advocacy? Funders have a policy of funding back room support to smaller voluntary organisations e.g. payroll, stationary supplies, IT support so that small organisations do not need to have expertise in all areas but can concentrate on their original mission. Recognise that not everything is knowledge and skills based. Look at funding to support development of soft skills e.g. voice, through funding ogs to work together and learn from each other. 2nd tier support needs to be accountable to rst tier Fund back ofce support across a large number of voluntary orgs role for CVSs to support across boroughs?
Recommendations
1. Put the power in the hands of front line orgs by linking support to grants either by providing a sum of money for them to purchase support, or by linking to consultancy or training funded in parallel. 2. (Independent funders) Respond to the increasing move towards contracts for service by putting more resources into voice and advocacy for the sector 3. Look at mechanisms for providing back ofce support to smaller organisations so that all do not need to become experts in everything. 1 10 83

How can we facilitate closer collaboration between STOs and funders in order to drive the agenda from the bottom-up?
Participants
Olive CAB Dinah ROTA Sharon LBTH Jill GLA Elizabeth NCVO Jacqui South London CVS Mahmoud Freelance consultant Simin Refugee Womens Association Sarah Employability Forum Steve Big Lottery

We were concerned that organisations chase funds rather than focus on their expertise/real work they were set up to do. Funders can lack understanding of service deliverers and push them to focus on processes and organisational development over delivering services or supporting advocacy/voice for beneciaries Marketing can supersede service delivery. Move towards big funding has consequences for smaller organisations who do not receive much. It is not clear who decides what capacity needs are. It is more important for specialised capacity support priorities to be identied by groups themselves seeking capacity support. Specialised support is more important than generic support. Mentoring is a welcome idea. STOs need strengthening to assist smaller organisations and need to be able to prove that they are offering good support.
Recommendations
1. Funders and STOs need to communicate better. Improved engagement and networking should take account of the views of beneciaries as expressed in the evaluation process. 2. Capacity building support should be less generic and more specialised 3. Improved communication/networking/partnership/referral between STOs is needed to maximise support from funders and effective capacity building support to organisations. 4 108 5 2

How do we capture the human capital in the business sector for the benefit of the 3rd sector?
Participants
Linda DTA Bharat (host) Jo Sainsburys

The potential of funders and 2nd tiers to facilitate bridge between 3rd and biz sectors but need to be aware of sectoral differences and transitional phasing/induction training e.g. biz people not being aware of voluntary sector culture and vice versa The role of funders checking for value for money from service providers and social audits i.e. independent verication on social change Funders to pilot voucher system for 1st tiers to buy in technical advice for legal and HR advice etc. 3-5 years transition to engender culture change amongst service providers who will have to compete more effectively for business potential opportunity for social enterprises
Recommendations
1. Group of funders to collaborate on a pilot in a community (geographic and interest) or within a specic advice need area e.g. Board Development where new funding methodology empowers client/end user to source their own advice (after shopping round from list of approved quality assured providers) using voucher system. Good and bad service encountered is reported to the funder who manages the approved list and where excellent service is discovered success is celebrated!

What can STOs do to support front line organisations to link service delivery to local policy and local priorities
Participants
Angela Spence BTEG; Sasan London Councils; Jain Lemom London Councils; Dinah Cox; Rota; Jill Healey; Henry Nicholson; S Maharasingam Tamil Action Committee

Should STOs be providing tailored support frontline organisations to deliver services in accordance with local policy? VCOs need to understand the policy context of the local area but they need the right support VCOs may know about such structures as local area agreements and LSPs but there are a range of factors which prevent them from engaging such as lack of time, feeling voices are not heard, apathy, lack of understanding STOs have a role to play in engaging VCOs in local policy but need to nd an engaging and relevant way to do so that helps VCOs understand that they can make a difference at a level from which they operate. It is this lack of knowing what difference can be made at this level of engagement that may prevent organisations getting involved in local policies. STOs need to provide support to new and emerging organisations to help them reach a certain level of growth. It is at this point that organisations feel they can start to help themselves but lack of resources, time, stafng and funding prevents STOs from real investment into one to one support. How can pan London STOs and local STOs work together more closely through genuine partnerships, resolving conict of interest
Recommendations
1. STOs need to interface with intermediary funding bodies such as London Councils, looking at ways in which they can fund ways of working which support capacity building for frontline organisations on this issue 1 2. There needs to be more one to one support from 2nd tier organisations and STOs could be funded to engage and consult on a more dedicated and meaningful basis 4 3. STOs should look at where possible sharing back ofce functions to help free up more time, staff, resources to devote to engaging VCOs in policy development. 3. STOs need to come together to look at the best ways of providing infrastructure support. Sub-regional CVS network Coordinators have a role to play in nding a better way of coordinating partnerships and new and innovative ways of supporting and engaging VCOs in policy development and other capacity building work 1 26, 28 4. More good practice needs to be shared amongst STOs and made public to help encourage and improve support to VCOs

Guiding and Empowering small organisations in challenging the status quo e.g. by empowering their clients/beneficiaries
Participants
Alastair Murray, Vu Thang, Patrick Opendi, Dr Mistri, Deborah Hart, Hosna (Bangladeshi Women Waltham Forest) Nic, Annie Cooper, (ofce of 3rd sector), Dr Pambu (Corecog)

Rather bleak outlook, Im afraid.... Access to power is costly (in money or time or travel etc.) e.g. conferences etc. The powers that be the cosy networks of people in power and the army of consultants that do their bidding - does not want to make it easy or simple. Vested interests will always work against challenges to their status or authority Its all jargon, window dressing. The decisions (e.g. about funding) are still more about playing the game who you know saying what the staus quo wants to hear. Funding priorities usually shorttermist and seen as being top-down. Goalpost moving. Funding used as a tool of co-opting the critics Relationships between organisations and their clients: Clients needs do not change much, esp. amongst most disadvantaged, but org.s must always nd new ways of describing what they do (being innovative etc.). Member run organisations often speak with the most authentic voice, and keep banging the same drum but nothing changes, and sometimes things are getting worse, because of cuts etc. Relationships between funders and funded org.s parallels relationships between org.s and their clients for better or worse Forums or larger organisations supporting smaller ones sometimes can be useful, but often still reect these same inequalities. Recommendations on following page

Recommendations Votes/delegate
1. When a small organisation starts up, the local authority should recognise that this means that there has been a failure on some level an unmet need, a gap in services, a disenfranchised group. LA have responsibility to address these needs, so need seriously to consider either funding or supporting this group in some way. 2. Organisations should try to remain member or user led as far as possible. Not allow any structure to impede the authentic member voice.
7 70, 8 5 101

Topic
Regrettably there was a technical error and the notes from some groups were lost. We have typed the recommendation sheets which give some avour of the discussions.
Votes/delegates
Support for individuals

Recommendations
To build and develop a national programme of nancial support for people setting up social enterprises and community organisations so they can sustain themselves during this period Local implementation clear funding emphasis/programme. Explore how this could relate to local enterprise bank Benets programme system doesnt account for those setting up these vital, benecial organisations need for integrated nancial support 2 4
Topic
Votes/delegates
How do we measure our support effectively and realistically?

Recommendations
Customise monitoring to project and get your funders support for different methods. Keep track of groups and turn monitoring into an every day activity. Face 2 Face good. Have a well run organisation, understand your aims and have a monitoring and evaluation strategy Think about using generalist standards e.g. NAVCO 3 95
Topic
Votes/delegates
Ensure communities of interest are included

Recommendations
Assess what communities of interest actually need Hear small/specialist organisations ensure voice is included Assess equalities internally as well (equalities impact assessment) before asking others to CVS staff trained in equalities awareness 6 6

Topic Votes/delegates
How important is it that funders encourage organisers of small groups to get training?
Recommendations
Important at the beginning to raise the standard of specialist services provision Funders should ask for Management Committee to get training at the rst year of their funding and ask at the end of the year (monitoring)
Topic
How do we make 2nd tier provision sustainable and effective?

Recommendations
STOs need individual training and accreditation and organisational training and accreditation that is monitored. NAVCA accreditation that is policed 6 63 Funders should be more rigorous in their monitoring of STOs; should also be proactive in nding out particular issues affecting communities 7 153 Funding will be needed to achieve this STOs should work together to share expertise 2 3
Topic
Delivering effective support how do you evaluate that you have achieved it?
Recommendations
Need to have usable tools/toolkits that measure outcomes and success Simple but effective, although unlikely that one size can t all second tier organisations do face particular challenges. Ideally evaluate longer term impact not just short term (Some do exist but not sure any are ideal) 4 1

How to make organisations sustainable?

Recommendations
Need for a clear and positive attitude The need to develop quality expertise and advice to cater for a range of needs. Never underestimate the needs analysis 5 104, 109
Linked to the above more coming together, sharing experience and good practice (inter-borough, cross boroughs, London wide)
Topic
Should we be worried about the effect on quality if frontline organisations purchase services?
Recommendations
Need further exploration: Some areas of work might be suitable for purchasing others denitely not where do you draw the line? E.g. core services for small organisations to be free/medium sized funded to pay for specialised advice. Needs to be addressed How will STOs plan and budget without knowing what take up on service will be? How to prevent consultants providing quick x advice
Topic
How do we measure our support effectively and realistically?

Recommendations
STOs need to work and plan together to avoid duplication funders can help this agenda allocate funds, facilitate local events 15 63, 96, 89, 67, 95, 155, 157

One size does not fit all

Recommendations
Medium sized front line organisations could group together share business support, I.T. HR and nancial management sharing posts and each contributing Social enterprise model to focus support on a few organisations to improve their infrastructure by hiring specialist staff Support necessary from funders to the development of partnerships Could third tier organisations offer focussed support on more specialised issues and problems to particular groups or partnerships? 2 4 44 10 38
Topic
Support for individuals

Recommendations
To build and develop a national programme of nancial support for people setting up social enterprises and community organisations so they can sustain themselves during this period Local implementation clear funding emphasis. Explore how this could relate to social enterprise bank Benets programme doesnt account for those setting up these vital benecial organisations need for integrated nancial support 2 4
Open Plans ActionSpace Session Report

Expertise at the Second Tier
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? Second Tier Who else should be involved? National, regional, local second tier and front line organisations to communication their needs, funders, NCVS, LVSC, Ofce of the 3rd Sector What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Establish skill sets required by frontline at different levels Map out what expertise and skills are available at second tier level Setting and agreeing standards which all agree looking at good practice for this Fund training to develop expertise that is accredited and resourcing of technical expertise in the sector Communication to the sector what is available and how to access When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 1 year to develop training courses, 6 months mapping, 6 months to set and agree standards, 6 months to communicate How should people be kept informed? LVSC/STAN and other relevant STOs to inform the sector have a web portal and information bulletins. Also available on Funders website, eg ACF etc. and then rolled out to rest of the country.
Standards and Quality of 2nd Tier

What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? Funders; LVSC; 3rd Tier eg NAVCA; STOs specialist and generalist 3rd and 2nd Tier Who else should be involved? Change Up Consortia; Statutory Agencies, Front-line organisations feedback What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Identify and agree most appropriate set of standards for 2nd Tier organisations internal and service delivery. Gain recognition of 2nd Tier organisations system from LA and funders Encourage STOs to take up standards/awards e.g. London Funders Group; CPF; NAVCA; BIG Encourage FLOs to buy services from accredited STOs When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 2 years (and the rest!!) How should people be kept informed? Through 3rd Tier organisations communication

Ensuring needs of every community met; specific roles of CVOs; guiding and empowering small organisations; voice
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? Partnerships B/W, FLOs, STOs, Funding Bodies, Change Up Who else should be involved? Equalities Groups What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Gathering evidence of added value of having separate equalities groups Research on needs of individuals who will use groups Small organisations working together to meet allneeds of all groups accessibility and equality Emphasis on advocacy and voice When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 3 years How should people be kept informed? Networking events, emails, newsletters, bulletins etc
Partnership working between STOs and between STOs and funders monitoring and quality standards
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? STOs w orking with each other Third tier help this (e.g. sub-regional, LVSC) Funders fund it and work on meaningful monitoring of it Who else should be involved? London Funders, Capacity Builders, LSPs, Local Authorities What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Joined up thinking and shared information amongst funders Regional/local/sub-regional events and networks for STOs and funders about local priorities (maybe themed, maybe starting locally, moving sub-regionally, starting STOs, moving to funders too) funders to fund this! Pooling our knowledge and having joint discussions about how to monitor our work (e.g. new philanthropy capital project looking at effectiveness of voluntary organisations). STOs to feed in ideas about ways of monitoring. When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 1. Start now next London Funders meeting. 2. Start planning now. 3. Find funding for research London Funders, Capacity Builders. 4. STOs to aim to do this 6-12 months (start work) conference to follow up sharing research. Started off by CPF, could then become sub-regional. Funders role in ensuring quality and good governance. STOs to start adopting qualiy standards and funders to be aware.

Intensive Support
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? STOs specialised in training/consultancy. Funding bodies. CVS Who else should be involved? Specialised organisations such as Evelyn Oldeld Unit Btteg/SMF/BLF London Councils CPF City Bridge Trust. Capacity Builders What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Set up focus group of STOs/CVSs/Funding Bodies Conduct market research on the impact of 1:1 support. Where are the gaps? Findings of research shared and reviewed. Recommendations and actions to come out of this. When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 6 months How should people be kept informed? Focus group would communicate through email and disseminate information to relevant stakeholders
Clusters/Networks of community groups New services/frontline organisations?

What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? Some options: Local Change Up Consortium Second tier organisations Frontline organisations with second tier functions CVS/housing associations registered social landlords Who else should be involved? Funders, local community forum, neighbourhood bodies What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Questions around use of management agent to lter down funding and manage contracts to enable very small groups to operate with minimal bureaucracy Hosting umbrella organisations role, eg community associations, CVS, settlements can support a community organisations for a time/developmental stage Brokerage vehicle outreach. Qualitative programme matching needs to what is available. Find then access needs of frontline organisations registered and unregistered Outreach part of community development function, signposting neighbourhood delivery When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 3 months for intial meeting of the groups, follow up half day conference 3 months after meeting How should people be kept informed? Email, post, as part of outreach

Complexity of the sector ensuring voice of the whole sector is heard
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? National infra structure/STOs/Funders, Central/local government, Quangos and Housing Associations, Ofce of the 3rd Sector Who else should be involved? An independent voice to challenge, monitor What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. More monitoring of Government/Local Authority and funders to ensure whole sector is consulted/ involved STOs also need to reect on their practice to ensure all sector is involved/consulted A more independent/community voice needs to be encouraged Conference to organise better work together between H.A. and VSC When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 6 months/year (1-3) Ongoing but timetabled How should people be kept informed? Email, web site, existing networks
Purchasing power
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? NAVCA, LVSC*, Sub-region (South and Central), Capacity Builders, LASA Who else should be involved? LRC. London Funders Group. Researchers. Frontline organisations. ACF What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Lead bodies to meet and clarify how and what a pilot will look like and research alongside this *LVSC will call the meeting. Develop brief for project/pilot (London sub-regions and country area) Identify funders and implement pilot Disseminate results When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 3 years How should people be kept informed? Active networks. Bulletins. Websites. Events

Premises and collaboration between STOs and funders
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? Local authorities, housing associations, LSP Who else should be involved? Second tier, frontline organisations, social enterprises, NCVO, CDF, Change Up What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Recognise the unique contribution all potential partner organisations in the renovations of the building making it homely and unique Similarly, frontline and enterprise role in management in partnership with STOs and LAs bring different groups together, connect communities through the building Provide backroom support services within buildings for range of small organisations Local authorities (and churches) should make information available about empty/under-used buildings scope current needs and gaps Transfer assets and set up process in L.A. to manage and broker this CLG and OTS work together without creating an STO misasma When would it be reasonable to expect a result? Five years How should people be kept informed? Therell be a community resource centre near us!
How do we find out what the needs are?

What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? Everyone has a responsibility not an optional extra, local, borough, sub-regional, pan London Who else should be involved? GLA, LVSC, all major funders What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Identify the best places to hold this information Being prepared to share this information Validation is an important issue A one stop shop approach Identify the sort of intelligence that needs to be collected Analyse what FLOs are delivering and what information they need that they dont knowhow to get.

Collaboration among STOs supported by funders
What organisation/s should take responsibility for moving these issues forward? All funders, CVSs and 2nd tier organisations Who else should be involved? Local Authority, Local/National government, PCT, Change Up consortium. What needs to happen? It would be useful if you could suggest the 2 or 3 next steps. Meeting between funders, CVS and 2nd tier organisations convened by London Funders Grup and London Councils, LA reps Develop a protocol re what organisation needs to have in place to receive funding Steering Group??? London Funders meet to discuss prioritising partnership development to reduce applications but not services When would it be reasonable to expect a result? 1. 6 months 1 year 2. 1 year 2 years 3 1 year follow up event to this How should people be kept informed? Though Change Up consortia, CVS bulletins, London Funders Group website, email bulletin
Open SpaceRemarks Report Concluding Session

These are some of the things that were said at the end of the meeting, those in bold were said by more than one person: A great day, we should reconvene in 6 months to see what progress has been made I really enjoyed the day Policy makers need to make a culture change It is important that community and social enterprises are supported nancially or we will momentum Good format, thanks to CPF, to CPF staff, to Bharat and Annette All the groups I went to, on different topics, came up with the same two or three things quality, diversity and community, very interesting given the different starting points Partnership work is important in the way forward for the sector one kind of VSC will full all needs amongst a myriad of different organisations The facilitation was interesting and I enjoyed the level of frank discussion, what happens next is what is important and getting policy makers involved Tired but happy! Really great day with enormously wide agenda. Thanks to Steve and Alison for the intelligent, frank and honest document Completely knackered! This is the rst time Ive stayed to the end of a conference An energising way of meeting and talking Ill try to use this method in my work Thank you for today the STAN/FLO marriage made in heaven in a day Ive met people Ive not seen for 20 years. How nice to work together rather than competing, the cooperative mood is good Ive worked with new people, its been refreshing and interesting and useful. We need to work together on the big questions instead of competing as a voluntary sector movement Reecting on my rst job in CVS 39 years ago it is nice to be back in the movement and in energetic and focussed discussion Thank you nice for once to have open discussion about whats happening in the voluntary sector. Can this meeting lead to more open discussion with funders and government in the long term? Tea and coffee on tap all day, what a treat! I will denitely take away the 3m Spraymount glue and wallpaper idea! Thank you to all the CPF and Conway Hall staff for the work behind the scenes organising and managing the day We have hit on a crucial issue and must continue A great day, great report funding the frontline might be problematic given the capacity
Bharat Mehta concluded the meeting: Thank you so much to the large majority who have stayed to the end. CPF will play its part in promoting these endeavours. There is inevitably politics in this but it is good to see people taking control of the debate. These ideas are not new and are part of important discussions that the sector needs to have and CPF is happy to play its part. A lot of work went into the document, primarily by the authors Alison and Steve but also by the photographer Chris and designer Ray, supported by Sioned and Mubin, Jaspal, Mara and all the staff at CPF. Thanks go to staff at Conway Hall for their help and the good vibes that come from its history summed up in the quotation over the stage To thine own self be true; and thanks to Annette.
Open Space Session Report An Open Space event
Event led by Annette Zera www.gettingonbrilliantly.co.uk azera@blueyonder.co.uk Report by Richard White richard.white@mail.com
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An Open Space event

1st March 2007

Open Space Introduction Session Report

Open delegates List of Space Session Report

Open delegates List of Space Session Report

Open Space Key points Session Report

Key Points from Chapter 3: Frontline groups

Open Space Key points Session Report

Open Space Key points Session Report

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Open Space Key points Session Report

The role of the Charity Commission and others

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Open Space Open Space Session Report

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Main points discussed

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What is the specific role of a CVS e.g. strategy and voice

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RECOMMENDATIONS ON NEXT PAGE

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How do we effectively measure the support STOs provide to frontline groups?

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Stopping new groups from forming

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Mentoring: How can it be used to support frontline organisations

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Engagement of disadvantage groups with Building Blocks

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How do we get the groups to take up the support on offer?

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What do we want from Change Up?

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