The presentation was a workshop at Evolve 2014: the annual event for the voluntary sector in London on Monday 16 June 2014. This presentation was chaired by Terry Perkins, Development Officer (NAVCA). Find out more about the Evolve Conference from NCVO: http://www.ncvo.org.uk/training-and-events/evolve-conference Find out more about the work NCVO does around funding: http://www.ncvo.org.uk/practical-support/funding

1. Workshops
PM3: The prospects for local
infrastructure: straws in the wind?
Chair:
Terry Perkins, Development Officer, NAVCA
Speakers:
Neil Cleeveley, Deputy Chief Executive, NAVCA
Jake Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer, Hackney CVS
Sally Polanski, Chief Executive Officer, Community and
Voluntary Sector Forum

2. Changing environment
• Infrastructure specific
funding gone
• Frontline first
• Shifting geographical
boundaries (CCG, PCC..)
• Marketisation – demand
led funding
• Tailored support

3. Unsettled outlook

4. Independent Commission on the Future of
Infrastructure
Key tasks:
• Gather evidence
• Invite views
• How infrastructure responds to
challenges
• Propose practical action

5. Transforming voluntary action support

7. It all started with the luncheon
clubs…
Jake Ferguson
Chief Executive Officer
Hackney CVS

8. About Hackney
• 2,000+ VCS groups, very diverse - 80% under £50k turnover
• Respectful and productive
relationships between VCS and
public sector
• Lots of provider networks
• Formal mechanisms for VCS to participate in strategic
decision making structures, grant panels etc.
• Lots of co-production of local strategies

9. About Hackney CVS
• £1.5m turnover – mix of income from public sector
(Council/NHS/MOPAC), BIG Lottery Fund
• 19 staff with 24 sessional young people
• Juggling 20-30 projects at any one time - Lead lots of consortia
and partnerships
• Have had BASIS, TLI and other funds but not as a main source
of income
• Provide two hubs in Hackney – income from hot desks and
conference room c£35k
• Major income from leading partnerships and proactive
business cases to public sector

10. Some of our partnership work
We are not a typical CVS in that we do direct delivery with local
partners e.g.:
• Families First Family Intervention programme - BIG
• Mayor’s Mentoring Programme - GLA
• Stop and Search work - MOPAC
• Social Prescribing & Innovation grants - CCG
• Healthwatch – LB Hackney
• Take Care of the Pennies – Lloyds TSB
• Luncheon Club contracts – LB Hackney

11. So what’s this about luncheon
clubs?
Heard in 2011 that Council were cutting luncheon clubs
Worked with Council to look at alternatives
Agreed to model SPV in Manchester
Secured £50k development money from Council to develop SPV
Then used TLI to continue its development
So what are the key lessons?
• Work with the commissioners with the problem/offer solutions
• Ensure you have sector buy in – any SPV needs members!
• Mirror best practice and be confident about your approach

12. So where are we now?
• Hackney CVS now managing £120k luncheon club contracts and
supporting 20 clubs to develop and work in partnership
• SPV has secured £270k three year Carers Contract for Hackney
with 15 partners
• SPV is leading £5.75m bid around older people and social
isolation with 50 VCS and public sector partners
• SPV is leading bid to reduce hospital admissions and improve
discharge rates

13. The lack of grants & resources
for local VCS support
Solutions:
• Hackney Giving
• Joint bid writing and development – has secured over £3m this
way
• Pro-bono help from business sector staff
• Supporting cohorts of sector more, fewer one to ones
• Apprentices and volunteers – we would be lost without them!

14. Bringing the voice of local people
to the decision making table
• We still use elected VCS reps but public sector want more from
users/residents
• Community Insight approach has provided very valuable
• Started using approach after riots
• Mayor’s partnership event in July will feature video, audio and
written evidence from 14 local community groups about how
Hackney is changing.

15. What’s next?
• Making sure we have the capacity to continue to expand and
diversify
• Continue to be proactive in taking business cases to the public
sector
• Retain experienced and committed staff team
• Work with sector to tackle big issues for Hackney through
partnerships – domestic violence and childhood neglect, young
black men

16. Over to you…
Either on your own or in groups with the people around you, use
the “twitter “ cards on your chairs to answer the questions on the
next slide, comment, raise new questions or generally entertain
the audience (in an infrastructure related way!). In the spirit of
twitter, keep your comments short and succinct.

17. Over to you…
• How can we, as infrastructure bodies working in more complex
and challenging times, ensure the smaller and BMER VCS don’t
lose out?
• How can we keep grants on the agenda and available locally?
• How can we survive as infrastructure bodies financially?

18. Case study:
Brighton and Hove Community Works
Sally Polanski
CEO
Brighton and Hove Community Works

19. Sharing our learning
• How our recent history helped secure our future
• What we offer the public sector
• Developing our services for others

20. Our recent history
• TLI merger
• New and unprecedented City Council Policy on Third Sector
and Communities
• Joint Commission on infrastructure, community development
and community engagement

21. We want voluntary and community
action to have the greatest possible
impact on people in Brighton and
Hove. We put in place the support
and networks that make it happen.

22. Who was involved in our TLI project?
• CVSF
• Business Community Partnership / Skills Exchange
• Volunteer Centre
• Performance Development Service
• Working Together Project
• Southeast Wellbeing Consortium
• Trust for Developing Communities
• Plus Strategic Working Group, independent Chair and the
wider VCS

23. Our immediate future
• Community Works Third Sector and Communities
Partnership: £1.6mn contract 2014-17 and complex delivery
chain
• Taking Account 3: Economic and Social Audit of the Voluntary
and Community Sector
• Political uncertainty in the context of greatest cuts yet

24. Our offer to the public sector
Partnership
- Prospectus model for commissioning
- Social Value Policy Panel
- Consultation and engagement … but not as we knew it
Value
- Consultancy
- Special Purpose Vehicle for umbrella contracts
- Networks
Flexibility
- Shifting policy/priorities
- Crisis support

25. Developing our services
To our members
- Target groups aligned with city priorities
- Consultancy, training and paid for services
To others
- Specialist consultancy and community engagement
- Business partnership
- Focal point for volunteering services

26. Over to you…
It’s “twitter” time again. Just to remind you of the rules…
Either on your own or in groups with the people around you,
use the “twitter “ cards on your chairs to answer the questions
on the next slide, comment, raise new questions or generally
entertain the audience (in an infrastructure related way!). In the
spirit of twitter, keep your comments short and succinct.

27. Over to you…
• In the context of cuts, how can infrastructure offer
representation AND partnership to the public sector?
• How do we, as infrastructure organisations, balance
achieving diverse membership and inclusion with facilitating
delivery partnerships that may exclude and divide?
• Our remit is vast. We do a lot of things – some fairly well,
others potentially less so. What do we want to do brilliantly
and how do we make that our key to success in the future?

28. Questions and discussion

29. Thank You
Neil Cleeveley
Deputy Chief Executive
NAVCA
Tel: 0114 289 3954
Email: neil.cleeveley@navca.org.uk
Web: www.navca.org.uk
Jake Ferguson
Chief Executive Officer
Hackney CVS
Tel: 020 7923 8357
Email: jake@hcvs.org.uk
Web: www.hcvs.org.uk
Sally Polanski
CEO
Brighton and Hove Community
Works
Tel: 01273 234023
Email: sally@bhcommunityworks.org.uk
Web: www.bhcommunityworks.org.uk

30. Evolve 2014